I feel like I’ve been complaining about winter too much recently. It’s cold, miserable, muddy, etc. This may come as a shock, but I actually don’t hate winter. Really, I just like complaining. There are lots of nice things about winter that I can appreciate, especially since the pipes in my barn aren’t frozen. Things like…
It’s Beautiful
Snow covered ground is breathtaking. It’s prefect for photos, both for creating a cohesive background, and reflecting the light.
But even without snow, there’s something beautiful about the starkness of winter. The brown tones of all the trees, with a backdrop of a cool gray or light blue sky. It’s incredible.
I love going down to the barn in the morning and the ground is covered with frost. The horses let out streams of steam with their breath. The air is still, and sound is muffled. It’s prefectly tranquil.
It’s Fun to Ride in the Snow
While I’m not going to pretend I’ve done this recently, riding in the snow is pretty dang fun. It’s like normal riding… except… I dunno, funner!
It’s a ride that’s not focused on any actual training or schooling. It’s literally just riding for the fun of it. You can explore a world that’s both familiar and completely new. You can experiment with things you’d usually not try. Ever sit in a sled pulled by a rider on horseback? Well, I haven’t, but it sure looks fun! How about some bareback riding? If you fall off, you basically land on a cushion!
Snow days as a kid at the barn were amazing. Once all the chores were done, it was just playing in the horses and playing in the snow. There was a time limit though – after the first day, once the snow melted and refroze, it became more hazard than fun time. But still, that first day was great!
There’s No Mowing
Plants don’t grow in the winter. It’s both a blessing and a curse. Having grass year round would be nice, but on the other hand, I haven’t mowed the field since about October. Mowing the field takes several hours. Add that to the normal lawn, and I have so much more valuable time by not having to mow.
In general, there’s so much less farm work. There’s no weeds growing so I’m not out weeding, weed wacking or spraying. The ground is mostly frozen so I don’t feel a lot of pressure to be building things. Since all the leaves are dead, everything looks so much neater without a huge mess of vines. Sure, there’s still things that need taking care of, and the horses always need their care, but it kind of feels like a vacation from farm work.
Even though there are definite downsides to the cold, it’s not all bad. If we can trust what a rodent tells us about the weather, it sounds like we don’t have that much longer to be cold anyway. Soon we will be back to sweltering heat, gross humid air, and more reasons to not want to be outside. I’ll be begging for the cool weather again soon!