Dawn Knows the Drill and I Freeze My Face

Now that we have our quarter sheet, Dawn and I are good to go even when it's pretty cold.  We had lovely rides both yesterday and this morning.  Yesterday morning it was 11F as I headed to the barn.  When we were done with our ride, I discovered that my face was numb - I guess we generated enough "wind chill" while doing our session of mostly working trot to freeze my face.  So this morning, when it was 9F, I wore a balaclava - much better.

Yesterday morning, Dawn told me that she knows our routine.  As I approached her as she was eating from the round bale, she left the hay and very deliberately headed to the water trough, picking a safe pace through the snow and ice.  I followed along, and put her halter on when she was done drinking.  We always make a stop at the water trough on our way in for a work session - she knows the drill.

Dawn's been extremely affectionate lately - I have trouble getting our grooming done because she insists on being affectionate every time I get anywhere near her head.  She asks for lots of nose resting, with my holding her chin with one hand and stroking her face with the other, and lately a lot of muzzle snuggling - I put my had around her muzzle, supporting the far side, bring her muzzle against my chest and bend over and put my face on the other side of her muzzle - sort of a muzzle wrap.  We just stand there and breathe each other's breath - it's incredibly calming and almost meditative.  She'd do it indefinitely, I think, if I let her - I've never tested how long she'd stay in a muzzle wrap but will have to do that some time.  A muzzle wrap, or two, or three, is a great way to start the day!