No Obligation? (a.k.a. "Free" Horses)

It's twenty 'til two and the thermometer says 106'.  Too hot to be outside, although the horses seem happy enough to be out where there's a breeze, eating.  I'm sitting here going through pictures....

I had an interesting phone call from an old friend yesterday: the lady who bred Sunny, Amyra and Thunder.  We stay in touch - I send her pictures periodically, and we exchange cards and phone calls.  She had some news and a question.  Back in 2010 she'd decided she was done breeding, but she still had 6 mares and Thunder.  She ended up selling three of the mares to a gentleman up north who liked their breeding.  Sadly, word through the grapevine was that he passed away early last year.

Recently, she received a call from a women who inherited two of the mares: Sahara and Foxy.  Sahara had never been ridden.  Foxy had been started as a three-year-old, but based on how she reacted when I saddled her and rode her, she'd not gotten much beyond 30 days.  Very gentle, no buck, but basically clueless....

So, this lady has been boarding them, but now she's wondering if my friend would possibly like the mares back.  It seems that she hadn't realized that horses would cost so much money ($250/month board) and she doesn't feel comfortable riding Foxy without her getting a refresher from a trainer (another $250-300/month) and having Sahara started would be an additional expense (!!!!). 

I wasn't in any position to take on any of the mares when they were sold, but I've always said I'd like to know what happened to them, and if they were ever for sale I'd take them if I could, so my friend called me.  "I want to stress that you're under no obligation to take them," she said. "I just didn't want you to find out they were available later and have you say you would have wanted them."  My heart sank.  While I'd love to take them, with the drought here, four horses is stretching our available pasture as it is.  Honestly, four is probably more than we need.  Because as the lady with the mares now knows, there is no such thing as a free horse. 

It's no consolation that my friend isn't taking them back either.  (Thunder was her last one, and he came with me.)  She's passing on some names of folks that might be interested, but that's all she's able to do at this point.  If wishes were... enough money, more rain, and the ground to feed them all on....

These are two nice, handle-able mares, at least last I was around them.  They're both past the young-horse sillies, but neither of them is elderly.  They're both papered, sound, have good manners, they're easy to catch, worm, give shots to and trim.  They load.  They tie.  They both love to be brushed and fussed over.  But...

If you aren't intending to breed them or just let them stand around in a pasture to look at, they're going to be a very tough sell because they don't ride.  Makes me sad...

Friday night

Well, I did my best to get some shots of Foxy's hoof - I did get a couple of befores, but I wanted to get some after soaking when the cotton was cleaned off, too. Unfortunately, I forgot.

Pre-soak tape job from yesterday.

She's leaning over to reach her grain, not favoring that foot, although it does look that way.

That's the nail hole in the center of the circle.

Foot bath

Gotta love goofy horses - she was actually pretty good about standing in the water for about 12 minutes. She had grain and someone standing there hitting the itchy spots, so she seemed content. But at the 12 minute mark she'd had enough. I persisted so that she'd actually take her foot out of the bucket nicely instead of drenching both of us, but mostly it was a mud bath by that point.

She was walking sound, at least on the soft dirt in the lot, and didn't seem in any sort of discomfort. We'll get her out on a harder surface tomorrow and see. Second round of penicillin then, too.

Sunny was completely normal. Filthy, but normal.
Since T was along and I had the camera I got to actually be in some pictures... well, sort of in some pictures - LOL!

We trotted up and down the driveway several times. T finally figured out how to get things to record on our fourth or fifth pass - neither Sunny nor I were quite as enthusiastic by that point!

He needs a bath, and lots of brushing, and he has a mat in his mane, I was horrified to discover.

If you want to see some gorgeous, clean Arabs in action, go visit MiKael's Mania - Arabian Horses. She has some real beauties, and they're all shiny and smart in their spring coats already.

"Well, people get indigestion..."

Sunny was upright & digging merrily into the bale this morning when we checked him. He hollered at me as soon as I stepped out of the car, and condescended to interrupt his breakfast and come over to the fence to make sure I hadn't brought him anything - or that I wasn't feeding anyone else anything he wanted.

G was out feeding the sheep when we arrived, and commented to T that if horses are anything like people, occasionally they must just get a touch of indigestion. Probably true.... But we don't tend to thrash around and twist our insides up (and we know where to locate the Tums!) when we get gas.

In any case, it was a relief to see him acting normal. Now maybe my stomach will go back to normal, too.

Foxy was walking around comfortably on all four feet - not sure how quickly Bute wears off, but it's been 14 hours since she had a dose, so that's encouraging. I'll soak & try to get some pictures of the puncture site tonight.

It has been... a day.

