COLD WEATHER GROOMING--

SITTING IN THE TACK ROOM, WATCHING 
the girl putting on night grooming before stalling up.
She has caught up and brought in and hosed the legs free of mud, up to the knees.
Now the horse is clipped into the grooming rack; the Groomer is scraping off the mud with the heavy rubber mud scrubber; back, shoulders, belly, sides, belly again, neck, chest, hips, thighs outside;  she changes her tool to the scraper/cutter blade; all over the same sections except the belly; now she works on the face, careful about the eyes, with the rubber mitt, the horse looks deeply at her, she seperates the forelock and slides down the sections, shaking out the mud.
Now,  all over with the rubber mitt--adding in the inner thighs and the belly; to the stiff brush and then the medium brush, dipping and shaking it through a water bucket, then she is down to the soft brush, with particular attention paid to the face.
The horse has gone to sleep.
The Groomer now works on the mane and tail: stiff to medium to soft brush, to the plastic brush and big comb for knots, using the lazer de-matter over all; working from top to bottom, holding it in her second hand to pull through without pulling out.
She is humming; and leaning her head against the horse, here and there.
A grooming towel, slightly wet; a second towel to dry.  The pick and she picks out the feet; then, back to the wash rack for a second go over the packed snow in the hooves.
Blankets at the stall; a kiss on the nose, a hand treat of carrots and the horse gets to quit for the day.
That was the final horse of six---now the Groomer gets to quit for the day too.
Nitey-nite, you two Rulers of the Horse World!