No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. H. Borland

For some reason this winter seems to be lasting an eternity and I am so over it.  I can see the days starting to lengthen, the horses are beginning to shed their winter coats and then we are hit once again with temperatures of -6.  It has been an exhausting winter, but it is amazing what a little sunshine can do to lift your mood and increase your energy levels.  Renewed hope that winter really isn't going to last forever.........even though it seems that way at that moment.  I haven't blogged in a while, the last time I posted the vet was coming to take bloods.  He had a look at Wolfie's skin when he was there.  Some sort of skin infection he said, hmmm that's very helpful.  I had already told him that even very diluted hibiscrub was too harsh, so he gave me some sort of iodine solution.  I'm very dubious of anything iodine related so I diluted it right down and patch tested it on his neck.  It brought him out in a rash, so I haven't used it.  He began rubbing around his muzzle area, there is nothing to see, whereas on his body there were tiny little lumps.  He's been getting flammazine on his face and this seems to have settled it enough to stop him rubbing and hopefully now the hair will grow back.  I've had a good look at his feeding and spoke again with some feed companies.  I've decided to change his balancer.  He is fed the same maintenance balancer as the ponies.  They do very well on it, I just don't feel it is providing Wolfie with everything he needs.  Wolfie's blood test results came back unremarkable.  The full haematology was carried out, so it was good to know at any rate, just as a check up.    I haven't been riding, due to the weather and lack of daylight.  Wolfie is becoming very bored, he always does at this time of year, he's had his winter break and he wants to be back in work.  I'm going to start long reining, I want his skin to have fully healed and hardened up before I put his saddle on, it doesn't matter though, long reining is a good way to bring him back into work.