Feeding tonight, and first thing I notice as I collect horses is Foxy is lame again. Looked to be the right front foot, darn it. So I get everybody situated with grain, and gates wrangled for T who's run out between classes to move a bale for me. We needed to switch vehicles because the truck is steering strangely and I wanted him to see if he could feel it too. Of course I'd picked up grain, and that all had to be transferred to the barn before he headed back in, and he's left students working on things in the lab, so he's in a hurry....

So, back to Foxy - back feet cleaned out fine, not hot or sore. But when I picked up the left front she almost fell down on me. Definitely something with the right front. Yes, indeed: a very old, rusty, fencing nail. Grrrr!

Thanks to a recent post by Mrs. Mom, I had fresh in my mind the quick pre-vet care for that: duct tape and two pieces of wood thick enough to allow Foxy to bear weight on that foot without driving the nail in any farther. I just needed to find the tape (since mine went with the truck and T back to town) and two pieces of wood the right size. Thankfully, G was home and gracious enough to provide the tape and a hand with cutting it into strips while I held the wood in place & taped.

Got his okay to call the vet, since Foxy belongs to them and J wasn't home and can't take personal calls at work.

Called the vet clinic. Yes, they could send a vet - unfortunately not the horse guy, but beggars can't be choosers, and he could come in half an hour or so. Called work, let them know I'd be late and could someone please stay until I arrived. Wonder of wonders, the vet actually did arrive when he said he would, (although he forgot a couple things he needed...).

He'd have preferred to haul her in to the clinic for x-rays, but after he looked at it said it wasn't TOO bad. The staple hadn't broken off, wasn't embedded very deeply, and if there isn't too much bruising, may not abcess. Penicillin, tetnus booster, bute for pain, soaking.... the usual, and call about a repeat visit and x-rays if she hasn't stopped limping in two days.

While we're soaking Foxy's foot I look down the lot to see Sunny lie down, get up, and lie back down again and then he's flat out on his side. Oh crap. So I collect him and bring him up - at least it's convenient that a vet is on hand, but at this point I'd really prefer the horse guy! Good gut sounds in all four quadrants, and temp is normal. Sunny's not trying to lie down or kicking at his belly - and wasn't real thrilled about having his temperature taken.... Vet says probably gas, walk him for 20-30 minutes and see how he does. If anything changes, the horse vet is on call tonight, and will come.

So I walk him up & down the driveway & road for 30 minutes , during which he plods along politely, occasionally attempting to pull me over to where there's new grass started along the edges. He's not exactly perky, but he's not glazed & pain-faced, either. No manure production or audible gas, though :(

While we trudge I call J who's off work but has meetings all evening, and update her on Foxy & Sunny - she'll check on him when she gets home. Then I call T, who is finally home from work - he'll drive out and check on Sunny after he finishes getting H fed & started on her homework. Put Sunny back in with the herd, and he stands at the fence looking at me. I'd prefer trotting off gleefully, but....

So I headed back in to scrape the mud off, find work clothes and relieve the library director, who waited the extra hour & a half for me to appear.

T called around 7 pm & said Sunny was upright & protecting his spot at the bale from the rest - he wasn't eating, but was alert enough to whinny at T & make "feed me" faces as usual, so that's a good sign. J emailed me at work around 8 pm and reported he was eating and chasing the mares away, which is usual behavior for him, so that made me feel better. She'll check on him later, too, and I'll run out early before work in the morning.

I don't think it could have been the new bale of hay, which is quite lovely, and which he hadn't yet touched - several of the mares dived in and they were fine. He was eager enough to eat his grain, which was not from the new batch I just picked up, and which none of the others showed any sort of ill effects from eating. I guess for now, as long as he's okay, it's a matter of note it and watch for recurrences....

Foxy - day 3

Foxy was fine last night, which was a great relief. They were all moving with caution, as the lot looked like a chocolate cake batter someone had unkindly poured water into. It didn't smell as appealing, though. And it was slippery.

Having forgotten to put on my rubber boots before wading in, I decided I might as well continue as I started.

[Plug here for Mountain Horse Mountain Rider boots - (I think they've discontinued thesel, or at least they've gotten difficult to find in the US, unfortunately, but I LOVE them.) In spite of the fact that they're leather with laces, I have yet to go home with wet feet after wading through the over-ankle deep slop. Wet pant legs, yes. But my socks are always dry. They're not cheap, but one pair lasts me several years of winter/summer wearing. And I wear them in everything, 'cause I'm always forgetting to put on muck boots.]

