Oh, my, oh, my....

It doesn't look good. Guess it could be worse. Got up this morning to do my 20 minutes of laps with Elias. And give him his shot. Gulp. Ok. I'm not so worried about the shot thing. I had to give my daughter shots for almost 3 years, every day. But that needle was tiny compared to the needle on the syringe I need to give Elias. Here's the orange square on his neck that target gray spot is located :) I learned a trick from the vet I used to have. She would poke, rather hard, at the spot the shot was going to go. Then, after poking hard two or three times, she would stick the needle in the spot. The horse didn't seem to feel it as much. Guess what - I tried it and it really did work. He didn't even flinch when I pushed that huge needle into his neck. The only thing I was really worried about was getting my finger out of the way in time before the needle went in. Whew. Didn't need to antibiotic myself.

He's looking at me like 'what are you doing?' I'm taking pictures of his leg after I gave him his shot. He looks like he has a moose head in this picture. His head is SO BIG compared to the others in my barn.

So, he's walking a little better but the swelling has not gone down much. But he has been in his stall all night and he doesn't have a lot of room to move around.

So, I will let him go out and have the day in the paddock area. I'll spread the hay and his grain around so he has to move from pile to pile instead of standing in one place all day long. I'll see how he does by tonight.

I went out and checked on Elias before going grocery shopping with hubby. He seemed to be doing better.

When I got home, I went out to walk Elias. This time, we walked 19 circles in 20 minutes. That is up from 15 earlier today! And he was trying to walk ahead of me, which he hasn't done since all this started. And the swelling is down a little.

I washed it with betadine and put some goopey neon yellow stuff on it. One more shot tomorrow and I'm sure I'll hear from the vet on Monday.

Keeping my fingers crossed that we are on the uphill side of all this. Man, oh, man. I'm so ready for this all to be over with. I'm so sorry, big guy. And to top it off, it's so cold. The wind is blowing the snow all around us. Brrr. Wood stove, here I come!

Poor, poor Elias...

My poor, poor boy. Not only is the swelling in his leg not shrinking, it's getting worse by some degree. Now it's moved up into his chest. The 10 minute walks twice a day. Antibiotics twice a day. At least he was anxious to go out this morning. Made sure the fence was up and ON so no one would bother him and cause him to have to move too quickly. Had to set up another water bucket as I only have two tanks with heaters in them. He can visit with everyone in his small paddock, but not get into too much trouble. I hope.

The Vet came to visit while I was at work. My daughter, MJ, did horse duty. The vet said 'not good.' So he gave him another shot of antibiotics. And gave MJ two more syringes for the next two mornings. And told her, 'have your Mom give him the shots right here' pointing to a gray spot on his neck, 'and walk him twice a day for 20 minutes.' And continue the oral antibiotics. And the bute.

My poor boy. He keeps thinking he's done something wrong. We walk in a rather large circle. Him gimping along. When he occasionally stops to rest, he puts his head on my shoulder and licks his lips and gives me these worried eyes. I try to convince him he's done nothing wrong and that he's such a good boy to keep walking. Even when he's gimping so bad, and I feel so guilty, I keep him walking. By the watch. 20 minutes. Add another two rounds for the stops we've made. The other horses don't help any. As Elias is gimping around, the others are running in their pasture, kicking up their heels. Wondering why it's taking so long with the routine tonight and why they aren't being let in. Let's get the show on the road. Hay needs eating.

Nice big note on the counter from MJ. Detailing what the Vet said. And to look for the blue and orange square. Huh? Blue and orange square? Silly girl. She was so worried I wouldn't know which gray spot on his neck to use for the shot that she brought out a blue and orange magic marker and drew a big square around it on his neck. Resourceful girl.

So, my Elias and his barn buddies are all in for the night. Clean stalls. Grain. Antibiotics. Hay. Clean water. Gimped him in when it started to snow. Poor guy. He's got to get better. I truly don't know what I would do without him.

