Everything sublime is as difficult as it is rare. Baruch Spinoza

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Geldings

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Unattributable

Ari & Laddy

Shaka & Bright

Ben

Scamper's little ears

Bounce's back, Ben & Laddy

Horses love to roll in mud. They particularly love to roll in the mud in early spring, as it helps to remove the itchy, dead winter hair. They look like this throughout the early springtime and it is a waste of effort to clean them up until mud season is over. 

When my business was active I had to keep them clipped and clean, even in this mess because no one wants to see your messy horses when they come to look at stallions or sale horses. So, as long as we are having an economic meltdown, I might as well take advantage where I can! 

It's a long row to hoe before they get to pasture, so we settle into the spring confinement to paddocks. Fortunately, I have enough room for everyone to be out all day, including the stallions. My boy Solo is so happy to have the whole day out. He is an American Saddlebred and very good about stall confinement, so over the terrible winter he got the least turnout of the stallions. Now that he can get out, he is so appreciative. He's still a helium balloon on the lead, but now it's in play as opposed excess energy.

I have 25 of these mud hens!

4 comments:

Ganeida said...

Wow! Am I glad I don't have to clean them!

Just Jules said...

Well, I guess the mud serves a purpose for them! Who would have thought a natural brush? That is good, because man they shed, don't they!?

Sandra said...

Ganeida, if you wait long enough, most of it falls off.
: )

Yes, they shed like crazy. We keep Zing in the outdoor arena during this time because he isn't ridden regularly and no one wants to clean off the mud 3-4 times a week. Sand falls off!

By June they will be sleek and shiny.

Sandra said...

I meant to say Zing IS ridden regularly!