On the other thing.... Well - my co-workers were mad, which was nice. I'm still on the lookout for that window to show up, and I have moments of panic now and then, but on the whole, I think we'll all weather this just fine. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers - they're much appreciated, and I'll keep you posted. Unless something major occurs, though, I'm probably going to stick to horse topics here. It's cheerier! :)

Waiting for the other shoe

On the good news front, Foxy was doing much better tonight. We (T came out to give me a hand) soaked feet - rear left & front right - just to be safe, but she was only slightly off trotting, and was standing & walking without favoring anything. Guess we'll see what tomorrow brings. Maybe it was a strain, or maybe the mysterious migrating lameness will be back again tomorrow.

On the bad news front, it was definitely a pink letter day. The economic downturn has hit home here.

My last day at work will be May 31st.

I'm still processing.

It was a surprise,
but not a complete shock,

The possibility's been looming for a while. I was assured of positive references, and that none of this is anything to do with me, personally. Doesn't make it any easier, does it?

So, we have some decisions to make here. Stay? Go? For a job in my field, I'd probably have to relocate, which isn't an unattractive proposition - not entirely, and especially not now. But whatever gets decided will be a joint decision. Rome wasn't built in a day, and nothing's going to get decided tonight, that's for sure.

You know, I stewed all day wondering what the mysterious meeting at 4 PM with the director & provost would be - I knew it wasn't going to be good news. So in a way, knowing was a relief. But I didn't feel better about things until I'd been out to feed tonight. The horses are completely oblivious, happy to be fed, and with warmer weather. Sunny waiting semi-patiently at the gate, hollering when he saw me climb out of the car (he's the only one who does). My fuzzy mental health fix.

I'll have lots to do at work the next couple months getting things wrapped up and someone(s) trained to take over the essential stuff. Unfortunately for those still employed, what I'm doing is still going to need to be done, whether I'm there to do it or not.

And bad as today's news is, we will be okay. Doors don't close without others opening, and I'm doing my best to see the positive side of things. I'm not quite sure what shape positive will take yet, but I know it's there!

Aw Foxy, what now?

Last night Foxy looked a bit sore, but I couldn't find any hot spots, bumps, bruises or anywhere that poking or prodding made her go "OUCH!" so J & I tentatively chalked it up to a slight pull or strain from being chased around in the less than great footing.

But this afternoon she wasn't just a bit off. She's dead lame on her right front. Still no heat in it anywhere, no bumps, not an ouchy spot to be found anywhere from shoulder on down. She will stand solid on it, but favors it - a bunch - when she moves. Since she's the one who apparently blew 4 abscesses simultaneously last summer...I'm thinking she has another one brewing. So while she ate her grain I stuck her foot in a bucket of Epson Salts & hot water (she was so thrilled) for about 15 minutes. Figured it couldn't hurt anything, at very least, and with her hoof completely cleaned off I could take a good look. Still nothing obviously wrong other than that something obviously hurts.

Foxy cleaned up her grain just fine, and was headed over to start in on some hay when I left tonight, so at least it's not effecting her appetite.

Left a message for J to take a look when she gets home, and let me know if she called the vet what he had to say and/or when he's coming out. She called a few minutes ago. The verdict for now is look at her tomorrow and see what's what. More soaking won't hurt, and we'll go from there.

Also managed to tear a nice hole in my jeans (and me) on the fence, and I think I'm coming down with whatever kept H home from school the last two days. Bleh. Some spring break this is.

Not a good horse weeked: Part 3 - Sunday

Sunday did not come in quietly. It howled its way in, wind screaming around the house, blasting icy pellets of snow and snapped twigs against the windows. The cats were wired, racing through the bedroom and startling, big-eyed, at the rattling and whistling noises from outside.

The view, once daylight finally shivered across the horizon, just made me want to crawl back into bed. White. Snatches of trees & the house across the street occasionally, but mostly just white. On the plus side, it didn't look as if there'd been that much accumulation.... Of course, to accumulate, the snow would first have had to touch the ground before sailing off again.

The actual temperature was -10. The wind was gusting to nearly 40 mph. The folks at the Weather Channel were predicting a high of 3'. It actually might have made it to freezing. But it was still -6 when we headed out to feed at 2:30.

The roads actually weren't all that bad where the wind could get at them. The horses were happy to see us. But oh, crap. One of them was one the wrong side of the fence. And on closer examination, bloody. Lovely.

Foxy is low horse. She gets last chance at the hay, last chance at water, and she pretty much ducks and covers whenever one of the others want something she has. Sometime this afternoon she must have managed to get herself cornered, and escape was over the fence. From the tracks, it looks as if she actually cut herself attempting to get back over.

******************************
Warning, blood!
******************************

Thankfully, on close examination,
it appears to be surface scratches only.
And flash frozen, at that.

She is not lame - at all. In fact, she really did not want to be caught, and showed us just how lame she is not quite determinedly for about 10 minutes before she decided that evasion wasn't going to get her her grain ration.

If things happen in threes, hopefully, this is it for a while!