Oh, and guess what came in the mail tonight. Waiting on the counter for me next to the two totally huge syringes and instructions from the Vet? The bill from Aspey choking and taking out the stitches. Farm Call. Emergency Call. Brief Exam. Suture Removal. Ouch. Guess I can wait for the rest of this week to come in the next bill. Good thing I'm working a few extra hours for the next few weeks. Wonder if the Vet needs an assistant? Will work for vet bill. Ohy, vey.

Holy Cow! How'd it get That BIG!

I was curiously wondering this morning what I was going to write about. Not much going on. Aspey is doing fine. Dogs are doing fine. Girls are doing fine. Hubby brought me out to dinner last night as it was just the two of us at home. (Everyone keeps telling me I'm going to do the 'empty nest' syndrome thing. Nope. Not gonna miss all those hormones in my house! I kinda like being able to do what I want, when I want. No more diapers. Naps. The only 'restrictions' I have left, really, is my youngest has her permit, not her junior operator license. So when her sisters or Dad aren't available to drive her, she asks Mom. Works for me. )

Don't get me wrong. My 'nest' will never be empty. I have 4 dogs, 4 cats, 2 parakeets and 3 horses of my own. And Lacey and Aspey. And 2 barn cats. Always someone who needs something looked after. They aren't ever going to fly away from home.

This morning, after sleeping in, yawn, until 9:45, I got up and shuffled around the house and got dressed in many layers. (Ok. I'm going to digress - Have you ever seen the Christmas movie about the kid who wants the Red Ryder BB Gun and everyone tells him he's going to shoot his eye out? Remember the little brother, Randy, who is dressed up in his red snowsuit and his arms flail around like a windmill? That's what I feel like when I go outside with all my gear on in this cold weather!)

It looks like Alaska tundra out there. The snow blowing so hard it's creating white outs while it's screaming across the top of the bumps in the crusty ice/snow underneath. It's damn cold.

Went out to let the horses out. Did my usual routine. Hay from the barn to the pasture. Spread the hay around the pasture. Go in the barn, unplug the fence. Bring Aspey her morning allotment of grain. Took the blanket off Aspey I put on last night as she was shaking and cold. Went in the barn to let the horses out. Smokey first. (Ok, another digression. Lacey has hysterics if she doesn't get to go out first. Then she has hysterics that she is let out first. Makes it much easier to let Smokey out first - he's dominant between the two - than to have her freak out half way out the door and try to figure out how to back up through the door and gate to her stall. Sigh.) Then Lacey. Then to let Buddy out. Buddy loves to check out every stall on his way out. To make sure no one left something worth munching on behind. Then to Elias. Who wasn't moving.

I opened his door. He is usually standing, quietly waiting, but ready to go out. Not this morning. Hello! His left front leg is twice the size of his right front leg and he's leaning with his butt against the wall, trying to keep his weight off his front end.

Holy COW! How'd it get that BIG! OMG. Ok, ok, breathe. He wasn't cast in his stall. There are no marks on his walls or on his body that lead me to believe he got hung up in something. The only thing attached to the wall is his grain bucket and it's still where it belongs. (That, just for my peace of mind, is outta there. I replaced the hung on the wall at a low height bucket for a black rubber bucket that sits on the floor.) Threw Elias a flake of hay and went inside to call my second favorite human. The Vet. He must have missed me in the two days since he's seen me.

So, when I was thinking I was done with the Vet for a few days, weeks or months, instead, I was inviting him back to my barn, again. Sigh. Haven't got the bill from the last visit yet. Sigh.

Call the Vet's answering service. Wait for the vet to call me back. Wait for the vet to show up. Find extra clothes to put on as I'm not going to be back inside for a while. SIGH.

Vet comes. I get my gear on and go outside. The good news is that it's nothing serious. The bad news is that it does need immediate attention. Seems when the last stitches came out, an infection decided to visit. So, shot of antibiotics. Shot of bute (horse tylenol). Instructions are to walk him for 10 minutes out in the cold. (Could be worse. If it weren't so cold, I would have to keep cold water running on his leg for 20 minutes. Guess the cold is good for something today.)

