Happy Sunday

Posted on November 10, 2013 by Exechorseluver

First time with his stitches exposed-looking great.

Today was a wonderful day! The horses renewed their friendships, Bruno back with Kid, who felt well enough to follow him to the arena. Kid was glued to my side when he quit following Bruno.

I took off Bruno’s fly mask for the first time. He had some dried blood on his face but the wound looked great, healing very well. I gently rubbed his big forehead. I am sure it has itched and he dropped his enormous head down so I could easily reach him. His forelock was tickling his incision so I put it up in a little bun. Very stylish!

I love Kid extending his 32 year-old leg, like he is trying to show Bruno what to do.

We were also celebrating the one year anniversary of Bruno joining our family. He has not been worked since his head injury in late October. Bruno was a little hard to handle. Lauren does a great job riding this horse. She has grown as a rider. Big Bruno was full of himself. Old Lauren would not have stayed on or wanted to try.

Bruno with all four feet off the ground, Lauren is maintaining a pretty position and disposition.

Feather and Mickey (who is still confined to the paddock) renewed their love, grooming each other over the fence. Feather had her first ride since the rain set in a couple of weeks ago. She looked relaxed and fluid. I think the time off was good for her.

I was happy to have Kid, alive and healing, standing beside me in the warm sun. And of course, Kona was posing for the camera as well. Gee, maybe the Texans will break their NFL record losing streak. Dare we hope?

Try Again

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Those of you who do not see my additional posts on Facebook, all I can tell you is, it has been a little rough. You knew about Bruno smashing his face into a shatterproof light fixture. A lot of blood, an emergency visit from the vet and 12 stitches above his eyes.

Meanwhile, Mickey continued to be lame with multiple abscesses in his hoof. Then yesterday morning, I arrived at feeding to find a circle of blood a couple feet wide and just as long. Examination noted it was in Kid’s mouth. I awakened Lauren. We got him cleaned up and I made the 70 mile trip to work. I was just getting settled into a pretty good working routine when Lauren called to say Kid was bleeding profusely again. He need the vet quick. She set out with Kid and the trailer. I left work in a hurry trying to make the vet as fast as Lauren. As I drove along, I just knew, this was it. The 32 year old horse was dying. Either he was losing too much blood or stitching a wound inside his mouth was going to be too expensive and too painful.

Dr. Criner holding up Kid’s lip for examination

I had cried all my mascara off long before I got to the vet. I was thinking back to Kid’s first years with me. I discovered I have Kid longer than any horse in my long, horse history, over ten year had past. He is the best behaved horse I have ever owned. I was already thinking about what a huge blow his passing would be. Granted, he is of the age where I know it is coming, but I wasn’t ready for it now.

When we got to the vet, Kid had lost a lot more blood in the trailer. I still thought there could be no happy ending to this story. Old horse gushing blood does not a good ending make! Our Mickey spotted his old friend, Kid, and neighed to him!

Dr. Criner (DC) got some pain/tranquilizer meds on board and got to looking at his mouth that she keep calling macerated. We were trying to find if he had bit his tongue (like off) or knocked out teeth or what. Finally, with Lauren having the special duty of holding his lip to stem the bleeding, we were able to watch DC push her finger all the way through the flesh and out the other side of Kid’s lip. It was horrible.

Kid was stumbling about like a drunken sailor now. We moved him out the grass so he would have a soft spot to land if he went down. In the end it was decided it would be impossible to stitch the wound. We got some heavy duty antibiotics on board to ward off infection. Kid told me it clearly was not his day to die!

We waited as the bleeding clotted off and Kid was awake enough to trailer home. I watched Mickey come out to load, sound as can be. Then I paid off both Mick’s and Kid’s extensive vet bills and we headed home.

Feather was perpetuating a rumor at the barn to Snow and Bruno, that if you went off in the trailer you were not coming back! Pix left a week ago. No sign from her. Mick left Monday and he was gone. Now, Kid had left just this morning. But she was neighing louder than any of them as the trailer pulled in with the weary boys.

I appreciate everyone’s concern and well wishes. I pray we are done with the vet for awhile and so does my checkbook!

Not Complaining, well maybe…

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Little Mickey flying fast and high!

One of my favorite all time pictures of Mickey and Lauren. She is giving him a little pep talk before a jumping class.

Rain is always the enemy of Six Meadow Farm. I know we need it to grow pastures, flowers and hay but a little goes a long way. It has been a rainy fall. Dev called to check if Lauren wanted to go to a lesson. He asked if Feather and Bruno have been doing well in their workouts. Well, Bruno has a chipped bone and stitches in his face so that is keeping him off the work rotation and it would be impossible to work anyone anyway, with the rain that has fallen and fallen some more.

