Is that YOUR breath? or MY boots?

Barely zero degrees this morning as Evvy and I headed to the barn.  The sun was shining though, a kind of icy warmth if that's possible.  At least the wind wasn't blowing.   Layering is so important on days like this.  I choose wool, fleece, and silk as my layers from head to toe.  Just toasty.  Unfortunately no matter what I put on my feet, they freeze.   So I keep moving.

Betty, Rosey and Angel have developed a bad habit of chewing on the wood fence rails at the farm.

I think it's because Betty and Rosey are at odds with each other.  The only rails gnawed, are the rails that separate Betty from Rosey and Angel.  Betty and Rosey can't be together while Angel, the foal is present.  Rosey will fight with Betty, in an effort to keep Betty away.  An interesting dynamic.   My friend and I put coated chicken wire up over the rails to dissuade the horses from gnawing.  When I got to the farm this morning I saw that some of the chicken wire had been peeled off.  So I put it back up, knowing the girls would probably turn around and peel it once more.   After turning out, feeding, and mucking the stalls, I brought Evvy out.  I keep her in the truck while I work, to avoid injury to her, and stress to the horses.

Evvy is always on leash while we're at the farm.  We walk down and around the "compoun"(that's really what it is).  Evvy pulled incessantly to try and get under the fence and visit the horses.  I had to rein her in all the time.  Evvy just wants to play, but I fear she might get kicked if I let her go.  Another thing Evvy likes to do is, dig.  She dug her way through the snow, all the way to the soil below.  Half her body disappears into the hole, as she digs her way to China.  Sometimes Evvy emerges from the holes with items in her mouth.

We finished our walk, and got back into the toasty truck. There's that smell!  I didn't think I had carried any manure on my boots.  I looked over at Evvy, quietly munching on one of her fav snacks!  YUCK!  How do they do that?  Why do they do that?!  Being the dog-mom I've become, I reached right over there and yanked the frozen treat from Evvy's mouth.  I rolled down my window and tossed it outside.  I wondered how long Evvy's breath would wreak of horseskatoodles.  It might be a good time for a "Greenie", those dog treats that freshen breath.

BTW the photo reminds us that Spring will come, only a few months away!