So, since the sweet, beautiful, twitchy mare took down the part of the fence that separates the paddock from the pasture, the first order of business is putting up fence. In 12 degree F. weather. With the wind whipping my hair in my eyes. And my fingers not working inside gloves. Dropping insulators. Trying to wrap tape. Trying not to freeze my fingers off.

Get the fence fixed. Turn it back on. Get a halter and lead rope on Elias (He's not making me 'exercise' to do it.) Gimp through the barn, gimp through the aisle between Smokey and Lacey's stalls. Gimp outside. Gimp in a circle. Stop by the flake of hay and take a bite. Gimp around in a circle. Stop by the flake of hay and take a bite. Repeat and repeat and repeat. After 15 minutes of this (did it a little extra to make up for the stopping to eat part) I left him standing near the remaining hay and went inside to clean his stall.

It's actually nicer in here - it's still cold but at least I'm out of the blowing wind. Spread a whole bag of shavings in the stall. Empty the 20 gallon ice/poop filled water bucket (good aim-NOT). Refill with lukewarm water. A few flakes of hay in the other corner. Grain with bute (horse tylenol) and antibiotics.

Convince Gimp, er, Elias, to come back into the barn. Gimp between the stalls. Gimp through the barn, gimp down to his stall. Gimp into his stall.

Go undo part of the fence so Smokey, Lacey and Buddy can get at the water. Close up the barn. Plug the fence back in. Shut all the doors. Turn around, go back into the barn because I can't remember if I locked the latch on the back door. Shut all the doors. Then go into the house to hug the wood stove and see just how hot you can get before you have to move back.

It's now 4 pm. The weather is now 10.3 F. Without the wind chill factor. I've been outside for about 5 hours. Have a cup of cocoa so I can warm up the insides, too. Turned on the oven to make a pizza as I haven't had anything to eat yet today.

Now that hubby is home and the girls aren't home - guess they abandoned US in the new year, it's almost time to go back outside to finish cleaning the rest of the stalls and take Gimp, er, Elias, for another walk. Then to let everyone else back in. Feed them their grain and hay for supper.

Next time I wonder what I'm going to write, if I think things are going too smoothly, I will remind myself to read this entry and not worry about what to write.

Sigh. I so love my horses. I still hate WINTER and SNOW. I truly do NOT want to know how many more days until spring. Sigh. Vet will be back tomorrow to check on Elias. I really do like my vet. Was he saying he hadn't bought his plane ticket yet or not? Guess he'll be able to afford it now. Eeek. Wonder who is taking his place when he's gone? I must be sure to ask him that tomorrow. :(

Cold, cold. Brrrr. I'm still cold from before. Here I go again. Trying to steel myself to go back out into the dark night. Cold. 2.8 degrees. F. 6:40 pm. Wind still whipping around. Even though I have on three layers, I can still feel the cold seeping in.

My hubby just informed me, with a laugh, that there are only 79 more days until spring. ARGH! Bleck. Sigh.

I love my horses. I love my horses. I love my horses. I HATE COLD. I HATE WINTER.

Oh, Momma, It's Cccooolllldddd Outside!

Brrrrr. 4.2 degrees (Fahrenheit.) With a wind chill of -15 degrees. So cold that the snow squeaks when you walk. That if you breathe through your nose it freezes your nose hair. You don't want to have too much bare skin exposed. Slopped some water on the concrete and it froze instantly.

Happy Frozen New Year.

Blanketed Aspey as she was shivering. Gave her a whole bale of hay along with a double helping of grain (No hay replacer pellets :) Snuggled everyone else in their stalls with water, hay and grain. Then ran inside to thaw by the wood stove.

So glad I took those iron horse shoes off their feet. That must add to the cold.

So, I'm sitting here, soaking up the good old wood stove heat. Enjoying the almost melting feeling on my face and feet.

How many days until spring is here? Too many, no matter how many times you count.

Have a Great New Years!

If GREEN goop is coming out her nose, it's not a good thing :(

Now that the crisis is over, I can kinda laugh about it. Kinda. Not really.

