Bye, Bye Summer Show Speedy

Hanging out on July 31 - hardly any hair to keep clean.

A bit grouchy on October 28 - but this is about as dirty as I let him get.

... and hello wooly, winter Speedy!

Everyone's blogs are filled with stories of sleeking their ponies up with fall body clipping. California's weather, especially here in the central valley, is so mild that I don't really need to clip my guys. Yes, they're a bit wooly, but they're not super "sweaters" (as in perspire, not the Christmas variety) when they work, so it works for us. So while I do ride until dark, they generate enough heat with their ample dinners to warm themselves up even if they are slightly damp. 

I do have blankets, tons of them in fact. I have super-duty Arctic ones all the way down to ultra-light fly sheets. There are so many in fact, that I can't sit here and count them all! Even so, I never used one last winter. But last winter was fairly mild, and this one might not be. I did blanket Speedy G a few times the winter before. When it's wet (hardly ever), and the wind starts to blow, I do think about tossing on a cover.

So ... my boys are pretty furry right now. Before I could ride Speedy on Sunday afternoon, I had to spend more than the normal 45 seconds it takes to dust off his ultra-thin summer coat; the curry comb made it's first appearance of the year. Here he is post-grooming, looking better, but nowhere as silvery white as mid-summer. His winter coat gets a rather dull gray color. He stills rides the same, whatever color he is!

Still October 28 - groomed and ready to ride.