This message is from: Karen McCarthy <weeg...@hotmail.com> Well Phil, I certainly feel your pain at not being able to work with the horses during the worst of the winter. I find myself unable to do much with mine as I work a 9-5 job which allows me to barely even see them during the daylight hours...just enough time to greet them in the am, turn them out then pick up the "deposits" then its off to work. When we do ride out, I layer up & head for the hills. The ponies really like to get out. I feel guilty I can't ride them all in the time I have on the weekends, but that's the breaks. We have really amassed a huge amouint of snow for our area in dry central (eastern) Oregon. Almost pushing 14" and right now as I write this, its snowing like a big dog. I looked at the NOAA site this am for 97741 and theres nothin' but happy little snowflake icons plastered right across the screen in the forecast. So...I have a bit of time off coming up from Christmas until the 5th of January. I found a complete set of skis on Craigslist for $45 and if all works out with the boots, I'll buy 'em and set about skijoring! We've pulled the little plastic sled in the snow, so this will up the challenge a bit - just hope I can manage to not flop & fall too much. I'd hate to embarass the ponies ;~)
:: Karen McCarthy :: Great Basin Fjords :: Madras, Oregon :: http://www.picturetrail.com/weegees> From: n...@norskwoodworks.com> To: fjordhorse@angus.mystery.com> Subject: Winter Blahs> Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:01:28 -0600> > This message is from: PHILLIP Odden <n...@norskwoodworks.com>> > This Message is from Phillip Odden in Northwestern Wisconsin.> > I have to agree with Laurie and Linda. The weather these past weeks > here in Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota has not been good for riding > or driving. I was working ponies regularly up until about three weeks > ago but I gave in. The days are short, the temps are low and wind > seems to blow constantly. Even though I have a nice big indoor arena > now I decided it was time for me to take a break and it wouldn't hurt > my ponies to have a break as well. I turned the adult horses out to > pasture in one big herd. I put a bred mare Aina in a paddock with > Smedsmo for company for the winter. The two grays seem so happy > together. We can see them from our kitchen window and from the windows > of our studios in the barn.> > I have been spending my time making a new sleigh. This one is much > like the sleighs I have seen in museums in Norway. It is made for one > person to ride in, built close to the ground with a wide stance. The > sleigh is decorated with traditional acanthus leaf carvings that are > painted in transparent red, yellow, and green. The arm rests end in > dragon heads. It is very light weight. The runners and arches were > steamed bent and laminated. I will use my Norwegian harness with > wooden shaves. The saddle on the Norwegian harness has a carved saddle > with dragon heads. So, I have been spending my time dreaming you might > say. Yesterday I put three other sleighs on the ground. Well a bob- > sled and two sleighs. One of these days the weather will lighten up > and I will break trails for the sleighing season.> > When the weather straightens out I will have to hold some interviews > to see which of my show horses works best on the new sleigh. There are > four or five sleigh events within driving distance each winter. My > first rule is that it has to be fun to show or it isn't worth it. If > the temperatures are too low or the wind chill too high we won't go. > But that means we should make two or three of the sleigh events. I > expect the gelding Beorn will be the best of the bunch to pull this > little sleigh.> > So, it doesn't hurt to spend some time dreaming and making plans. In > fact way out on the horizon I can almost see next summer and I have > been thinking which CDEs, pleasure driving shows, and new trails I > want to explore. But for now we are hunkered down and taking it easy.> > Merry Christmas to every one. Phil Odden> > Important FjordHorse List Links:> Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e> FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw> Classified Ads: http://tinyurl.com/5b5g2f> > Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw Classified Ads: http://tinyurl.com/5b5g2f
