Ice Day

Last night the snow tapered off and it began sleeting or freezing rain. I had brought everyone in, all of them were wet and had icicles hanging from their heads, mane and anything else that was exposed. They all wanted in.

It later turned to rain, which immediately iced everything over. Including the grass. And the gravel. And froze the gate latch.

This morning it was so slick, I was tromping through the snow, breaking the hard ice shell. The 'bare' areas were super slippery. I slid into the shed door. My plan was to let them all stay in until it melted, predicted to be in the 50s today. I can feel little puffs of warmer air. But it is pouring, a regular drenching. I can hear our creek roaring.

The government was opening 3 hours late, and we decided to stay home. Later in the day, when it did really warm up to 45 and the sun came out, I put everyone out. He worked with the Blacks a little bit, too. It feels like spring and everything is a sopping, sloppy, mushy mess. The snow is rapidly melting and the creek is rising.

I brought them in to feed and brushed Beau, concentrating on his case of rain rot. It is getting better, but I am compelled to pick at the scabs. He applied the Gold Bond to his ears and his rump, both places continue to be infected with rain rot. Beau really does enjoy the attention, or maybe the grooming feels so good he just wants to stand there. I believe the combination of decent sweet feed, the wormer, hay and Gold Bond is making him healthier, from the inside out. Both of the Blacks have put on weight, too.

We are really burning through hay; hoping that this hay could last a while, with all the snow cover and nights spent inside, it is rapidly vanishing.