Tough Love Season

Tis the season for tough love when you are a horse owner!

Spring is around the corner - the weather is changing - everyone wants to be out.....

But for the horses, this is what I call 'Tough Love Season'!

They want so badly to be out kicking up their heels, rolling off those shedding winter coats and nibbling on the fresh sprouts of Spring grass.



However, if they were out kick up their heels and nibbling up that fresh spring grass, there'd be no nice, lush field of green come July. And though they are rather pissy with me right now - they'd be beyond pissy come July ...or June....or August, if all they had was a dirt pasture to stand in and pass the time!





So though they stand with long faces and 'feel sorry for me looks', it is tough love keeping them in on these nice days. It is what is better for them [and their summer sanity] in the long run :)

*I should note, too, that they still get out of their stalls :) We take them on strolls through the orchard and let them nibble some grass. Whenever it seems 'decent' out in terms of how muddy it is, they do get to romp around in their 'sacrifice pasture'. And Gypsy, my precious old gal, gets run of the barn aisle during the day while we are at work to ensure she gets those legs stretched!