Elf On A Shelf
...
Lets set the scene: a dash of layered snow, a cold, frosty night, some moonlight and some freezing fog.
I headed off to do my own horses before work (my lovely OH had put some deicer on my car for me!) And it was nice to see the ponies coats doing their jobs! All of the unrugged natives were white and frosty where there realy isnt ANY heat escaping out of their coats! Got to work to hear people moaning about how cold it was. "My car reads -7! This is not ok with me right now!" Said one. "Do we still have to ride the horses?" Said another naive newbie 😂😂😂 I just responded with "Theres no such thing as bad weather just inappropriate clothing!"
So we all bundled up in more layers than the Michelin Man and scrambled onto our first lot in the half dark. Ee by gum it was cold! But Pins soon warmed me up the wee toad! Heading onto the gallop he put his head between his knees, leapt into the air, turned 90degrees to the right before landing and then did it all over again! If that doesn't wake you up and get the adrenaline flowing nothing will! The girl next to me was squealing 'cos Pins set her one off 😂😂😂 all the horses are a little bit fresh just now as most had been on pre-race work which is now null and void as Musselburgh is off this weekend. Today was just a trot and lob day so nothing fast or strenuous.
Second lot was Elmo who is a total Dude of a horse! But he isn't a fan of the frost so wasnt pulling half as hard as he can today - thankfully!
Wrapped up to the nines with my snood up over my ears, heat pads on my toes and between my 2 sets of gloves! I was toasty warm!
Over at the other yard I had Big Bad Boris first, again just an easy lobbing day - or so you think! Big Bad Boris took full advantage of not being on baby sitting duties today and went a little faster than I like back down the gallop the last time! Not out of control, christ no! But not 100% under the thumb 😂😂😂
My next horse was one I have adopted to try to turn around. I love him to pieces, always have! But he is a horse with problems. He pretty much lives on ulcer treatment and massages but he is looking 100x better and is 1000x happier for having one person ride and look after him. Because he is/was such an easy ride he got every tom dick and harry on him but the last 2 weeks he has really changed for the better. We shall see if he runs any better for it. He has had my Seaver Girth Sleeve on for the last couple of days but it has either given me totally wonky data or none at all so I am going to have to speak to them about it.
Last lot was The Reprobate ... Sky ran a great race to be 2nd at Kelso last week and then spent the best part of a week on the water treadmill after as he had a bit of a sore back. Sky LOVES the treadmill! He is one horse that you really do notice a difference in when he has been on it. He is much more free in his movement and has more of a swing in his step. Sadly the water treadmill is af yard 1 and Sky is absolutely sceptic to ride over there so he rarely spends much time there for my sanity! But the last few days over at yard 2 he has been off his rocker! Sky likes to pull, hard! But he is taking the utter pee just now! Its good that he is feeling so well and so happy with himself! But I may have to resort to putting a grackle on him tomorrow... not a decision I take lightly because he really doesn't like them and I dont want to spoil his good mood but my arms and back need a break from his relentlessness lol! Roll on Feb 14th when the wee toad runs again!
All of the stables have automatic water drinkers which obviously fail when the temperature dips too low. But its ok, we have contingency plans. We always keep the taps going so thats not a bother and we fill up big 1000l cubes so we have a good, quick supply of water. But transporting it round the yard can take time. But as they say - Team work makes the dream work! If you get a long enough chain it takes no time at all!
A few more wintery pics (and yes I have stolen some from the boss 'cos she is always nicking my pics too so its only fair 😂😂😂)
A little but frosty 2nd lot!
I headed off to do my own horses before work (my lovely OH had put some deicer on my car for me!) And it was nice to see the ponies coats doing their jobs! All of the unrugged natives were white and frosty where there realy isnt ANY heat escaping out of their coats! Got to work to hear people moaning about how cold it was. "My car reads -7! This is not ok with me right now!" Said one. "Do we still have to ride the horses?" Said another naive newbie 😂😂😂 I just responded with "Theres no such thing as bad weather just inappropriate clothing!"
So we all bundled up in more layers than the Michelin Man and scrambled onto our first lot in the half dark. Ee by gum it was cold! But Pins soon warmed me up the wee toad! Heading onto the gallop he put his head between his knees, leapt into the air, turned 90degrees to the right before landing and then did it all over again! If that doesn't wake you up and get the adrenaline flowing nothing will! The girl next to me was squealing 'cos Pins set her one off 😂😂😂 all the horses are a little bit fresh just now as most had been on pre-race work which is now null and void as Musselburgh is off this weekend. Today was just a trot and lob day so nothing fast or strenuous.
Second lot was Elmo who is a total Dude of a horse! But he isn't a fan of the frost so wasnt pulling half as hard as he can today - thankfully!
Wrapped up to the nines with my snood up over my ears, heat pads on my toes and between my 2 sets of gloves! I was toasty warm!
Over at the other yard I had Big Bad Boris first, again just an easy lobbing day - or so you think! Big Bad Boris took full advantage of not being on baby sitting duties today and went a little faster than I like back down the gallop the last time! Not out of control, christ no! But not 100% under the thumb 😂😂😂
My next horse was one I have adopted to try to turn around. I love him to pieces, always have! But he is a horse with problems. He pretty much lives on ulcer treatment and massages but he is looking 100x better and is 1000x happier for having one person ride and look after him. Because he is/was such an easy ride he got every tom dick and harry on him but the last 2 weeks he has really changed for the better. We shall see if he runs any better for it. He has had my Seaver Girth Sleeve on for the last couple of days but it has either given me totally wonky data or none at all so I am going to have to speak to them about it.
Last lot was The Reprobate ... Sky ran a great race to be 2nd at Kelso last week and then spent the best part of a week on the water treadmill after as he had a bit of a sore back. Sky LOVES the treadmill! He is one horse that you really do notice a difference in when he has been on it. He is much more free in his movement and has more of a swing in his step. Sadly the water treadmill is af yard 1 and Sky is absolutely sceptic to ride over there so he rarely spends much time there for my sanity! But the last few days over at yard 2 he has been off his rocker! Sky likes to pull, hard! But he is taking the utter pee just now! Its good that he is feeling so well and so happy with himself! But I may have to resort to putting a grackle on him tomorrow... not a decision I take lightly because he really doesn't like them and I dont want to spoil his good mood but my arms and back need a break from his relentlessness lol! Roll on Feb 14th when the wee toad runs again!
All of the stables have automatic water drinkers which obviously fail when the temperature dips too low. But its ok, we have contingency plans. We always keep the taps going so thats not a bother and we fill up big 1000l cubes so we have a good, quick supply of water. But transporting it round the yard can take time. But as they say - Team work makes the dream work! If you get a long enough chain it takes no time at all!
A few more wintery pics (and yes I have stolen some from the boss 'cos she is always nicking my pics too so its only fair 😂😂😂)
A little but frosty 2nd lot!
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