Where Are You, Fall?

This is not dressage related, but it's "bugging" a great many of Bakersfield's residents, especially of the equine variety.  I don't know what they're really called, but most people here call them earwigs or pincher bugs. They're horrible, disgusting little things that are currently taking over the barn.  They swarm out of their dark hiding places and somehow become airborne.  They land in your hair, on your clothes, and even in your boots. If they make contact with skin, they bite.  HARD.  All of us are eagerly awaiting some cooler weather so that the flies and other bugs will finally just GO AWAY!

Yesterday's high was 89 degrees.  That might not seem too warm, except that our horses are now quite fuzzy and wooly with ever thickening winter coats.  I turned both my boys out for a good gallop last night, and they came back pretty hot.  Since the evenings are still so warm, Sydney got hosed off.  Speedy has a thinner coat and he cools off much more quickly so I left him the way he was and he cooled off before he even made it back to the stall.

Today's high is a predicted 77 degrees, but the weekend's forecast still calls for temperatures in the low 80s. Cooler, yes, but not cool enough to kill the flies and other bugging things.  And if you're wearing a coat, 77 feels quite warm.  Hurry up fall.  We're waiting for you! 

Gross Little Thing!