Horses, Boys and Salons

Yesterday we took Strider into the vet to get a laceration three stitches. I thought once I fixed the dilapidated fence that the horses would float on a cloud of safety. Nope. Went out a couple days ago and Strider had a one inch cut under his eye. I cleaned it with betadine, put some antiseptic ointment on it and it looked good for about 36 hours until it started healing in the wrong way (the skin was aligning unevenly). I had previously scheduled a salon appointment at 4:15, and normally a 2:30 vet appointment would be fine since they are all in a five mile radius from my home. It would have worked until..... the vet was an hour behind schedule and the laceration took three stitches instead of one and Strider needed a tetanus update. When we left, instead of dropping the horse off, I drove the horse trailer and Wilder and his friend to the salon. We parked in a bank parking lot that was big enough for the trailer and horse and I gave Wilder my debit card to get cash out of the bank and while I ran over to the salon where I was 10 minutes late.When I was done and paying the gal behind the counter told me how mature the boys were and how they regaled her with horse stories and getting cash for the first time out of a cash machine at the drive through window. As we left the salon, Wilder's friend told me he "was not really a salon type man." When I looked at the magazines in the waiting area I could see why. Probably not so keen on the fancy hats of the royal wedding, how to keep their man satisfied and getting ready for bikini season. They are good sports.
My vet visit cost $229. Anyone considering horse ownership because it is "fun" and "you have always wanted to have a horse" needs to realize how dang expensive their upkeep is. And you can't scrimp, they are big creatures that take alot of maintenance and if defered can cause your horse to be good for nothing but the glue factory. Hooves, teeth, worms, vaccines... monthly, quarterly, annually. Dollars, dollars, dollars. Sorry this got a bit rant-y. My horseshoer just was out telling me horse ownership horror stories --he sees alot of them, and some are hard to hear.

Rhododendron Garden, Garden Garden, Informal Horse Training.

Today I went up to Port Townsend and the Rhodie Garden,
Weeded the mini weeds growing in the raised beds with the broccoli and peas, and did some informal horse training with Bey. It may look like he is sauntering by, but he is actually being trained not to whinny like an insane horse when I remove his friend from his field.

Horse Head X-ray

Had to take Bey the horse to the doctor today. He has been having a cough for a while, a snorky nose, and just feeling under the weather.

They drugged him, which is always hilarious seeing a thousand pound animal appear like he is drunk, or at least very very laid back, and then proceeded to take xrays of his head. Dang me for not thinking of taking pictures of this. It was pretty interesting. And, the garb we all wore for the radiation was intense --neck to knee coverage from awkward immobile giant gloves to neck wrap protection.

End result : we are awaiting the 'big x-ray doctor' at Pilchuck Animal Hospital to get back to us about possible strange things in Bey's head.

One thing that was funny was when I was looking over the doctors shoulder at an xray and asked : what are all those dark spaces? Her assistant Katie answered "all these horses have alot of blank space in their heads" ....and that was what I was seeing.

So all my energetic verbal negotiations when riding and philosophical talks with Bey obviously are going right over (or through) those vast caverns of emptiness in his head.

The New Horse Fence!

Here is a pic of our new fence and gates. It is not quite done, I still need to run a 2" band of hot turbotape along the top. Note the horse that is actually located behind the fence, not leaning over the knee-high (former) field fence. I threw a before picture in there, too. Can you find it? I was teasing the fellows who built it that they built me a horse fortress. And compared to what was there before, it is.
I have 6"-8" treated round corner posts, 4" treated field posts, and 4' Red Brand non-climb horse fence that I could not find anywhere in my county except at Lowe's. Go figure. Total cost of materials was around $2000. Labor was another $1800. Much better than the $9,997.00 I was quoted and yes, horses are an expensive habit.

Pictures top to bottom: 1. Old fence and Strider. See that it is below his knee? Yes, I have placid horses. 2-4. New fence.

