Monday, May 24, 2004
The Traditional Spring Mud Bath I just love the coming of spring with all the baby animals and the days getting warmer and longer. Summer is approaching and my daughter reminds me with a daily countdown that school will be out in 10 days, then 9 days and now 8. What I don’t like about springtime is the rain and spring storms. I don’t begrudge the rain, it’s needed to make the crops grow and we rely heavily on those crops to feed our horses. The nasty footing that is a result of the down pour is another story. Try as we might to drag the areas that get deep it seems that it is a loosing battle. The front of the run in shed and gate areas are a total mess and it’s not uncommon to almost loose a boot in that mess when your required to attempt a crossing. What I don’t understand is that we pretty much have mostly sand on our farm, which should preclude any of that type of footing problem. Of course the horses leave lots of piles around the areas in question and while we diligently work to keep it as clean as it seems that the horses are winning this battle in this area.
They sure as heck don’t mind standing in the muck when its time to come in for food, yet if you go out there to catch one to work them you end up having to coax them thru the bog or better yet you get ½ way thru it and they don’t want to cross. So you tug at their halter, because of course you didn’t bother to get a lead rope, and the next thing you know they bolt over the whole mess like it was an oxer and darn near pull your arm out of the socket and do pull you out of your boot or boots which remain mired in the muck standing up proud like the last standing survivor of the Alamo. So begins my ritual of the spring mud foot bath. No matter how many times that has happened to me over the years it seems that I may never learn my lesson. I get slack and don’t bother to get the lead rope and a similar event takes place. My daughter laughing at me tells me that I should always have a lead rope on a horse, which is what I preach to her on a regular basis. Guess she is right but then I might miss out on my tradition.
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