The last couple of weeks winter has gripped the farm here is south Mississippi. Several nights set record low temperatures in the mid-teens. That is cold for this area.

Bonnie and Sox have made out fairly well. We found horse blankets that fit their small frames (a size 70 for Bonnie and a 68 for Sox). They wore them the nights the temperature was below 25 deg. F.

When we first put the blankets on them their response was interesting. Both responded toward the other as though they were challenging them similar to the response to a new horse in the herd. However, the challenge period was very short. As soon as they sniffed one another they resettled in to their regular routine.

We were pleasantly surprised at the minimal amount of biting and tugging on the blankets that each demonstrated.  Apparently both figured out that these blanket things feel pretty good when the weather is cold.

Sox personality continues to unfold like a lotus flower. He is still trying to figure out the relationship with his humans. Based on his response to us, I do not believe he had a close relationship with humans in his past. He acts as though being loved on and petted is a little strange to him. However, in the months since he has returned to good health and weight, he has increasingly saught to get his share of grooming and petting. He is still a male horse who wants to dominate something and bears watching until he accepts you are not going to be his subject. Some time that is as simple as a bump on the nose if he pushes you, or showing him the whip if he gets his head up and starts to try to bully with his body. But once he gets past trying to dominate you, he can be as loving as Bonnie Blue. There is a good horse, hiding inside the pretty black and white socked skin and it is trying to come to the surface. My intention is to love him and work with him to be that good and gentle horse that understands that some humans are okay to be trusted. He has come so far in the months since he came to live with us, I can hardly wait to see what happens next.

May Peace be with you.