The saying goes "April showers bring May flowers". However, as most New Englanders know, April showers bring our fifth season: Mud Season.
After an impressive April Fool's Day snowstorm, we are now enjoying rain and melting snow. Mud season is well and truly underway. The pastures we are currently using are all muddy. However, the pastures we have closed, protecting them for later use, will be the first to recover from winter, the first to become lush with early spring grass.
Mud season means daily leg hosing for the horses when we bring them in from pasture. And, depending on how thoroughly each individual equine has saturated their still shedding winter coats with mud while rolling, some of the horses are getting early spring baths as well.
While mud season only tends to last a few weeks, for horse people, it feels like a very long season. Shows are only weeks away and the horses just don't seem to take that into account. They love to roll in the mud. And when they run around, they kick mud up all onto their bellies and between their legs. They get mud throughout their tails and even into their manes. Oh yah, it's wonderful.
But April showers also brings May flowers. And grass. And the promise of new locally grown hay. But for now, it's all about Mud Season. Say it with me: Yuck.
After an impressive April Fool's Day snowstorm, we are now enjoying rain and melting snow. Mud season is well and truly underway. The pastures we are currently using are all muddy. However, the pastures we have closed, protecting them for later use, will be the first to recover from winter, the first to become lush with early spring grass.
Mud season means daily leg hosing for the horses when we bring them in from pasture. And, depending on how thoroughly each individual equine has saturated their still shedding winter coats with mud while rolling, some of the horses are getting early spring baths as well.
While mud season only tends to last a few weeks, for horse people, it feels like a very long season. Shows are only weeks away and the horses just don't seem to take that into account. They love to roll in the mud. And when they run around, they kick mud up all onto their bellies and between their legs. They get mud throughout their tails and even into their manes. Oh yah, it's wonderful.
But April showers also brings May flowers. And grass. And the promise of new locally grown hay. But for now, it's all about Mud Season. Say it with me: Yuck.
