So Much for the Return of the Barn Schedule

We're getting a blast of winter weather that began today with a drop in the freezing level, high winds, and rain. it was so nasty when I went to the barn today I just ran a brush over Phantom and put him in his stall. I just didn't have the heart to put him back outside in the wind and rain.

Of course, after I left there was a break in the weather. ARGH! Guess I overreacted in the midst of the cruddy storm cell.

The meteorologists are warning us about the arrival of Arctic temperatures and they are pretty much uniform in predicting snow on the valley floor on Sunday. And a chance of snow flurries later in the week. Get this, low temperatures the first part of next week in the TEENs. Not so uncommon east of the Cascades. Very unusual in the valley.

I am a WUSS. I stay home in the snow and ice. I don't ride in the cold. If the roads clear, I will go check on my fuzzy guy, give him a carrot/apple treat, and book on home.

Fluffy Phantom is wrapped up in his medium weight blanket (with two turnout sheets and a fleece cooler available as emergency backups). The barn crew is prepared for the weather with a slew of buckets should (when?!) the automatic waterers can't take the cold. The little barn is snug when closed up and full of horses at night. The horses will get their usual turnouts as long as the ground isn't dangerously slick.

So just when my riding schedule resumes, the weather puts a crimp in it. Ah well. Mother Nature has a sense of humor.