Well, we waited until February for it, but on Valentine's day the Northeast was hit with a massive storm, and we, personally, got 20 inches of snow in our backyard. We were snowed in for two days, thankful we stopped at the grocery store before the storm, and it took us just about that to dig out.Needless to say there isn't much riding going on at this time, nor working with the horses. They were in for three days due to frozen gates and paths which needed to be dug out in order to get them to their paddocks and pastures. Two hours of sleet and ice fell like a sandwich between 6 inches of snow and the remaining 14 inches, so walking and driving conditions were hazardous.Two major interstates in PA were shut down causing drivers to be stranded on these interstate for over 24 hours in 10 degree weather, overnight. We at home were astounded. As long as I can remember, nothing like this ever happened in Pennsylvania, which doesn't lend itself to the Governor's recent cuts in budgets for road maintenance and the loss of private contractors PA used to use to clear roads in the snow. It really is disgraceful. If it wasn't for snow mobile drivers taking these folks gasoline and food as well as blankets, until the Governor finally got on board and sent out the National Guard to assist, these folks would have been frozen and hungry.TODAY...more than 36 hours after the storm, these two roads STILL REMAIN CLOSED. One (Interstate 81) is closed for over 50 miles!!!!!!!!!!!!! On the second day of snow in, I groomed all the horses at home. Manes and tails were done, clipped their muzzles, gave them all a nice rub and got off excess hair. Let them roll in the barn aisle for a good scratch and walk around one at a time in the inside of the barn and eat hay in the aisle. We ofen do this in very bad PA weather and our horses are used to it. They are all well mannered in the aisleway. We have a very large aisle and it is sawdust covered, with two rubber mats for grooming near the front entrance doors. If necessary, I can take in a rescue horse and put up a gate and the horse would have a makeshift staff using the aisle, so that is why we built it this way.The picture on this page is one of many I took when a family of cardinals visited our feeders on day two of the storm. We kept them filled, and also put out corn for the turkeys and squirrels and we were treated to nature television out our big picture window.I'm hoping this will be our one and only 20 inch snow storm for this winter.
It's been a bit since I've had a chance to post a blog. Work has been extremely busy with the end of one year and all the reporting that requires and the start of the next year and all the set up that requires. We also lost one employee, which then adds some work time to the schedule.But, amid all this, Roo and I have still maintained a semblance of a schedule as far as interaction and trianing goes. As you can see in this photo Roo has grown a bit more and I am actually bending over laughing at him here. We use alot of activities in our work now, including the tarp and the poles and flowers and cones. I am teaching Roo to run a sort of obstacle course off lead. It's like agility training for horses. There is a different command for putting only front feet on the tarp and four feet on the tarp, as well as for approaching the tarp from the side (width-wise) or from the end (lengthwise). One command asks that he walk the tarp from end to end (lengthwise). One command asks him to halt with front feet only on the tarp. Etc. We make it up as we go along. I am trying to vary the experience for him, make him use his mind and see how long it takes for him to give me the correct response. Response time has actually DECREASED (in that he gives me the correct response FASTER now) over the last month as I've added new elements to the agility course. This is good. Roo seems to be thinking critically as his vocabulary of commands (both verbal and non-verbal signals) grows.I may have joked once about Roo becoming a trick pony (well, pony may not be the right word...LOL), but there is no joking any more. He has the potential and the mind to do exactly that. The weather has been very cold lately. In the past week we have had wind chill advisories and wind chills of -10 to -20 degrees. After work weather has not been cooperative for Roo and I for four days now, with it being 0 - 5 each evening. Not conducive for either of us to be working. So I typcially make a run to the barn to check blankets, feet, and just be a presence, then run home and sit by the fire. These few days off seem to be a downer for Roo. He looks at me each time I bring him out of his stall with that look that seems to say "So what are we doing today, Mom?" Each time I groom him and put him back I know he is disappointed. But it is just too cold, even with the little heaters in my shoes.I changed Roo's feed to Blue Seal Charger in the last month. He is liking it alot. I wanted him to stay on a feed that was conducive to growing horses, and Charger meets all the requirements. I will keep him on this until he is about 30 months old, then I will most likely switch him to either Blue Seal Trotter or Pacer. When the weather clears Roo and I will go outside more and walk the farm a bit. He is very trusting of me now and really will go anywhere and do anything I ask him to do. I'm looking forward to Spring!!!
