Wrestling with scratches

I've been scrubbing, drying and anointing Dude's back left heel for a week. A couple weeks ago, there were a couple suspicious little patches that looked like scratches, but they went away quickly. In fact, I think I only scrubbed and treated them once or twice.

Then, last Sunday, an ugly spot about a half dollar in size popped out seemingly overnight in his heel crease. I've been waging war with povidone-iodine scrub, then drying the heel and putting either Desitin diaper rash cream or Corona ointment on the patch. I started with the Desitin until Katie reminded me that what worked for us last time was the Corona, maybe four or five years ago when he had the scratches last. But then I read on the web that it's better not to use only one product because scratches can be caused by a variety of things. Both Desitin and Corona seem to provide a necessary barrier to keep the area clean, but it appears that Corona may have more of an antiseptic property to it.

My head is spinning from reading about all the home remedies that people try for scratches. I did read one suggestion to use a blow dryer to dry the heel, which is definitely valid since I'm sure my blotting with a towel is not getting the area totally dry.

The patch seems to have gotten less ugly over the course of the week. Early in the week it was scabby, then when the scab came off it looked red and painful, and now it just looks sort of pink. But that same leg around the fetlock joint has had swelling off and on for two days. No heat. He's been getting wrapped and is on bute. I guess I may need to call the vet if it doesn't look better soon. The swelling worries me, and it seems odd that it would develop as the area appears to be healing.

Yesterday the area seemed pretty ouchy. Today it wasn't as bad - he didn't seem to favor it, but that may be the bute taking the edge off. He's going out on grass and is not in mud, but it has been fairly wet so when he's outside his heel most likely is not dry. However, if he stayed inside with no turnout he'd be one very angry boy. Yeesh. You can't win sometimes.

There are a couple of other horses in the barn who also have scratches. Just seems to be the cooler time of year and the damp weather conditions.

Snow on the mountain top

This is the view when I'm heading back home from the barn. It's a great view any time of the year, but really striking when there's snow on Mount Mansfield. Last Friday (the 15th) a nor'easter came through that left about 2 feet of snow on the mountain. We've had a run of cold nights, so even though a lot of the snow has melted, there's still plenty of white up there.

The horses started wearing their turnout sheets a couple of days ago. It really hasn't gotten much above 40, and the temperatures have been dropping into the 30s at night, with a very slow warm-up in the morning. I'm hoping we get a little warm stretch; I'm not ready to settle into winter cold just yet.

Oooh, new look!

Just played around with the Blogger templates, decided I like this one. Fun stuff! The old vivid green is history, and after two years, it was time for a new look!

Fall day at the barn

Arrived at the barn and spent a couple minutes in the car watching the field dynamics. Dude and his gang are in a front field now, and the barn parking area is a good vantage point to spy on them. It's great seeing him so relaxed. He's got his BFFs Chance and Buddy and ambles back and forth between the two of them. Elder gelding Dusty, the Boss Man who is the fourth horse in the group, wasn't out, so things were pretty peaceful. In the photo, Dude is only partly visible behind Pearl in the red turnout sheet. He had wandered over to the fenceline to say hi to the girls in the next field, but they were pretty uninterested in him. Rejection. He didn't seem too bothered by it. So well adjusted. :)

Bestie gets a tummy ache

Monday I got to the barn to find Bestie just coming back after being walked in the indoor because she seemed a little under the weather. She was pretty zoned out, but not exhibiting any of the colic symptoms I've seen before like agitation, biting at her side, trying to roll, etc. She just seemed really out of it. I took her back out to the indoor and walked her for about 10 minutes and she placidly walked along with me.

We then came back in and I put her on the cross ties to groom her. She was fine, just kind of hanging out, but definitely reacted when I started currying her stomach; pinning her ears and kind of rolling her eyes back toward me. Her stomach seemed a little bloated.

I pulled her hay out of the stall and dumped her grain out. Then we stood there staring at each other for a good long while; her in the stall and me in the aisle. After a couple of minutes she seemed to sort of doze off, then she started vacuuming up the microscopic bits of hay that were left in her stall and she seemed much perkier.

But about 20 minutes later she went into zone-out mode again and laid down in her stall. She still didn't seem agitated at all, just really wiped out and without the usual sparkle in her eye. By then Emma the barn manager had come back, so we both stood in the aisle watching Bestie and debating whether she should get some banamine and whether I should call the vet. I ended up not doing either. I think because she seemed so calm I had a feeling she would work her way through it. I think everyone at the barn was a little on edge this week because one of the other horses had a pretty severe colic, although he eventually came out of it fine.