There was a window on Sunday, where we could have probably taken Feather and Snow out on the fairly dry hay roads. But Lauren was out hunting (I never thought I would utter those words) and with the time change the day ended before we got the ride in.

Mickey, as discussed over the last few weeks, came charging out to the pasture after rain on October 14th and twisted his horseshoe side-ways ripping nails through and into his foot. Lauren made an attempt to pull the nails out. By two days later, Mickey was seriously lame. We did the prep for hoof abscesses (wrapping, soaking, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics). He was x-rayed and found that one of the nails had broken off in the hoof. Five days later he went to the vet and shoer. They got the abscess open and draining. They removed the nail. Mickey was sent home with a hole in the bottom of his foot. We were told by both the farrier and the vet, to keep him in a couple of days, the abscess would drain, he should get better and then could go out. He did not come home with the hoof bandaged or with instructions to bandaged.

Hoof abscesses (think giant pus pocket in the foot) are common. I can honestly say that I have never had a horse with an abscess in all my years of horse owning. I know many people who have a whole abscess care path down to a science. I am not one of them. I took the vet and farrier at their word.

However, while Mick did improve, he never got where he could walk without pain on that foot. I talked to Dr. Criner on Monday and she felt it was time for her to see him.

My life with vets is tricky. I live in a rural area serviced by a hometown vet practice that does everything from cows to ferrets. It is a nice facility. I think all the vets are TAMU grads but it is not a horse (especially performance horse) specialty hospital. I also use Dr. Lynn Criner, a hunter/jumper rider, who is a horse specialist, who is not part of this group (who made the great catch on Bruno’s hoof) but she is 50 miles away with time commitments that do not allow her to run down to Wharton each time something happens to my horses. Like when Bruno had blood streaming down his face, that was not a time to wait for Dr. Criner to make a trip to Wharton. Even if Bruno would have been fine, Lauren needed immediate assistance and Wharton Vet provided that.

So it is hard! Just like doctors don’t always treat the same thing the same way, neither do vets. Probably if I had taken Mickey back to the Wharton vet, he might have done exactly what Dr. Criner did-at least I can tell myself that!

Lauren and I drove Mickey to Dr. Buff Hildreth’s vet practice on rainy Monday evening. It was pouring as we loaded him, pouring as we walked him painfully to Buff’s barn. He would stay over and Dr. Buff and Dr. Lynn would examine him on Tuesday.

Upon examination, poor Mick had at least three and perhaps four areas of infection in his single hoof. I got some amazing pictures of pus running from his hoof (I am only sharing one-you are lucky!). I got video too if anyone wants to see a simulation of a volcanic eruption of pus from a horse’s hoof-just send me a note and I will forward it to you. After the fine ladies of vet medicine cleaned, poked and pushed infection out of the hoof, Mickey was much happier. Yesterday he got to be just like Bruno with a fancy shoe with a surgical plate that we can unscrew and clean his sore ol’foot as directed.

Of course, this comes at a time when Mickey who has been enjoying a sort of semi-retirement was due to go to Dev’s to be leased by another rider. Finally, he gets a job and then look what happens! But he should be good to go in a month or so and Dev is being very gracious about waiting for him.

Dr. Buff started in on precise, detailed instructions on how to use the surgical plate. Little did she know, we had totally perfected that with five months of Bruno hoof care. I understand that she might be a little hesitant given my care of this hoof abscess but when we move on to stall rest, surgical plates and hoof wraps, we have certainly been there done that!

Blue skies are once again lighting up my windows and the rain hopefully will not descend again for at least several days. I hope Mickey and Bruno continue with their recoveries. Thanks for riding along!

Kona Picture-contact info

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Exechorseluver

I wrote about this amazing picture by talented artist Amber Brooks previously but failed to give the contact information. I could not be more pleased with her work, her customer service, or her end product. Amber will being doing a drawing of Lauren’s horse, Feather, for Christmas.

If you want an Amber Brooks original of your horse or dog, you can contact her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/amber.powellbrooks

Thanks!!

Don’t Blink

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Bruno, his stitches covered with his fly mask, interested in what I am bringing to his pasture.

Bruno, his stitches covered with his fly mask, gleaming in good health, is interested in what I am bringing to his pasture.