Out doing barn chores in Vermont. 8:30 pm. Dark. 22 degrees Fahrenheit. Water freezes on concrete into ice in seconds. Literally. Just the opposite of trying to fry an egg on hot pavement in the middle of summer. Would have done barn chores and been inside already beside the fire. But for the fact that the youngest daughter had basketball practice. And we had to go feed 4 dogs and 5 horses up the road. My barn came last. Just works out that way.

Last of the chores. Almost done. Then the sound. Like one of the horses trying to hack up a lung. Except... horses can't puke. Certainly sounds like she wants to. Certainly sounds like she is trying to. And then comes the green goopey stuff flinging out of her nose. Bleck. Double bleck. Enough to get my non-horsey hubby running into the house to call the vet and her Mom. (giggle, giggle) He is not one for goopey green stuff. He hooked up a light so we could see outside and then went into the house. Couldn't handle the green goopey stuff, I guess.

Ok, I have to admit that it made me gag a few times, also. Vet on his way. Mom on her way. Me, outside, in the cold, trying to help her clear her throat. Bleck. Gag. Bleck.

Aspey is standing splay-legged and making the most horrendous sounds. Her legs are shaking and she's hacking so hard it makes her fart. Kinda funny. But very serious. I'm stressing, freezing, wishing the vet lived closer, wishing her Mom lived closer. Thinking just how late is it and is the guy with the backhoe even around this week. (No, no, don't go there.... think positive.) Positively blecky!

30 minutes later, Mom comes. Shortly thereafter, vet comes. Just in time to hear her clear everything out and start munching on the hay in the stall. Guess she figured out what the vet was going to do to her and gave another large gulp and got it gone. No more hay replacer pellets for her.

But, while the vet was here - we might as well make it worth our while. So, off to the barn to take out the rest of the stitches on Elias' fetlock that I couldn't get. Don't have the right scissors. (Long story. Different story) And to check on Buddy. His mildly expensive, imported from Britain (lah, te, dah), heaves medicine is working well. The vet told me how wonderful he looked. WOW! (You know how someone tells you that you did a great job, and it's ok. But when someone who does that something for a living tells you you did a great job, it makes it that much more impressive. I LOVE my vet. Ok - we are both happily married - to OTHER people. But I still LOVE my vet!) Then to look at Buddy's feet as he has been dealing with thrush issues the past few weeks. Doing much better. My religious cleaning of his stall and his feet and dosing with Kopertox are paying off. Now, with the shoes off, hopefully he'll grow back some of the frog he has lost. My cousin (Aspey's Mom) thinks I baby my horses too much. My vet just laughed and said that I'm not the worst he's seen. Hmmm. Maybe I need to try harder?

So, all the vet had to take out of his truck was his flashlight, stethoscope and scissors. He'll send me the bill. Yep. Don't forget that. Don't get me wrong. It's the reason I call him. I pay my bills. He visits when I call. Good working relationship. Keep him happy, he keeps my horses happy. What more could a horsewoman want?

But, on another note, my vet is leaving (what -you can't leave!) for California to the AQHA National Versatility Ranch Horse Competition to represent Vermont. Cool, huh! I hope he wins.

Now it's 10:45. I'm freezing. Haven't had supper yet. Know I'm going to check on that horse at least two more times tonight. I'm going to go hug the wood stove first. No spinach tonight. Bleck.

OMG! For the horses sake, Euthanasia is NOT a bad thing!

I received this on one of my horse lists. If you can help this horse, please email me. I will be more than glad to forward the information to you. Find below my response, also....

