It's still only early in the evening and has only been dark for a couple of hours, yet it is already minus 5. So we'll need to be on the ball tomorrow. It didn't really get below freezing last night, but there wasn't much of a thaw so it couldn't have been significantly above it either - and I don't think that it then got above zero during the day. But we had quite a lot of sunshine (as you can see) which melted quite a lot of ice where it hit. So that's some nice smooth-lying water waiting to be re-frozen, just as one would do if one were constructing a skating rink. So we'll have to pick our way even more
carefully tomorrow than we have over the past couple of days. Still, these cold temperatures come from clear skies, so no doubt there'll be further scope for some spectacular photographs. And the further benefit is that Gus seems to enjoy playing in the snow; and of course he and his two friends don't need to have their feet towelled clean before coming back into the house, as their paws contain ice but no mud. So that's one thing less to worry about. What's also good is that the Al Bahathri will be open tomorrow (as it was today but wasn't yesterday). We'll take some of them up there, and keep the others to Long
Hill. Some of the horses who were spelling in the first half of the winter have still just been walking and trotting, but I think that as of tomorrow they can all canter. It's best not to let them get too fresh at any time, as freshness and accidents go hand in hand, but particularly when it's slippery underfoot. And, of course, they aren't taking much out of themselves in the field at present: the ones in serious training aren't even going out as it's just like the surface of the moon, and the ones who do go out just pick their way tentatively rather than frolic. So we'll make sure that they get 24 hours' worth of exercise each day during their rides. Fingers crossed, that'll keep us both safe and warm.
It's still only early in the evening and has only been dark for a couple of hours, yet it is already minus 5. So we'll need to be on the ball tomorrow. It didn't really get below freezing last night, but there wasn't much of a thaw so it couldn't have been significantly above it either - and I don't think that it then got above zero during the day. But we had quite a lot of sunshine (as you can see) which melted quite a lot of ice where it hit. So that's some nice smooth-lying water waiting to be re-frozen, just as one would do if one were constructing a skating rink. So we'll have to pick our way even more 
carefully tomorrow than we have over the past couple of days. Still, these cold temperatures come from clear skies, so no doubt there'll be further scope for some spectacular photographs. And the further benefit is that Gus seems to enjoy playing in the snow; and of course he and his two friends don't need to have their feet towelled clean before coming back into the house, as their paws contain ice but no mud. So that's one thing less to worry about. What's also good is that the Al Bahathri will be open tomorrow (as it was today but wasn't yesterday). We'll take some of them up there, and keep the others to Long
Hill. Some of the horses who were spelling in the first half of the winter have still just been walking and trotting, but I think that as of tomorrow they can all canter. It's best not to let them get too fresh at any time, as freshness and accidents go hand in hand, but particularly when it's slippery underfoot. And, of course, they aren't taking much out of themselves in the field at present: the ones in serious training aren't even going out as it's just like the surface of the moon, and the ones who do go out just pick their way tentatively rather than frolic. So we'll make sure that they get 24 hours' worth of exercise each day during their rides. Fingers crossed, that'll keep us both safe and warm.
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