Christmas Day 2014

Happy Holidays to all!  We hope you are having a wonderful time with whoever you are spending the day with, be it family, friends, or furry creatures.

Best Husband ever and I woke this morning and helped Moose open his presents.  He had more gifts under the tree than we did - he's been a very good dog this year - and he understands that if we give him a wrapped parcel, he is allowed to rip open that parcel and take whatever is inside.  Here is a picture of a few of his new toys:

After visiting some family and eating a delicious Christmas meal, we traveled over the hills and through the woods to the barn to see Nox.  This is our third Christmas together and I like to spend time with Nox on this particular holiday.  When I was a little kid, I wished every year that Santa would bring me a horse.  When I was older, I still held out some small hope that I would wake up Christmas Day and there would be a beautiful horse waiting for me.  

Now there is a beautiful horse waiting for me and I make sure that I take the time to appreciate him. Even though he never had childhood visions of horses dancing in his head, Best Husband Ever understands my need to see Nox on holidays and comes with me when he can.  I have so much to be thankful for this year: my husband, family, furry children, friends, job, house... and so much more.  I hope 2015 is full of peace and memorable moments.  Happy New Year!    

The barn in December

I had a request from my sister to write a post about the horses in winter.  I'm happy to oblige!  Nox is as fuzzy as a bear and very warm.  I haven't put a blanket on him yet and it looks like I won't have to until the temperature dips below zero.  His stall is well sealed from the wind and elements and he generates a lot of heat, so he's comfortable and happy.

Nox's winter coat. He's so fuzzy!

Nox and Jameson. Jameson is only 7 months old and they act just like brothers.

He sure is a pretty boy.

There are some horses at the farm that stay outside year round.  They have blankets and run-in sheds that they can use to escape the snow and ice, but they usually just stay outside in the snow anyway. Horses are built to withstand bad weather.  Baya prefers to be out in the pasture and gets a little stir crazy when she's stalled up.  Here she is looking sporty in her purple blanket.

Baya, looking gorgeous as always.

The other farm critters are doing well.  The guinea pig and bunnies have a heat lamp, the cats have a heated bed that they all squeeze into, and the chickens puff their feathers up and hide in the hen house most of the time.  Josie the mini donkey, Jasmine the pony, and Agnes the goat share a paddock. They also have a shed full of fluffy shavings they can curl up in, but they are all so fuzzy that I doubt they can even feel the weather at all!

Agnes and Josie

Josie wants me to put the phone away and cuddle with her.  She loves to be scratched, hugged and snuggled.  Jasmine is in the background.  She just wants the carrots.

The ground is frozen and very hard, so I haven't been riding Baya very much.  We did do a little light work yesterday after the ring was tilled up, but I could feel she was uncomfortable on the frozen ground so I kept it short and light.

So really, what it comes down to is that all the animals are just fine and I'm the only one who is cold and complaining.  I wear at least three layers of clothes, hats, gloves, etc., and try to make Nox's grooming time as active and full of calisthenics as possible to stay warm.  It's dark by the time I get to barn every week day by 4:30 pm, so I only get to see Nox in good light on the weekends.  That's why I haven't been posting much - I can't get any good pictures to go with the stories.  Everything has been quiet anyway, especially since we put the lock on Nox's stall door.  No more escapes!  He has his next vet check in January and I'm hoping to see further improvement in his ligament.

Happy holidays to all and I hope it is warmer where you are than it is here (currently, we are hovering right at the 10 degree mark)!