Here is the deal.
Fluffy snow makes for decently safe footing to at least do walk/trot work in, assuming temps are above 10ºF. It is also fun to ride in. Any colder and I do not ride. Below 10ºF it is not good for the horses, not good for my hay supply, and mostly...I don't like being outside when it is that cold. I am a softy...clearly. However, when temps top 32ºF things melt. Melting things on top of frozen ground results slush and ice (it takes weeks for the snow and ice to melt and the ground to sufficiently dry out enough to safely ride). Then of course temps dip below freezing at night which means everything turns into rock hard ice. Slippery hard knee bruising ice.* That equates to no riding at all.
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| G-Love even makes poopy mud look cute. |
Since I know that I won't see DRY ground until around May, these warmer temps aren't a blessing around here. I prefer things to stay frozen if it is going to be cold out. I want my nice fluffy snow back!
*I am thinking I should have asked for some crampons for Christmas...just for walking to the barn at feed time. Furthermore, I don't expect Wednesday Whining to be a regular weekly thing...it just seemed appropriate for this post. Really, I hope that I don't have enough to whine about on a regular basis.
Happy trails and swooshing tails!
•Renee•
yep - this is pretty much the #1 problem in my region. it doesn't stay cold enough long enough for any snow to last, so we just live with mud and ice. always. boo!! hope things chill out (haha) for you all soon!
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