winter blues, whites, browns

Those are the main colours around this part of the country at the minute. It's been the coldest December in the 15 years we've had horses. My first Christmas with Oliver was 1995, and it snowed a teensy bit, but basically just a dusting. Since moving out into the hills, there have been more snowy times, but this takes the cake. The temperatures have been down to -15, which i'm not sure any of our horses have experienced before! It snowed so much that the lane to the house was blocked and my mum was snowed in. I was moved to order some new heavyweight turnouts for Frankie, who had finally ripped the last useable turnout he had (nice purple one!) and for Luke, who never grows a winter coat and is a bit delicate. Having said that, Luke had managed to not wreck - or have it wrecked by Frankie the thug - for about 10 years, so it is a timely replacement. They've also had polarfleeces on under rugs at night and Luke has had an additional lightweight stable blanket as he drops weight at the mere hint of freezing temperatures. Jack is the woolliest beast at this time of year, and grows an impressive beard, as well as belly and chest coat, so he can wait for a rug update as he's pretty careful with his Aspen combo. He likes to come up and exchange breaths which I don't mind at all as he has a lovely velvety nose, compared to Frankie's somewhat slobbery one and Luke's little blonde moustache. I haven't been able to get up to visit because of the weather, but I really want to go sledging on the hill in their field. I did this once a few years back, and unfortunately had my phone stolen that had a video of it on. I went down one side of the hill on my bright yellow sledge, and they kicked up their heels and ran down their side, bucking, snorting, rampaging. They whirled round and pulled up, puffing out hot air, eyes wide. As I drew to a halt, Frankie the brave dared to approach me, slowly, tentatively, in a serpentine shape, a few steps left and forward, a few steps right and forward. He looks (and maybe sounds) like a dragon when he gets going, nostrils flared, puffing little snorts out. He eventually figured out it was me, when I got up and spoke to him, but it was such fun, to feel the speed of the sledge, and to see them running in mock fear and excitement. Our horses are so much fun.