Running Shoes?

Today, I took a picture of this photograph in the Globe and Mail.  The thing that really caught my attention were the shoes on the horse.  I guess they were put on to save the floors?  Or to keep the horse from slipping?  Why hasn't she tied up the laces?  I'm usually all for animals being inside, but this somehow seems strange to me.  Or are miniature horses a completely different nature than ponies and horses?  Now that I think of it, I did see a youtube story once about a horse that went for rides in the car, and came in the house as well.  The horse did seem happy, although I felt a bit strange about that one too.     

And about my commute.  I realize, as Winter sets in, I become obsessed with the weather.  I hate not being able to take my bike.  Rain, wind and cold, I can work around by wearing the right clothes.  But, ice and snow really scare me.  Last winter, I missed about two weeks because of weather, and almost six when I broke my arm.  I was not a happy camper taking the bus, and even worse when I had to accept Bill's generous offers of rides. Today was fine, in spite of my concern at the white coating on the grass, and the added bummer that my right knee was acting up.  There were no slippery patches, the granny gear worked for the hills, and a little slower ride wasn't the end of the world.  And tomorrow, there is to be rain, so that's okay too.  But Friday, they're calling for a mix of rain and snow.  Oh dear.  I'll just have to hope the forecast is wrong.

The snow in the mountains shifted today.  The white peaks (previous post) that I had photographed only yesterday from the Lions Gate were almost green again.  But the ones to my left that I photographed this morning, as I crossed the Burrard Bridge, were a brilliant, glowing white.  

Another of those things I've always promised myself I will do, and haven't, is to learn the names of all the mountains and peaks that I see each day.  I need a good diagram with labels.