-------------- Original message --------------
From: xxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
I received a call from a woman in Utica NY today asking if I could take her free horse. I am not able to at this point because my new mare is currently being "board" at a stable. From what I understand, she is a 30 year old arabian, no bad habits or vices. I told her I would post it and suggested she advertise it for "free lease" and to screen her potential adopters, ask for a vet reference and do a drive by. Any interest?? Her number is x-xxx-xxx-xxxx. Thanks

--My response----
I'm sorry, I know I'm not going to be popular or liked with this post. But when is it time to gently euthanize a wonderful creature and let them lay down in a place that they know without any pain. With so many horses out there that are young, adoptable and healthy, how in the world does anyone expect someone to take their 30 year old. I'm sorry. When my guys are old and unable to continue on, I euthanize them. Not leave for someone else what I can't do myself. If you are taking up a collection to help this woman euthanize this horse to save it the confusion and bewilderment of having to be moved at 30, I will be the first one in line to donate.
Lynn

--Lynn Esty
www.RescueAHorse.Blogspot.com


People. Get the picture. Please. A 30 year old mare. Looking for a good home. With hay the cost as it is. With winter here in full force. And 30 YEARS old. Doesn't this horse deserve the respect of a quite, gentle end in a place she has known her for at least the last few months, years of her life? If you can't do it, hire a vet that will. Call upon a rescuer or Constable/Animal Control Officer. This just kills me. Doesn't this horse deserve at least that. Just where or who do you think is going to take this mare? I see kill-buyer and slaughter house in her future. And I won't even begin to claim that I am a psychic.

Do the right thing. Put the mare down. I'll even start the donations for the vet bill and the back-hoe. I'm so very done with this.

Winter, Winter, everywhere..

What a beautiful day. Sun is shining. The thermometer reading is 44.9 degrees. Balmy! And in December! You all know we are going to pay for it before winter is over, don't you?

But, step outside and your breath is stole away! The wind is blowing. Fiercely! So, I'm packing some more wood in the wood stoves and still looking out the window, counting how many horses and dogs I have to take care of tonight and tomorrow morning (lets see, 5 horses + 4 dogs +5 horses + 4 dogs = argh! too many.) My girl friend, a very wonderful friend, is off watching her eldest son play hockey, so I'm doing chores at her house tonight and tomorrow morning- yep. Keeping up with the Joneses! No, not really. We just keep matching each other in dogs and horses. Not intentionally. Just happens, honestly!

I live just outside the boundary line of the little town of Perkinsville, Vermont, (don't blink- you'll miss it!) on my grandfathers small farm. Right next door to where I grew up. Sixth generation Weathersfield. My girls are the seventh. Weathersfield, Vermont. In Windsor county. EVERYONE knows who we are. Most days that is a blessing. When your car is broke down beside the road. When your chimney is on fire. When someone from out of town, out of state, is looking for you. There are days that this blessing isn't so good. The day you mess up and EVERYONE knows it was you. When you slip on the ice and land on your butt. When your daughter runs out of gas and three people call you before she does to be rescued. You get the picture, right?

My horses live on 2+ acres. I don't mow much lawn. When the girls give me a hard time about doing their lawn mowing duties, I move the fence around and, ta-dah!, instant lawn mowing! I don't have enough pasture to feed five horses. I don't even have enough pasture to feed one horse. Ok, maybe the pony. But not by much. But, because of the neighbors who own behind me (the State of Vermont gravel pit), there is approximately 3/4 an acre of additional pasture that I am able to let them run on.

When I had a horse with Cushings and a tendency to founder, this was a good thing. I didn't want him wading through deep, lush pasture to hasten a call to the vet. I worked very diligently to make sure his feed, his FEET and his girth stayed as moderated as possible. Aba had a good life.

Come pasture time, sometime in the next (sigh) four months, I will be down to at least 4 horses. Aspey is to go back north after graduation in June. Lacey - well, when that time comes, we'll see how her mom is doing and what is going to transpire for her. My boys, Smokey, Buddy and Elias... well, they'll be here until their time is up. Then they will lay in the pasture alongside Aba, Chris and Shiloh. And numerous other 4 legged, furry friends who have graced our home.

Hmmm.... didn't mean to end on such a gloomy note. However, the shards of loss aren't so cutting anymore. It's easier to remember them without getting hacked up with the sharp edges. Kinda like sea glass - it's beautiful, pocketed, smoothed and various, beautiful colors. Collecting sea glass when I lived in Alaska was a favorite hobby of mine.

So, I'm still looking out the window at the lovely sight, while I am puttering around the house looking for my Christmas long janes (women's version of long johns:) and my wool socks. Man, winter. Snow. Cold, biting wind. Bleck!

