The weather in the UK is notoriously fickle, and as such, keeping up with the changes is quite a challenge. As a horse owner the weather is very important. If you think the British are obsessed with the weather, talk to an equestrian. The weather dictates everything that happens with The Horse. Here are just a few examples of the questions that arise in regards to the weather and horses;
- Can we go out? is it too wet too ride?
- Too windy to ride?
- Too icy?
- What sort of work can we do?
- Is it cold so we will need a longer warm up?
- Is it warm so we can get going faster?
- Can The Horse go out in the field?
- Does he need a coat?
- Which coat?
The questions are endless…
This winter, there was an unusually mild spell that lasted all of two days. And I, being either kind or foolish, let The Horse go out ‘naked’. That is, without a rug on. In winter.
Now, The Horse LOVES mud. I know this. I have always known this.
And yet… I let him go out naked.
Two days later I’m back at the yard.
I work past a member of staff and am greeted with ‘Good luck!’ A little confused, I continue on to The Horse. When I reach his stable and peer over the door, what I see is not a horse, but a horse-shaped-golem. He may not be made of clay, but there is enough mud, nose to tail, that if he were not moving, I would think The Horse was a mud figure. I realise I have made a grave mistake in allowing him to go out naked. Not only did he enjoy it, he took full advantage of the opportunity to smother himself in brown.
It was in this moment I also realised I had half an hour to clean him before the school would be free to use. Grabbing all of the brushes I own, I aggressively tackled the mud-monster.
Just under half an hour later I had removed most of the mud and The Horse was once more visible. However, I was now covered in mud and dust.
I’m not entirely sure if The Horse was pleased with the rough grooming he received, or whether it was just a bonus. As much as I’d like to be annoyed by the situation, I brought it on myself, and The Horse seemed happy. It’s hard to be mad at a happy horse.