Baaaahd Boys

I live in Nova Scotia- the far east part of Canada. For the past several years our winters have been fairly temperate. However this year winter is back with a vengeance. For the past several days we've been in a deep freeze with temperatures at -15 to -20 Celsius. For those of you who record temperatures in Farenheit this translate to friggin' cold! 

This means that I've not been spending as much time with the horses. I feel guilty that I'm not doing much but I really cannot stand to be out for longer then it takes to do the chores. The frost free faucet has been freezing. I typically will boil water and add it to the water buckets to slow down the freezing but I've taken to lugging a container full of hot water from the house because the kettle doesn't hold enough.

It's funny how quickly horses can 'forget' their manners without regular handling. Earlier this week Irish decided that I was in his way to go outside and actually shoved me aside.. Which led to 10 minutes of work on personal space. Since then butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. I'm not to surprised. I had been boarding him at a place where the BO thought that him being in her space meant that he 'loved her'.   Sigh.

As you know I've been working on Steele staying in his stall even if I have the door open. Tonight I bundled up, grabbed the container of hot water and lugged out to the barn looking like the Michelin Man. I gave Irish his hay and then opened Steele's door to give him his. I then went to get his water. I heard his hoof hit the aisle.
"Steele" I growled.
the hoof retracted.

A few minutes later I was in his stall picking out I heard the hoof again.
'Steele' I growled.
nothing.
Then the clattering of 4 hooves quickly exiting the stall.

I came out
Steele was innocently chewing on the hay pile.
"you know, if you just left the door open I could help myself and you wouldn't have to work so hard"
"Steele! Go back in your stall"
"hey, I'm just trying to be helfpul"
I prodded him with my hand.
He had suddenly become significantly hearing impaired.
I approached his head.
He turned away.
I turned around and grabbed a lead line.
I walked up and smacked him on the butt with it.
"OW!"
Steele scooted down the aisle. He tried to get in Irish's stall.
Steele: "Let me in before she gets me!"
Irish: "Listen buddy, I've already been in trouble you are on your own!" 

I walked up to him and fixed him with my gaze.
" go"
He shuffled by me, ducking his head and went into his stall.

If ever a horse looked sheepish it was him.

Steele, is that you?'

However, he was happy enough once he got his bedtime carrot.