Fencing - Horse

The big somewhat intellectually challenged horse Strider took out the old fence. Leaned over... and snap. Snapped wire fencing. It was crap and needed to be replaced... I guess he just put it somewhat on the top of my to-do list.

The pics attached are of what we are aiming for. We shall see what the $ comes to. That may change the resulting fence! http://lucky-days.blogspot.com/2011/04/fence.htmlTo see what I picked click on the above link! (Image : black round post with field fence courtesy Susan R. Stoltz, Top image left: www.declanlandy.com)

Horse hospital

Bey has taken a trailer ride to the lush plush cold horse hospital where he had something stuck in every orifice, poked with drugs and is now hooked up to an IV. Somewhat of a crack-up, I did not know horses could go IV'ing. They just attach it to his neck and 4 giant bags are hanging above his stall, he can walk around hooked up to fluids. All because of a bellyache. This is hard to explain to non-horse folks, but horse-gal friend said it best : "It is like when a baby colics, except imagine the baby dying from a stomacheache." Horses have a whole lotta intestines, and all sorts of things can do wrong in those tubes. Bey is our aloof horse. Meaning he does not come over for love or just to visit, he comes over for food. When he is not feeling well, he is an entirely different beast. He rested his (what felt like) 400 lb. head on my folded arm with his muzzle smooshed into my sleeve. He always watched where I was when he was being prodded and poked, and whinnied when I left. I am such a sucker. Hope Rose doesn't read this posting, since she is the same way as a teenager, and she could learn one more way to manipulate her motherly. Cost of horse repair? Price of a mortgage payment. Those of us who pay $200+ to rescue feeder mice and child-loved rats can understand. Damn animals anyway.

Pro-crass-tiny-nation

Photo: Port Gamble

I think I type on here when I am procrastinating. And I am procrastinating.

Today action list. I write these every once in a while so when I am feeling like I am not getting anything done, I can review, and then remember I do get stuff done and to give myself a ripping break.

1. Picked up horse blanket.

2. Dropped off check to bank.

3. Bought new flour and yeast for sourdough making.

4. Pet cat.

5. Called vet for Bey (horse) who tried to colic.

6. Pet dog.

7. Checked on new guinea pig, Flambe.

8. Walked Bey.

9. Blanketed Bey.

10. Warmed water for Bey.

11. Bribed Bey to eat medicine with horse cookies. It did not work.

12. Yelled at Rose for thinking a "c" grade is just fine since it is average. (Don't talk to me about this, I am having be perfect/ be imperfect mother/daughter issues and realize it)

13. Yelled at Wilder for somethingerother. Probably having to do with his homework.

14. Quabbled about my flood bill with the water sucker-upper company. I am doing amazingly well with my terminology this evening.

15. Paid bills.

16. Swept leaves. Dumped 7 loads onto the compost, and still have more leaves. Damn big trees.

17. Plugged generator charger into outlet. 'Tis the season for power outages.

18. Bought things Glittergirl asked me to for her.

19. Had a phone meeting on Non-Profit Facilities while sitting in my car on the side of the road.

20. Caulked windows on south side with nasty toxic smelling clear caulk.

21. Frowned.

Usually these lists make me feel better, this one did not. Criminy, is it the weather? I am a huge grump today.

I think I hear a pirate ship of legos rolling across the floor upstairs. I need to go make someone walk the plank back to bed. Pray for their 10 year old boy soul, will ya?

Apples galore

What on Earth. Horse nose. With apple juice dripping everyone. Disgusting, huh?

The apple trees are heavy with fruit. It seems my favorite ones for eating are producing less this year, but the blasted golden delicious are overloaded. Another week of canning applesauce and whatever else strikes me. The thing you have to be careful about, is when they are this loaded, and you go out to pick up the fallen great apples, the tree bombs you with more fallen apples, and they can hurt! I feel like I am doing stealth apple picking.

