Only in New England...

Can it look like this on a Sunday......60°F and Sunny

And this on the next Thursday!.......definitely not 60°F.....

Thank goodness we got that pile of wood split and stacked in time!  Winter has set in and last Wednesday was the final scramble to get everything in order before the first snow.  I pulled Daatje's shoes two weeks early as I didn't plan on such early snow and she wasn't equipped with snow pads. 

 

 

I hated to pull them after only 4 weeks, but it was either that or keep her in.  Her feet looked great and she's now barefoot and on vacation until spring.  :)  The Die Harder hunt got cancelled due to the amount of snow that fell (no place to part the trailers!) so it all worked out.

 

She's so happy to be on vacation!  I'm starting her back up in the lines, so took her out on Sunday for the first of many tune-ups before we start back between the "shafts" and then on to pulling the drag.  She was in her stall when I grabbed her halter off the door and opened it just in time to see her bolt outside!  Hahahaha, she thought we were going hunting.  She is SO done with hunting!  Instead of chasing her, I waited in the doorway.  She turned around and came back, peeking in her stall. 

 

We stood like that for a few minutes when finally I asked her "don't you want scrubbies?"  With the mention of "Scrubbies" (her favorite, she loves being groomed!) she perked up and marched right into her stall, shoving her face into the halter.

 

Silly mare.  She had no idea that she's on vacation!

 

After scrubbies, I tried on the harness that came with our new cart.  It's a bit small in places, so I'll likely be selling it, but it's good enough for getting back into wearing the tack and working in the lines.  I have a feeling that Daatje is somewhere between horse size and over size so I'll have a custom harness made for her by next spring.  Until then, we play in this one. :)



Back at the barn, you can see that the breastcollar about a foot too short, the hip straps need to be about 4" further forward on the back strap and the breeching also needs to be about 4" further forward toward her stifle.  This is a horse size harness.  The bridle and saddle fit, but the rest just isn't right for her.  Anyone need a really nice horse size beta harness that is practically brand new?  Likely Amish made, beta with stainless hardware.  Plain bridle, black lines.  Asking $400

This will be going on ebay at some point.  Maybe over the Christmas break (two weeks vacation, whoo-hoo!) I'll have time to take photos and get it listed.

Mom and the Minis came with us on Sunday.  They are so adorable!!!  Love Bosie and Spoo.  Hard to believe they are 21 and 30, respectively!  Seems just yesterday I was 16 and Rainbow was 2. 

 

Just love 'em. 

This Saturday, December 6th, I'm running what will likely be my last Half Marathon!  It's the Jingle Bell Half in Atkinson, NH and will be the third Half that I have run in 2014.  Long running is not my forte.  I don't enjoy the hours it takes to train for it and it's not really good for your body so I'm doing this one and then switching my focus to weight lifting!  I'll still run 5K's and sprint now and then, but the weights are where it's at.  Love the way lifing makes me feel! 

I'll leave this post with a shot of our beloved "barn" cat quite pleased with himself infront of our wood stove. :)  Cowboy, the ever confident O'Malley-cat, keeping me company while I lift weights. :)