Yesterday was the first day of RAC2009 http://curlyhorsecountry.com/RAC2009contest_details.htm that I actually had a chance to do anything with either of my girls. I had about an hour to either start taxes, or play with my girls. What do you think I chose?

We have lots of ice, and frozen rutted mud, so I decided to work on deworming today. Neither of my girls are good about it, at all, and I've just avoided the issue by squirting dewormer in their grain for years. I know the day will come when I need to get something into their mouth, so it was long overdue.

I mixed up some applejuice in one syringe, and some molasses and warm water in another syringe, and out to the barn I went. The kids apprently got to the applesauce before I could.

Lakota volunteered to be first, and she was clicked and given a treat for touching the curious yummy smelling tube with her lips. It wasn't long before she understood the game, and by the third or fourth time, she was putting it in her mouth. She was a bit offended the first time it squirted until she realized it tasted yummy.

Then Jen was begging for a turn, and she is so much fizzier than Lakota. She is an over-achiever, and after only a few minutes she though that if putting the tube in your mouth gets you a treat, then perhaps biting the tube in half gets you a bigger treat! Not so, Jen, it just makes the game end, as she ran off, spitting bits of broken plastic out along the way.

Of course, Whinney and April were right behind me, and trying to snatch at any drips that came from the girls mouths. After the crunching incident, I told Jen the game was over, and played with Lakota just a little longer (I had been doing two of them at once). I decided that now was the point at which I should have her allow me to put it in her mouth, rather than offer her to take it. That went surprisingly well, and I stood on her right (because that was the uphill side), wrapped my left arm around her head gently, then inserted the syringe between the lips on the side on her right side. Historically, just the site of the tube would have her eyes popping out and her running backwards snorting, and if she was haltered the head would be 15 feet in the air, eyes popping out and running backwards.

I just gently inserted the syringe, squirted a little apple juice or molasses in there, then clicked and treated.

The only downside to this fun? It is cold out. Actally, only 30F, and with the ice storm that started last night and has continued all day long, there was that really raw feeling to the air. And my hands were sticky with molasses and apple juice, AND frozen!

I tried getting a photo of both girls together to post, but, well, it didn't work out all that well, this is the best I got out of 25 photos

And here are some photos this morning from the ice storm

The promise of spring, still enrobed in winter