So in the last 12 hours, well...it hasn't exactly been stellar.

Except for a single, bright moment I'll take pause to reflect on.

After mentioning in a previous post about having had to blanket the Dynamic Three-o Saturday night as the winds came blowing in, I've kept an eye on the temperatures since then, trying to assess when best to de-blanket the herd.

Originally I had considered doing it Sunday afternoon or Sunday evening.  Except that the temperatures Sunday through Monday were still going to be in the teens and windy.

Not exactly ideal conditions just yet.

Moving on...

So, okay, maybe on the way home after work on Monday night?

Nope.  Temps in the teens overnight.

I was going to have to do what I wanted to avoid.

Getting up early to drive to the barn BEFORE work on Tuesday morning.

*groan*

The ONLY times I will leap out of bed before the sun is to go riding.

But, with a groan, I dragged out of bed at 5 and was out the door by 5:15ish and on my way to the barn.

By 6 I'm at the pen, and Socks is dozing beneath the run-in while Strider and Dakini have their heads crammed into the round bale.

Get out of the car to a surprised sounding whicker from Dakini.  That warmed me up a bit as I crawled into the pen to start de-nuding my horses.

Socks first.  Managed to remove both blankets, while he stood there like "What are you DOING crazy lady?!"

And Strider was done last, easy and fast, no fuss, no muss.

And then there was Dakini.

Okay, now to be fair, I was just pulling blankets without haltering them and leaving them loose. 

I got one of the belly buckles undone and she was like "What fresh hell is this?!!!"  And gaited off with a snort.  So I had to follow her for a minute or so as she scampered to Strider to save her from whatever insanity was going on.  He just stood there as I gently corralled her with my body.  And THEN she stood still, let me get both leg buckles, final belly buckle and the two front ones undone.  And then gave her lots of love for being a good girl.  Scratches and hugs and kisses on that cute little snip on her nose.

Strider thought her blanket on the ground was a toy to play with as I was trying to take his blanket off.  He is one of the most orally fixated horses.  Has to put things in his mouth, or nibble or lick or chew things.  It is cute but exasperating.

I made sure to take a few moments to love on each of them.

And had this overwhelming wish that I could do that daily.  It was so quiet, calm and peaceful to ground myself with them this morning.  Just to touch them and press my face against those thick necks for a moment is a wonderful feeling.

And then, the calm of my morning had to close as I promised to see them all again Friday morning.

Current plan for Friday:
Grab Strider AND Dakini and go to Granger.  Currently planning on meeting B, L and H out there at 11.  But, I'll plan on getting there around 8 so I can get in a ride with Strider beforehand.

This is for a few reasons.

One, to teach Dakini that it's okay to be left behind in "base camp" and have Strider leave her with no harm done.  I'll leave her with a pile of hay and a bucket of water while I go ride.

Two, to teach Strider that it's okay to leave Dakini behind in "base camp" while we go ride.  When I did this same thing with Socks a month or so ago at Granger, Strider threw a tantrum with me about leaving Socks behind.  Bunny bucks all over the place and ping-ponging down the trail and just generally being a shit.

Unfun ride at the beginning.  But, I'm more stubborn than he is, so I just rode it out.

Really though, I want to get in a good ride with them both.  I don't want to pony them.  I want to try out that new saddle with both horses.  And I want the "Pasos for Pleasure" hours on both horses. 

I had a goal to try and get 4-5 hours a week towards Pasos for Pleasure, but...this past month, that's just not happening.  Working a little part-time holiday job has kind of crimped my riding.  And the rains Texas has experienced in the past month, again, a killer to riding.

But, for 2017, I'll get more riding in somehow.