Bad horse owner note: This horse is basically running loose on my property when I am home. He is so giddy about the apples that I just let him jog over to the tree and munch down. He is also a love, and getting a smooch from Wilder.

A sidebar. The bathtub I picked up at a remodeled house to use as a horse waterer is going to a haunted house this October. Rose and I were kidding that we wanted to go just to see our old bathtub. (We are both heavy chickens about going through haunted house-like things)
I figured the horses deserve a real stock waterer. They already have a bathtub to slurp from.

Horse Tale - Spotted horse

So Bey got in the chicken feed. Ate about 17 pounds. Called the vet, the vet said "pump his stomach" for a clean $400 bucks. HA. I looked it up on the internet. Unfortunately found a website where a woman lost two horses in 24 hours who had eaten old chicken feed. That did not help. Called horse friend. Horse friend called her vet. Her vet said something different. Decided to get his stomach pumped. ($$$$$!!!!!!) Called my vet back who told me it would now be $450 since it was later and there was a surcharge. Decided Rose and I could deal with this ourselves. There is a limit to what I am willing to pay for something that my vet was very unknowledgeable about (couldn't tell me what doseage was lethal for the horse, couldn't tell me what the things were in the chicken feed that were dangerous)
Went and bought pepto bismol and mineral oil. Was to get 10-20 tablets down him (no problem, he ate them like candy) the mineral oil ended up down my leg and in my shoe. Was to check his feet (for heat... very bad) and his stomach for regular rumbling (very good). Every hour. Overnight. 14 year old Rose sat up with him until 3:10 AM. Checked him every hour, walked him, checked his feet and belly. Then she woke me up. I had a hard time waking up at that hour! But stayed up with him and checked him.
He was fine in the morning. Vet called to check in, and I picked up $70 worth of medications that help with this sort of stuff. Way way cheaper than $450.00. Horses are expensive. But, ours are very well loved. And even Mr. Pill (as Bey is called since he is a horse with an attitude) is well loved and gentle with the kids.

Horse Info - for stalls

Some things to note:
1. After digging the stalls down down down, I leveled it and put down recycled rubber mats. Then I put straw pellets down first. Not a good idea. Bey ate all of them. They plump up after you get them wet and look like fluffy bedding but it did not matter. He ate them.
2. So put down wood pellets. He nibbled but did not scarf them down. They make the ground fluffy above the mats, and collect any waste they choose to do in their stalls.
3. Put down 3/4 minus gravel, not cleaned outside the barn. This should tamp down nicely, the horses do not slip in it. Plus... it is good for their hooves when they are shoeless.

Old dogs can learn new tricks

Hey. It is the day before my birthday, and I have learned two things. I feel so glowing and proud. I actually will say I learned three things.
1. When I am driving down the road, the odd numbered houses are always on my left.
This may seem like utter nonsense to you, but it reads like golden gospel to me. And yes, I realize it makes no sense. Let me bask in my undeserved knowledge.
2. I can't remember this one, but will ask daughter Rose tomorrow when I see her.
3. I think I am getting early onset alzheimer's because really, I just learned my second new exciting thing about 4 hours ago. There is no reason for me not to remember it, since I am remembering I learned it and that I am excited about it, but not really what that was.

And BIG news on the old farmthing. We have a guest coming for the winter. He is large, handsome and makes my heart go pitter pat, especially when he nuzzles me in recognition. Get your mind outta the gutter. I am talking one of my all time favorite horses who stayed with us last winter when I was deciding if I even wanted a horse full time.
I decided i did need that horse so got lovely Mr. Bey and gave back Strider to his owner who only let me have him 4 months. Strider is coming back for a while! (he is the one in the blanket, Bey with the spotty rump)
On the house to-do list front... this just made my fence replacement project a big ol' priority, since it is a wicked mess out there. Good enough for Bey temporarily, but not for two horses.
Dang, and tonight I just found a lovely used furnace to replace my old biggie. That will be my next topic. FURNACES.