Reflection on Frost!

We have had a series of really cold nights.  Our bedroom is on the second floor and I can look out over the roof of the garage from up here.  This is important this time of year because when I get up, I can look out the window and see if there is frost on the roof and how thick it is.  This morning it was really thick and took some time to melt even with the sun out.

Tonight is supposed to be another really cold night with a chance of sprinkles....that means lots of moisture to freeze and turn into frost.  All the mature horses don't mind the cold because they have nice thick coats to keep them warm, even if it is drizzling.  I come from Minnesota where we didn't blanket our horses in the dead of winter, let alone just when it gets down in the 20's, so unless there is some medical reason they need a blanket, they aren't getting one.   We will feed alfalfa at night to give them the extra protein to burn during the night to keep warm.

Even Cinnabon and Bambi (both less than a year old) have nice thick coats.  If it is drizzly and cold out for Bambi I will put on the blanket that a beautiful angel sent this way, just for that added dryness since she did so recently get over her strangles.   But poor Diesel (the baby), he just doesn't have the muscle mass or thick coat to keep himself warm so he gets his blanket right after the sun goes down.

So where does the frost come in which is what I originally started talking about?

If the frost is still on the roof in the morning, I know it's still too cold to go out and take Diesel's blanket off and another good reason for me to stay under the electric blanket in my jammies and answer emails and facebook, and anything else I need to do on the computer.   If the frost is gone, well I better get out there pretty soon and get his blanket (generously donated by the same angel) off too.

He likes his blanket.  Not so much the putting on and taking off, but he knows when it does come off, I am going to brush him from head to toe and oooohhh boy does that feel good.  If fact, I am surprised he doesn't go grab the hairbrush off the table next to the stall and bring it to me himself.   When I am done, if he hasn't had enough, he just comes right back to me and stands there as if to say "more, may I have some more?"...

Bambi loves to be groomed too.  Not shy of the brush or comb, what girl named Bambi would be????   She will just revel in the hair tingling, muscle massaging process of getting brushed.  She'll stand for her mane and tail to be combed out too.   I have taught her well to prep her for a future in pony club, parade costume, or some other function where it will be imperative that she look her best and she will have to endure (I say that tongue in cheek) all the fussing.   It is fun to watch Mackenzie, who the two of them stand eye to eye, diligently go about the chore of grooming her...very serious business it is.  And Bambi knows she is star of the show.

SHALA also loves to be groomed, but I need to catch her first and now that she is out in a large enclosure, she doesn't always want to be caught and can play hard to get from time to time, but once I start brushing her, she has no desire to go anywhere.   I really feel I need to compensate for all the times I had to go out and put drops and ointment in her eyes.  She still remembers and probably always will, but as I catch her, to just groom her and make her feel good and leave her eyes alone, I am hoping all that eye care will sit farther back in her memory banks and slowly fade away.

I see the way these horses appreciate the TLC that comes with the grooming and the way they truly relax and hang their head down in complete joyful submission and am eager for the time that Cinnabon will allow me to do the same with her.  But to do that safely I will really need to have her haltered and we haven't gotten that far along yet. I am still just getting her used to me being close and touching her - lots of pressure there.  But soon. I haven't worked on haltering her at all this week because it is too slippery in her stall, but next week if it dries out more, we will be right back at it.   I one day soon I hope it will be her enjoying that full body massage feeling that comes with a nice gentle grooming.

These horses are true treasures.  Though we've had trials of them fighting me because of the health care treatment they needed, or the fear they show because of the sad situation they were in before they got here, or just never having been touched, once they decompress and learn to trust, they trust AND depend and what a gift it is for a horse to trust and depend on me....these animals that can live in the wild for years and years without needing to trust or depend on a soul.  

So in this season of giving gifts, I have been given the ultimate from the horses here at the rescue, trust and dependence.  How privileged I am to care for the precious creatures that you all help support so we can move them on to good, fulfilling lives with families that love and care for them.   Your kindness and generosity allow us to meet all their well-being needs so they can relax, be horses, feel loved and thrive.  You are each a part of this wonderful and loving process and I must say I think we make quite a team.

All of us working together for the health and well-being of the horses.

So tomorrow morning when I look out my window, I will check the frost on the roof to see if it is time to start the morning ritual that shows these horses just how much you care...   Did you ever really think frost was that important???   Well now you know!

Thank you all for your continued support.     If you would like to make a holiday donation to care for the horses on behalf of that person who is hard to buy for, I will send them a special card letting them know that a holiday gift was made in their name to help care for the horses at EqWBR.  I have done several so far and it has been a lot of fun.

I suspect that the recipient will be delighted that their holiday gift, instead of being something that will end up being tucked away and never used, regifted or used as a white elephant, will be caring for animals that can't care for themselves.  

Let me know if you would like to do this and we can get it done before the holidays. Give me a call at 760-703-4860 or send me an email at christine@EquineWellBeing.org, and I will get the gift cards in the mail the same day.    Again, we can't thank you enough for all of your loving support.....

Christine