There was one glorious moment on Sunday, when I was standing in the pasture, the blue sky running on forever, the horses contentedly eating the green grass, Bruno helping with the chores, Kona and Lula by my side, the rest of dogs safe in the backyard, all my kids and grandkids healthy and happy and mom relatively sane that I thought my life is amazing! And it is.

When I blinked again, I saw that Mickey was still walking with a serious limp, rain was on the horizon, the Texans were losing yet another game (at least they looked better doing it) and I had a ton of work to do.

But the moment in the pasture was a good realization for me. I tend to get worked up and overwhelmed with the things I need to fix instead of acknowledging the things that are right and good in the world. I was on my own Sunday. Friday night spent in the hauling of Pixie to Pine Hill and the associated nerves that accompany the selling of any horse.

Saturday dawned with lots of horse chores to catch up on after several days of rain and Jordyn and Kendyll coming to visit for the day. Immediately after we picked them up, we headed to my mom’s. She recognized the kids (although I do not think she has ever understood Kendyll’s name). We closed the door to her room and just let Kendyll roam as a toddler does, picking up everything from shoe horns to empty “Boost” bottles as she created a path of destruction across her great grandma’s room. Lauren turned on the popular “what does the fox say” song. We all got up and danced along. Even momma! I tried to get Lauren to video this moment of quality family entertainment but she failed to capture the essence of four generations of dancing fools. Momma had a great time.

My mother and her great-granddaughter, Kendyll, having a serious conversation.

Later, Lauren went off with Blake for opening day of deer season and I was left with the kids. A friend came by and I think he was shocked by the general disarray of my house. Kendyll had taken out most of my books and spread them about. I asked which dogs he wanted to see (he takes care of them when we travel) and he said all of them. Then we had seven excited dogs, two children and a hundred books in the living room. What a mess!

The rescued kitten, Levi-formerly Esther, is much improved and certainly going to be around for the long run. He is absolutely enamoured with the Yorkie, PuppyGirl and they play constantly. It is a flying ball of grey kitten and long-haired Yorkie, rolling, flying, biting and scratching from one end of the house to the other!

Can you tell where dog ends and kitten begins?

I think Sunday’s calm, beautiful demeanour was soothing to me after the hectic days I have had. I am hanging on to the image of Bruno and the blue sky stretching out with endless promise.

Guest Blog-Ruby Moments

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Exechorseluver

I am cross-posting a blog from a rancher wife and mother from SW Idaho. This is a recollection of her memory of a childhood event and initially she is writing from the perspective of that child. Made me think of my dad, my daughters and my grandchildren and the love I have felt for them all. Thank you Rachel for allowing me to cross post. If you have not read her “25 Things I want my Ranch Kids to Know” you should! You can find on her blog as well.

Ruby Moments

Be sure to leave Rachel a comment if you enjoy her work!

Vet/Farrier/Doctor Updates

Posted on October 24, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Sneaky is 100% well, has nothing to do with tonight’s story but is very cute!

Sometimes, it is frustrating as I have been around the human medical profession and the animal medical world enough to know what things are but not always how to fix them.

A week ago, I was leading Snow and Pixie to the back pasture with the incentive of fresh alfalfa hay so that we could let Bruno out in the front pasture. Snow and Pixie are vying for their pecking order in the herd behind Mickey and Feather. I really think Pixie is winning-which is weird that Snow is being submissive to the younger pony but then she is a girl and you know how boys can be led astray by cute girls.

ANYWAY, I am holding the hay and trying to watch both sides of me (Snow on one, Pix on the other) when Snow swoops in for a big bite of alfalfa. Well, he got my arm instead. Horses have large, strong jaws and Snow clamped down on my arm. He bit me deeply, breaking the skin and causing a lot of bleeding and pain.

I knew a visit to the doctor was a good idea. I did not think the bone was broken. But emotionally, physically and intellectually I could not face an emergency room visit. I have tried to keep it clean, soak it, use antibiotic cream but it has continued to be red, bruised and hurt. Today I saw the doctor. I should have had a couple of stitches. Nothing is broken but it is infected. There is a lot deep tissue bruising and it will hurt awhile. Money well spent to confirm what I knew. Huh!

The slow parade of Mickey, Pixie and tiny kitten Levi went off to the farrier and vet this morning. Mickey has an abscess (which is what I have been saying for ten days) But now it is confirmed by the vet. Jason, the farrier, was able to open it and the abscess started draining immediately. Fortunately, it is on the bottom of his hoof so it should heal well. More antibiotics and some hoof soaks for Mick and he should be good as new in a couple of weeks.

