Most of the time when we get rain in Texas, it seems to come in one big deluge and then it’s bone dry again for a month. Over the past week we’ve gotten a few inches of rain, but steadily, a little bit every day. I am loving it.
Our previously rock hard and crunchy brown pastures are lush and green and perfectly soft again. It rains just enough every day to keep the ground springy instead of making it slick. It’s so rare to have this many days in a row of perfect footing… usually it’s a day or two between soggy and hard. Plus the weather has cooled down significantly, with highs in the lower to mid 80’s instead of 95-100. This means I can go back to riding in the afternoons again, giving me more time to spend at the barn.
On Monday there had been a pretty hard deluge just before I got to the barn, and I arrived to find lots of puddles on the driveway. Eventers: what do puddles look like to you? Miniature water jumps, right? I know I’m not the only one…
So I decided this was the perfect time to continue Presto’s water education. First I tied him in the arena while I did a bareback dressage ride on Henry (that’s totally a thing) which caused a fairly hilarious but short lived temper tantrum.
I looked at him out of the corner of my eye during some canter-trot-canter transitions just in time to see him very angrily pawing just before he tried to lay down in protest. Sure kid, go for it. That doesn’t work so well when you’re high-tied, even if you are a baby giraffe. He finally resorted to just standing there looking pissed.
Once he was done being a moron, I ponied him down the road with Henry.
I guess he’s seen enough water by now to not be impressed by it anymore, because he walked right through all the puddles. He tried to roll in one of them, but I didn’t let him, so he just stood there and pouted some more. He’s in a very angsty, emo, pouty, “life isn’t fair” phase right now. It’s kind of hilarious.
The only bummer about all the rain is that the horses aren’t getting turned out at night, since there are so many random pop-up storms. Day turnout is only about 8 hours. I’ve been taking the opportunity to shove a ton of extra hay into Presto (who eats hay faster than any horse I’ve ever seen in my life) but he still just looks growthy as hell. Definitely growing again. Also his butt is getting really hairy already. Why are all my horses total yaks?
It seems like most of the country is getting rain right now… what’s it been like in your neck of the woods? Are you drowning or is it feeling more like Fall? I hope everyone in the path of the hurricane is able to get somewhere safe!
breedrideevent.com 
I wish we had nice pleasant rain but lately here it’s been like downpour from hell for 4 days and then 90 with 80% humidity
I really think I’m going to have to throw out some stuff after this summer bc of how wet its been… my tack got moldy in TWO DAYS.
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Ewwwwww. We had a super hot and dry summer, it rained like once in July and once in August. Then it was just stupid stupid hot in between. So this little reprieve is kinda nice!
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I’m in a similar boat. (Ha.) It has rained SO MUCH – like major flooding and such. Thankfully its starting to dry out, but my tack has been so moldy and disgusting no matter what I’ve done.
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I sink walking though my yard. I don’t even want to discuss the paddock situation. I’m pretty sure with the constant downpours and flash flooding (I’ve never seen rain like this), it’ll never dry out, especially not before winter and the great freeze. A couple weeks ago we had 6-7” in an hour, more the rest of the day/week.
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Just curious, why can’t they be turned out in the rain. Here on the east coast it rains every day and horses are turned out every night.
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There are no shelters in the turnouts. Pretty dangerous in a sudden severe thunderstorm.
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We usually have a deluge too in TN the paddock by the stalls is a muddy mess and I am pretty sure part of the issue with Tate’s feet. It goes from rock hard to soupy sticky mud every other day. ICK. I need to figure out something before winter for footing in there.
Presto is growing AGAIN. LOL i saw a photo you posted the other day and thought that. OMG
Glad you finally have some grass and nice footing. I know most summers you do not!!
Enjoy….
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Omg. Everything is wet. My dryer has been getting a workout just making things less DAMP. I’m so sick of being wet. My horses are sick of being wet. I finally decided I’d rather deal with overreach and interfering cuts than one more soggy musty boot. Please no more humidity. My saddle pads are starting to weep. 😭 (Also, we’re already at flood stage with more rain from the hurricane coming our way. I can’t imagine how those further south must feel!)
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It feels like fall here! 80s when I walk outside in the morning, so that’s a plus. I mean, it’s still supposed to 99 today so that’s nice but we have not had a lick of rain. Nada. I find it a little sad that 80 in the morning feels like fall in the desert haha.
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My horses both like to drink from puddles for some reason. So gross.
I love emo Presto. So hard being a tween.
It’s been raining here. First it dropped from 90 degrees to 50 and was cloudy for a couple days. Then the rain started, but at least it warmed up some. Thinking my ride tonight will be canceled though. Boo.
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Depending on the hour my house is either going to get flattened by Florence or we will get a light sprinkling so…maybe we will survive?
It was stupid hot and dry for the last month tho and my grass was getting crunchy so I’m happy for the rain
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We’re supposed to be hit with 10″ of rain, which we definitely don’t need right now. I just want the humidity to go away!
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