I have started to feel somewhat normal so I headed out to the barn yesterday. I was sunny, slightly warm and very windy. Rosie seemed pretty glad to see me. This barn doesn't turn out when the weather has been nasty or if there is ice on the ground so who knows how long it has been since she was turned out. She was eager to get out and I think would have haltered herself if she could. I cross tied her and brushed her quickly just to get the shavings off of her back. While I was doing that I noticed the darn goat had been chewing on the end of the breakaway strap for her halter. Grrrr. While there isn't damage that affects the use of the halter it still annoys me. I just generally don't like goats. This one lives in the stall next door with the barn owner's son's pony. Occasionally the goat is let out to wander. She doesn't go anywhere but she does chew on things and she can reach the halters because they are hung up outside each horses stall. One day she came out to lick the salt off my truck. That didn't bother me but I was afraid of what she might do next. I had visions of her standing on the roof. Now I know why my mom wouldn't let us have goats when we were kids.
Anyways, after cussing the goat and picking out Rosie's feet we headed to the indoor arena. I figured I was in for a show when Rosie got all looky-louey and snorty at a girl carrying a harness. She didn't disappoint! She trotted around for a good five minutes doing her best Arab impression with her tail flagged and alternately arching her neck and then flinging her head up high. After about 10 minutes she decided anything more than the usual slow trot was too much work and settled down nicely. I made her change directions a few times and trot and canter for another five minutes or so for a total of about 15 minutes of lunging. I quit there because I didn't want her to get too warm as we had hit our high temp at 8 a.m. and it was steadily getting colder. She was a bit warm so we walked around for a bit before I put her away and gave her some treats. I think she would have liked to stay out more but there was no way I was riding that fresh of a horse with the arena banging around in the wind like it was. We had gusts up in the 50 mph range here! I thought I was back in Wyoming. I am hoping to get out and ride tomorrow, the temp is supposed to be 37 degrees for the high. Plus, I told my daughter that if it was warm enough this weekend I would take her out to ride Rosie in the new saddle she got for her birthday a couple of weeks ago and there is no way I would let her ride a horse that fresh. She will hound me mercilessly until she gets to ride so that is my motivation.
I hope everyone else is having a better winter than I am but I see even Arizona is pretty cold so I don't know where the warm air has gone. Hopefully it comes back from where ever it is hiding soon! I guess I also have to say "Go Steelers!" for the Super Bowl this weekend. It doesn't matter to me one way or the other but the people in this area tend to get a little grumpy if their team doesn't do well. My daughter has Steeler fever and decided to get the dog in on it too. Poor dog, honestly.... :-)
