Let it snow?

Today it is the cold before the (maybe) storm. Moisture is sweeping up from the Gulf of Mexico, and maybe by Saturday night/Sunday morning we’ll have a good old Nor’Easter. We had one last year just about this time, and Christmas was white.

Unfortunately, I wasted all that drifty, fluffy goodness. We had company (and was I glad of that!) and Champagne and I were too new to the barn and environs to venture out into the trail system through the drifts. But this year we’re not.

I’m looking forward to a nice tramp though two feet of snow. Because he isn’t shod, he doesn’t get ice balls all clumped up in his feet, and he’s pretty sure footed. When I rode out a couple of weeks ago, there were perhaps three inches on the ground, and each twig of the trees and trail-side brush was picked out in snow; quite lacy and delicate. (N.b. to http://ryanlion.livejournal.com/ : you never see that!) I came upon a cross-country skier who said that my black horse and I looked beautiful in all the whiteness. When we got back to the barn, Champagne’s feet were as clean as if they’d been washed.

Can Champagne pick up a trot (or even a canter) in the snow? That would certainly be one way to warm us both up. I’m so Jonesing to try.