The Impossible Dream

The back horse pasture is out of hay. My road is not passable, no way to get help. No problem. I'm sure I can get a bale back there if I take it slow and steady. The snow should make the bale easier to roll, right?

Wrong. I had a heck of a time getting the bale out of the shelter. Either this bale is heavier than the others I've moved, or something's wrong. The good thing is that within minutes I am no longer cold. The bad thing is I think what's wrong is that my gloves are slipping too much on the frozen plastic. 

I remove the gloves. Now my body is very warm and my hands are very cold. The bale moves much better. The goats and a few sheep arrive to help by making the bale lighter.

Progress is very slow until I get to one of the hills. Progress pretty much stops. I'm hot, my hands are freezing, the bale isn't moving, it's 20 degrees F, and I need to pee. Time for a new plan. There's nothing like a nearly impossible project to inspire a new plan.

I thought about this for awhile. I have 3 horses in a pasture with no food but a pond they break a drinking hole in. I have a dozen sheep in a pasture with - now - 3 bales of hay and no water. The pastures are connected.

I open the gate. Two horse charge in, circle around the 3 bales of hay, attempt to intimidate the sheep, roll in the snow, and settle down to chomp at the new bale. The sheep decide the other two bales are just fine.

So far it's working. The third horse isn't fond of sheep, but hopefully there's enough food and room that everyone will be OK. I'll go back and check once I've warmed my hands, eaten, and taken care of other business...