Pixie had her feet trimmed and was just happy to get home. Lauren did comment that it was great to have horses like Pix and Mick who loaded easily (no angst) and stood quietly in the trailer while waiting for the vet to open. Who would have guessed we would ever be complimenting Mickey’s manners!! Especially about loading into the trailer. Things change, for sure.

The kitten does not have any more worms, does not have feline leukemia or AIDs (thank God!). However, we do not know what is causing the constant, debilitating diarreha. We are trying some meds for giardia (a stomach parasite-I have had it before and it is no fun) but if he does not get better in a few days there is little left to try for the darling kitten I rescued off the street three weeks ago. I cannot responsibly spend any more money on this cat, nor continue to subject a kitten to being so sick all time. I pray this medication does the trick and his little life is turned around.

Lauren headed up to Houston after school (and horse/cat pick up) to a foot specialist. She has been having miserable heel pain. I diagnosed plantar fasciitis. And the high paid foot specialist said, wait for it, plantar fasciitis! It is an inflammation of the thick tissue that connects the heel to the toes. It is very painful. Lauren hates needles. The doctor told her she needed her foot injected. She threatened to vomit on the doctor. He told her to look at the ceiling. Then the “giant” (Lauren’s word) needle went in her foot by her ankle. The doctor told her not to kick him in the face. Then he told her she had evidence of early on-set osteoporosis. More good news.

I am not at all gratified about being right with all my diagnoses.

Here’s a prayer to all getting well and healing quickly! Thanks for riding along.

Hump day night

Posted on October 23, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Before you ask, her helmet is in the same place her bridle, saddle and boots are.

Another fun evening at the farm. We had gotten the trailer hooked up so that still lame Mickey can get to the vet and farrier tomorrow. Mickey twisted his shoe off in the mud, pulling the nails through his hoof. Lauren, unsuccessfully it turns out, tried to pull the nails free from the hoof.

That was ten days ago. X-rays confirm part of the nail is broken off inside his hoof. We have tried to get the hoof to blow the abscess on its own with soaking, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and time. But Mick is not getting better. Tomorrow farrier Jason will try to cut the nail out while being guided by the x-ray images. That should be pricey. I am just hoping they can get him back to walking.

The trailer is pulled up right next to the gate.

The trailer is pulled as close to the barn as possible but Mickey can barely walk so it might still be too far. Pony Pixie will go along so she can get her feet trimmed as well. She missed the rotation with Roland when she was at Sarah’s. Along also, will be kitten Esther (now known as Levi) as he has continued his stomach problems for almost two weeks and multiple treatments. He is miserable with his constant diarrhea and we must find a solution for the little guy or put him down.

I guess to lighten the mood of lame horses and poopy cats, after Lauren dragged the arena with my VW Golf, I challenged Lauren that I would give her $100 if she could get on any of the horses bareback while they were turned out in their various paddocks. (I know this is why we get hurt!-We play stupid games.)

First, she headed to the Boy of Snow (Snowboy, geez) thinking that was easy cash. But I have a whole group of girls from Whipple Tree that would have told her that was a bad plan. Lauren placed her hands on Snow’s back, prepared to vault on his back. His ears flattened on his head, his hind end came up to buck and his head whipped around to bite her. Snow was not having it. Not one bit!

Next she approached Pixie. Pixie has been pretty quiet since coming home but took her lead from Snow with another big NO! Lauren couldn’t catch Feather who had just started on her nightly alfalfa.

Now, I would have been headed to Mickey’s stall. He is locked in a stall. He cannot walk. How easy is that? But no, Lauren headed for Bruno’s paddock. Now remember, no helmet, no halter, nothing but naked horse and silly girl. Lauren got out our little step stool and did some practice pushing on his back. Bruno thought Dr. Criner had returned to do some chiropractic work.

I think we can rule out that Bruno ever has been ridden bareback. It is just not part of most racetrack training programs and we had never tried it (nor will I ever try it!). Lauren got the wobbly little step stool next to bru and launched herself high up onto his broad back. She just didn’t quite make it over.

But amazingly, Bruno stood quietly as Lauren maneuvered herself to a sitting position. I quietly crept in and got the little stool out of the way. So many things were wrong with this game. Any quick movement from Bruno and Lauren would be on the ground and perhaps flattened like a pancake. Or a bolt from Bru might have resulted in her decapitation with the low ceiling and hanging fans. A fall from Bruno without a helmet could have resulted in a major head trauma. I was pretty happy when Lauren slide down from Bruno no worse for wear. She looked at me and said, “I am not getting the $100 am I?” No, Lauren you’re not.

