I never have enjoyed dusting...

I never dust my house, so please don't look if you ever should stop by. Dusting, however, is what I had to do this afternoon...but Sunny was the target.

After our positive little workout (despite sloppy footing), I led her towards the barn. I'd left the dusting powder sitting on a ledge inside. The good thing about having a loafing shed style barn is that it's open, allowing you to walk in and not really leave the horse; Sunny was comfortable coming in to eat, but she still felt a bit crowded with me in there. However, she was perfectly content to follow me up to the opening and stood patiently watching me as I squeezed and shook the powder onto her new red curry. This stuff is nasty! I'd highly recommend using a dust mask if you're working with this stuff. I didn't have one on, but kept my head turned and managed not to inhale (too much!) Gloves are also a must.

With the curry all powdered, I walked up to Sunny, who was eyeing it suspiciously. This was new, and although I'd worn gloves while scratching her before (when I was concerned it may be ringworm), she knew something was different and the whites of her eyes were definitely showing. A couple of small circular rubs of the curry, though, and the filly melted. Her head dropped, her lips wiggled, and she went straight to itchy horse heaven! I worked the dusting powder into her coat one small patch at a time, stopping to re-load the curry and then returning to Sunny's neck, gradually working down to her withers, then down her shoulder to her chest (which was horribly boney and lacking any flesh), near her elbow and back up. From there, I travelled down her back, at least halfway to her hip and even down onto her side a bit.

I worked on her for a good fifteen or twenty minutes, and she loved every minute of it. She was completely relaxed, and I honestly believe I could have worked down her forleg and all the way back to her tail...as long as I stayed on her near side! Because once I tried to cross over, she reverted to her fearful self, pulling backwards and turning to keep me where she was most comfortable. And with all the good that had happened this afternoon, I was happy enough to do that for her; tomorrow we can work on the other side :)

Sunny's red curry is soaking in bleach water after our grooming session.