She's so Glad I LOVE her Mother!

Lacey. Ohy, vey. Is she so glad that I LOVE her mother. Did I tell you all that mares weren't my favorite in the horse world? Before anyone starts to worry, she is fine. And so am I.

First for me - I don't know what hit me. I came home from work on Saturday afternoon at 3 pm and went to bed with chills but no fever. Only got up twice to pee. Didn't get up like a human being until 6 pm on Sunday! Missed Christmas with the in-laws (or is that out-laws:)! No, no I would have had a great time. Age, and time, does mellow things, fortunately. I really did wish I had been up to going. Went back to bed at 10 pm and didn't get up until the alarm was screaming and my daughter was nagging me at 8 am Monday. So much for my posting every day. Oh, well.

Now for Lacey. The MARE. The twitchy, witchy, dark bay, gorgeous mane and tail of luscious black ,wavy, long hair, Morgan mare. Who has taken down a good section of the fence. Not once, but TWICE... to get in with the bbbboooooyyyyysssss! (Bleep) And she is SO very proud of herself. Came prancing and dancing right over to me to show me what she had done. TWICE. Ok. I'm not fighting it if it is working. Everyone still has all their hair on their butts, no one missing pieces of their necks, no one is the worse for wear.

Elias has only been here 4 weeks. I try to transition everyone really slowly as there is less chance of seeing fur fly, and heels fly and having to slop on goopey, neon yellow ointment to cover the teeth groves in necks and butts. And vet-wrap front legs. But this time, it seems that everyone made it unscathed. (Crossing everything that I can that I haven't made a statement in haste!)

There have been many changes here since October. Aba has passed on to greener, warmer, non-snowy pastures (did you all remember that I hate snow!), Aspey has come here to stay, and the latest turn in the horse world outside my back door, Elias has come home. The pecking order is being established. Re-established. Who was on top, isn't. Who may want to be, may not be. Who may think that they rule the roost, doesn't. I realize, I do, that there have to be some scuffles in order for things to settle into some sort of routine. But I truly do hate getting out the goey, neon yellow stuff. It does work wonders, though, especially during fly season.

So, for the past two nights we have had the usually mellow file in through the back door routine all befuddled up. Trying to organize and sort and file through in order - Lacey thought she wanted to be in with the BOYS until she had to wait until LAST to be let in because she won't let anyone past HER stall with HER food in it. THEY might just sneak some when she isn't looking and trying to bite them on the BUTT while munching at the same time!

So we are learning *patience* Sigh, yeah, right. Patience my ass. Actually, she did make a motion like she was going to bite my ass, but somehow the manure fork was there and she bumped her nose into the tines. Oops! So tonight, she danced and flattened her ears and jigged in place, but she did let Elias in before she scooted into her stall and stuck her nose in her bucket and, I swear, swung out her front leg to cover where her hay was, as if to say, "even though I have my face in my bucket, eating my grain, I still don't want you to get my hay!"

Now, part of the problem is that Elias is still learning the barn and is still hesitant about walking the aisle without someone there in front of him. My horses go in and out, one at a time, by themselves, with me opening and closing doors and encouraging them to get their butts out and stay out unless they want to come back in for the day. Most days, they get to the door and off they fly, for a great run around the pasture. Elias won't go out in the morning unless he is following you. He's the last in line to go out in the morning, so it works well. Then, once he is sure that there is no one hiding outside the door, he's off with the rest of them. (No lead rope, no halter, just wants to follow you like a puppy - a VERY LARGE puppy!)

So, it's rather like a one-armed paper hanger (sorry, if there are any one-armed people out there reading this - I think you are amazing to do with one arm what I can't accomplish with two most days) trying to get Elias in and keep Lacey out, while my boys, Smokey and Buddy, are munching down in their stalls, wondering what all the circus is about.

And people wonder why I treasure my geldings. They are so much less hormonal that Lacey ever considered being. Yep. Geldings. Yep. Love my friend. Ohy, vey. Mares!