Flying High-a Feather story in pictures

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Feather and Lauren making a pretty sharp team.

Lauren is easily five feet off the ground here.

The back of this horse may be the closest Lauren ever will come to flying without wings.

If you were going to look for a jumping horse, as they call our horses here in Wharton, the pictures above would be a pretty good guide. The horse’s knees, should be up to their chest, parallel and tight. An honest horse takes the center of the jump and Feather is pretty close.

The horse should be using her body, the neck rounded, the shoulders strong and the hind quarter propelling the horse over the jump athletically. The rider should be evenly balanced in the saddle, and not interfering with the horse. The top picture is a pretty good picture. Lauren’s position could be slightly improved but anyone witnessing their rounds would know that Feather was jumping hard and landing hard. Lauren was doing an admirable job of staying with the mare on the slam, bang assault of the jump course.

The second shot is good of Feather showing her natural jumping ability. I think Lauren’s leg dropped back a tad here with the size of the jump (or at least as high as Feather is jumping).

The third picture shows Lauren in a better position. Her leg is in a better place, with the stirrup sitting about even with where her little toe is ( I know this as I have x-ray vision). Her leg is exactly where it should be, with her heel deep. She is almost pulling off an advanced release where there is a straight line from her elbow to Feather’s mouth. That is nice.

And finally, the horse and rider must be in harmony, moving as a unit through the various jumps on course with the horse sensing a change in direction, in pace, in stride almost as quickly as the rider thinks it. Feather is growing in her ability to jump high, in her experience over different types of fences and in her communication with Lauren.

And you thought I was just going to show you some more horse pictures! Lauren came in while I was writing this and said “who do you think you are? George Morris?” Oh, I wish, Lauren. You would be a better rider then!

Pixie goes to a barrel race

Posted on October 12, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Kendyll taking the final ride out of the arena on Pixie with Sarah leading and Lauren alongside.

It was a fast and furious start to the weekend as we headed out with the empty horse trailer this morning.

It has been six weeks since German Riding pony, Pixie, went off to trainer Sarah Sumrall for some basic training. We were eager to see how she was doing. But to complicate life a bit, Ally was signed up as a volunteer for Jordyn’s school fund-raiser. Luke and Jordyn were signed up for a fishing tournament. Baby Kendyll had no one to watch her.

It is a three-hour round trip from our farm to Sarah’s. We picked up Kendyll and her car seat, iPad for Mickey movies, multiple cups of juices, snacks, diapers and a couple of bags of assorted stuff.

The weather was ominous, with banks of dark clouds following us as we drove criss-cross Houston. The rain was pouring down as we pushed through Rosenberg but the sun broke through again as we made it to Sarah’s. Kendyll watched some Mickey Mouse Club House. We played a fun game where she coughed, then I coughed, several times. She is very cute!

Sarah rode Pixie for us and what was a halting, evading pony, who had never cantered for us, was now a smooth, mature pony with three lovely gaits. I wanted to cry when I first saw the little roan pony break into a lovely, flat kneed canter that would be the envy of the hunter ring. Sarah reversed directions. Pixie picked up the correct lead without issue and cantered several nice circles. Pixie had learned to back and halt quietly. Quite impressive accomplishments for a pony I had trouble moving from a walk to a trot.

Pixie loaded easily into the trailer and we headed to a barrel race! Sarah is an outstanding, top barrel racer with a great reputation in Houston. I idly suggested taking Pixie out of the trailer when we got to the fairgrounds and put a sign around her neck saying “Pony For Sale! 45 Days Professional training by Sarah”. I could have probably sold her in ten minutes flat. But we were at the fairgrounds to see a truck we had found for sale on Facebook.

We had been looking for a new truck. We have a Chevy 1500 with a small V-8 engine. A friend posted an ad for a Chevy 2500 with a diesel engine. It is an older truck than mine but has fewer miles. Lauren and I are very excited about owning it. All the details should be worked out next week. It is such a nice truck and will allow us to pull the weight of 1500 pound Bruno, 1200 pound Feather and 1100 pound Mickey all it once. Right now, it is strictly one at a time in the trailer.

The new “older” truck!

I had told my friend at work that I had bought a truck online. She laughed at me and said,”you bought a truck on eBay!” No, I told her, I bought one on Facebook!

Busy morning, with horses, grand kids and a new truck to come! The rains followed us on home but the accomplishments of the day were not tarnished.

Thanks for riding along and huge thanks to Sarah for doing such a great job on my pony.

Exechorseluver

The life and times of modern day horse woman

Category Archives: Life on the farm