Made my own Rope Halter! (Plus ice)

After the nice weather on Thursday, Friday was cooler and I had lots of company helping me in the barn. Saffron came out and just stood in the aisle and let the girls love on her. That donkey keeps surprising me. I know I keep saying this, but it's true. She's such a mystery with her history (though the vet thinks she's young) but she's the sweetest thing with the kids even if adults make her a bit skittish.

They love loving on her too.

She also keeps a close eye on Hazel.

Kaylee wanted to ride so we tacked up Gwyn real quick so she could pop around the arena. And again, Gwyn was foot perfect. Kaylee is still very much learning how to ride and steering still eludes her. Gwyn did her very best to interpret mixed signals and was slow and careful with her movement. Every time she was confused she just came back to me.  Good mare.

Then I hopped on bareback for a quick trip around. Bad weather was incoming.

The next day, Saturday, was just cold, rainy and windy. I woke up to find Gwyn was running the front pasture fenceline whinnying. Saffron could occasionally be seen back at the barn. When I finally went outside I figured out the problem. The wind had closed the gate to the front pasture, trapping Gwyn, leaving just enough space for a tiny donkey to sneak through.

Gwyn was soaked through, as was Saffron, and raced for the barn as soon as I opened the gate. Both were shivering when I finally got a good look at them. Out came the coolers. I figured they wouldn't be going out in the weather the way it was with temperatures only supposed to drop.

Did you know that an 80 inch cooler can fit a small donkey? It's very MaGuyvered, and it worked for what I needed.

Yes, the chest straps are wrapped up and connected on the top of her neck. The belly straps shortened enough to not be a danger.

The rain was coming in from a different direction than it usually does so my flooding was manure tea. Gross.

Gwyn got her wool cooler and everyone got lots of hay.

Then on Sunday everything had finally become iced.

Icy truck

Everything was pastel and pretty though, from all the ice.

The poor silver maple buds. They just want to be leaves!

I've been meaning to make a purple rope halter for a while. I've bought a LOT of paracord in the mean while. I used the measurements from her current rope halter so that it would fit and it does! All I have to do is merge the tails of paracord and maybe add some decoration on the noseband.

I think this will look much better underneath my biothane bridle, rather than the thicker blue one I have.

It's all proper too, with a fiador knot and everything.