Cold snap

As has been well publicized, a cold snap has hit the UK. We had a little snow on Sunday where we are, but only a sprinkling. BG looked like she was going old, with the top of her mane covered in frost. Her whiskers were frozen and her tail had icicles in it. I’m sure anyone walking past would see her un-rugged, and P1 and P2 double rugged, right up their necks, and wonder how mean I am. I felt all three on their skin though, and she was the warmest of the lot. That thick winter coat is doing its job, and it wouldn’t hurt if she dropped some weight either.

The ground was frozen though so it was the first morning this winter I gave all the ponies a full hay net. It was minus six degrees at nine o’clock, I think they appreciated it.

Then yesterday I got up the field and it looked as though BG had a thick white rug on her back of snow. I think it might have been irritating her a little as the first thing she did when we got up there was have a roll. I checked her over and again she was the warmest of the three.

I think we are now getting into the winter routine; de-ice the water buckets, put up hay in the morning, pick the compacted ice out of BG’s hooves... She seems happy in the weather, so that means I’m happy. I’m yet to see her running round enjoying the snow as she does sometimes, but perhaps that is a good thing as the ground is frozen, rather than the nice fluffy snow you get sometimes. I do hope the ground thaws soon though.