Holding Steady

 Well, nothing has changed here in the land of cold and snow. It's still cold. There's still snow.

Am I a terrible human for taking pleasure in the fact that the polar vortex seems to be affecting almost all of North America and everyone is complaining about the colder than normal temperatures? I mean, misery loves company!

I hadn't been out to see the ponies for a week. It's just been too damn cold in the evenings after work to head out for what would be a very quick visit. I know they are looked at daily and are happily parked in front of a round bale (eating helps keep them warm) so I'm not too worried about them. 

Happily eating in the wind, although Cisco isn't sure why I'm talking to him from my car on the road.

On Thursday I had the day off so I was able to go out during the warmth of the afternoon. It was a balmy -24 celsius at 2 pm . Unfortunately, the wind was brutal, and that made it feel like -36. I actually thought it felt colder, at least when I was walking into the wind, which I had to do when I went out to grab the horses. I had put sunglasses on to keep my eyes from tearing up because of the wind, and I truly thought they were freezing onto my nose at one point. 

Cisco volunteered to come in first. He was much more chill and into using the Surefoot pads than he was last week. He also very much enjoyed getting some scritches and currying on his neck after wearing his blanket and hood for the last week. 

Cisco seems to feel the need to touch me while he is on the pads. He had a hind foot on a pad throughout this.

When I brought Phantom into the barn I thought she sounded stiff. I have a co-worker who has a horse in her 20's and she's been telling me how cranky the mare has become since the cold hit and that she has been giving her some bute. I was worried about Phantom being a bit uncomfortable because I'm pretty sure she hasn't been moving around very much.

Since it's far too cold to even bother going into the arena (unheated) Phantom and I did some laps of the barn aisle. Walking and trotting. Her hoof sounds on the concrete didn't sound bad at all, but she was giving me a pretty annoyed mare glare about the whole thing. 

She also got to spend some time with the Surefoot pads before getting bundled back up in her big snowsuit and going back out. 

In typical Alberta fashion, the temperatures are supposed to swing pretty quickly early next week. I'm planning to get the horses into the arena on Sunday (-16 high) to get a chance to get the sillies out, then I might do an easy ride on Monday (-12 high) depending on Cisco's bodywork appointment, and then should be able to get going again on Wednesday (-4!). Hopefully, this is the last of the crazy winter cold for the season! (But probably not!)