Cold and Windy

This morning the horses were huddled in the pasture sunshine when we went down to feed.  It was cold with gusts of icy wind.  The low last night was 28F.  That's pretty darn cold for spring time in Southern California. 

After breakfast, I rode Winston.  Dr. Thacher was due at 10:30 to give the horses their vaccinations and I wanted to ride before she arrived.  I wore my jacket down to the barn and kept it on while I rode.  Winston was good despite the wind and tried to pay attention.  It wasn't easy for me to stay focused either.  I try to ride every step and not get sloppy in the corners or do a meandering walk.  Every minute I'm riding, I'm training.  Today we worked on prompt responses to my leg, transitions from walk to trot without losing connection and leg yield. 

Vaccinations went well.  Winston has had huge issues in the past with vets and dentists.  When they approached his side or neck, he would lose his mind.  Something about it scared him to death.  Last time Dr. Thacher was up we put Winston in the wash rack where he couldn't jump sideways on top of us and she gave him a handful of cookies after each shot.  When she finished, he wanted more.  We tried that again.  I led him into the wash rack and then she said "give him the mother lode treatment" -- all the cookies he could eat while she gave the injections.  Oh man.  He is loving vaccinations now!  She is his new best friend and I think he cried when she got in her truck and drove off to her next client.  The rest of the horses and the donkeys were easy.  They are all excellent about getting shots.

At lunch time, their were no horses in the pasture. 

That cold wind was still blowing.  The horses were all in the barn.

My garden tells me that it is spring.  I have rhubarb and artichokes and my first strawberries.

But it sure doesn't feel like spring.  I'll have the wood stove going again tonight.