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| Love the Autumn colors viewed from the patio |
Last Thursday our vet came to give the herd their Fall shots. He checked out Dusty’s leg issues and came to the conclusion that she had suffered a slight flare up of laminitis in her left front. She’s been on Bute for a week and today is her last day. She seems to be walking much better and is allowed out with the herd. Grady had a growth removed from his third eyelid and the vet took it to the clinic for a biopsy. The growths in his sheath weren’t removed. No treatment for now and he will check back and see how that is progressing. Grady has had a course of five days of SMZ’s plus twice a day eye medication. He’s not a good patient and it’s almost impossible to get the eye cream in his eye. When an 18 hand horse throws his head up in the air and you’re 5’5” there’s not a shot of reaching that eye. So I’ve resorted to some very quick slight of hand trickery. I quickly squeeze the cream into his eye as I slide the fly mask off over his ears.
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| "Dusty" |
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| " O'Grady" |
The herd has decided that since the weather is cooler now and there are virtually no flies or bugs to bother them that they would rather stay out than come in at night. If they are not up by 8:00, they stay out. I can’t keep going out and checking for them all night and they know the rules. In by dark or not in at all. Last Saturday was the last time they came in until last night when they finally decided to grace me with their presence.
Luckily, the herd comes up in the morning for their breakfast buffet of hay and I was able to bring Dusty and Grady in for their medications. Yesterday when they didn’t show up, I finished up some work around the house and barn then took a drive down to the back field to check on them. I was parked in the driveway outside the pasture and everything seemed to be fine until I noticed a horse in the riding arena. We have a combination lock on the gate and I couldn’t see the tiny numbers on the bottom without my reading glasses and I don’t do Braille. I had two options 1) climb over the fence or 2) go under it. I opted for scooching under it.
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| "Mellon" |
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| This is at one end of the arena and they jump down to get in there |
Turns out it was Mellon who got himself stuck in the arena. Some of the horses like to jump down into the arena but not out of it, except for Nate, but that’s another story. They use that arena as their personal playpen. With the rubber footing a good roll is like getting a full body curry. With the gate closed Mellon considered himself trapped. When he saw me walking down there and his friends about to flat leave him he started running the fence. I was surprised he got himself into this mess and couldn’t jump out. In his day he was one hell of a jumper to say the least. But, I guess time retired and aging takes its toll on all of us. Once I released the cracken he galloped off to join his herd. Looking very good for a horse that is between 28-30 years old none the worse for wear. So except for a slightly sweaty Mellon and a dirty butt on my part everything turned out alright. Never a dull moment when dealing with a herd of horses!
Until next time
Quote For Today
Horses are predictably unpredictable.
Loretta Gage
There's never a dull moment with horses, is there? Glad to hear your updates.
ReplyDeleteYou've got that right. Sounds like you are pretty busy medicating.
ReplyDeleteYou have such a beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteWhat a super-fabulous view!! Thank you so much for sharing. Glad to hear Dusty's on the mend. I feel for you, having to get eye cream onto Grady's eye - is hard enough with a cat! Good technique though :) Mellon - oh dear. Can I just say, I'm glad you opted to go UNDER the fence ;) Never a dull moment is quite the understatement :)
ReplyDeleteI cannot even imagine working on an 18 hand horse!! Mine are all little squirts compared to that. For Mellon being upwards of 30, that says a lot that he can still get around so well. He looks great.
ReplyDeleteWell, you are having exciting times up there! :) Sending good thoughts for Grady and can't believe Mellon got himself stuck - he knew you would be down to help him out. They are so funny. This morning I looked out and all mine were staring hard at something in the front of our property. Keil Bay was pacing. I'm on back-up call for the neighbors (who have a farm-sitter but put me on call if he needs anything) so I went out to make sure everything was okay. Couldn't figure it out but I think it was just the 40-degree temp that had everyone riled up. You know it's fall when they go wild in the early mornings! Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteGood move with the eye ointment.
ReplyDeleteHorses certainly do keep us entertained with all the ways they can find to get themselves in trouble. Glad you realized Mellon needed to be rescued. As a senior citizen he deserved the extra love.
Nothing quite like the adventures that come with equine ownership, is there? *laugh* I sure do miss that view! I migrated south years and years ago, and though we have some hills here it's nothing like it was "back home" (particularly in those fabulous fall colors!)
ReplyDeleteExcellent hand trickery. I'm 6 feet tall but Apollo becomes a giraffe when I have to put drops in his eyes. Hope everyone is feeling 100% soon :)
ReplyDeleteThe rolling colorful hills are beautiful! Glad Dusty is better, and you've found a way to work with Grady's eye. Eye growths must be somewhat common, second time I've heard similar this week. Hope results are ok. Love that your horses get to be horses, and decide when to sleep under the stars. I've never seen an arena set-up like yours, cool! Well, unless of course you are stuck in it - silly Mellon. Bet he was glad to see you!! You gotta love horses, never a dull moment is right!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful view! We have some amazing colors right now too, but had a lot of rain last w/e and many leaves are down. Sounds like, for the most part anyway, all your horses are doing fairly well. Always good news! And I heartily agree, that there's never a dull moment when dealing with horses. Hope you're enjoying this wonderful fall weather.
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