Emma checked Bestie's pulse, respiration, and whether she appeared dehydrated, and she checked out ok. The whole time Bestie was lying down she was pretty gassy. Really gassy. Amazingly gassy! When she finally got up and Emma went in to check her temperature (normal) she let loose with what seemed like the final blast. And within about 15 minutes, she completely perked up and started in with her classic very pointed looks at the hay cart, standard procedure when she's out of hay. It had passed, literally as it turned out, because she also pooped.

The whole episode was very strange as she had only been on grass for a couple hours and then was switched back to one of the paddocks with the scrub grass. But the weather has been very changeable, so maybe it was that in combination with the grass. Who knows, really. All I know is that it was scary seeing my crazy girl without her spark. Glad that she's ok.

Horse movies ... gotta love them

I've been on the Internet a lot today, and I feel like everywhere I go there's a trailer for Secretariat, the new Disney movie. Perhaps the Google gods are matching me up with those ads because of the blog? Anyway, I have the movie on my list as a "must see," but I have to confess to being a little worried because I've been crying watching the online trailer. I'm going to be a mess when I see the movie.

Makes me think back to all the other horse movies I've seen ... The Black Stallion, Seabiscuit, Dreamer; just to name a few. Dreamer was particularly fun because my daughters and I went with a bunch of other horsey 4Hers and moms and it was one big happy sobfest. It's like you watch those movies and all the crazy emotions you have wrapped up in your own horses come bubbling over. Your horsey friends and compatriots understand. Other people look at you like you're nuts.

My husband wants to go see Secretariat with me. I know he'll be perplexed when I start sniffling and muttering, "so much (sniff) heart (sniff) in (snuffle) (gulp) that horse." Prediction: I'll leave the theater red-eyed but happy.

Any one else out there a complete sucker for horse movies?

Halter for sale

A friend sent this along to me; it must be making the rounds. I think anyone who has been around horses for any length of time is familiar with (and has probably learned a lot from) this sort of character!

Used purple pony halter $600
I have a used bright purple pony halter for sale. Adjustable and in fairly good condition.

A pony will be included with the halter. I currently call this pony "Juicy" although he goes by many other names as well, depending on my mood and his behavior.

This pony is just waiting to become someone's little dream pony.

This 12.2 hand, 7 yr old pony is fantastic, if you are into the type of equine that is is constantly invading your space/vehicle, etc.

He believes he needs to be everywhere you need to be, especially when food is present.

He is in great shape, if you consider round a shape.

He never met a horse trailer he didn't like and climbs in them every chance he gets, whereupon he immediately puts his feet up on the manger so he can look out the window. He made it halfway in the back of my car the other day before I noticed and sped off.

He LOVES little kids, especially little kids with treats. He will eat them. (the kids, not the treats) Just kidding.


This pony has been worked over 2'6" jumps and lunged over 3'3" jumps. However, he likes jumping my 4 ft. pasture gates the best.

He could absolutely be someone (else's) dream pony.

He's very affectionate, both with people(especially women) and horses(especially mares). This little guy is the neighborhood gigolo. By affectionate, I mean he will have no issue invading your personal space/private parts, if you know what I mean. He sticks his nose wherever he wants. With mares, he is lucky he is quick because he will mount mares, even the ones who have "a headache." He is not at all discriminating, although I've noticed he likes the fuller figured gals. His absolute favorite is mounting a mare while a woman is on the mare. Ask my friend Lisa, I'm sure she considered that a good time.

And when rejected? You can see that he is clearly thinking that the female is merely playing hard to get. This just makes him more determined.

This porky little guy very much thinks that he's got what the ladies want, even if they don't know it yet. He reminds me of the little guy at the bar who hits on everybody, whom you practically have to blow an air horn in his face to get rid of.

This pony has been on television, which probably adds to his ego trip.

He could be the perfect little dream pony(for someone else).

He walks/trots/canters/jumps, takes trips to the mailbox and to check the waters, goes trail riding, swims, poses on stripper poles(ask me), tests your trailer floor weight limits, tests your trailer emergency walk through doors, taste tests anything and everything, steals food from blind horses, tried to mount my dog(it is a big dog), stands tied patiently to the swing set while my son swings, loves to roll in the sand box, allows little kids to mount him from lawn chairs, buckets, swingsets, clubhouses, ladders, gates, side of the trailer and anywhere else, pulls little kids on sleds in the snow, tries to decapitate adults by running them under arena railings, and so much more.


Did I mention that he could be the perfect little dream pony(for someone else)?

"Juicy" is also a fantastic workout companion. I think I've lost at least 15 lbs since I've had him. I've never run so much in my life, either after him or from him. Though his little flabby butt cheeks closely resemble two pigs fighting under a blanket, he got me in wonderful shape.

I firmly believe he's a dream pony (someone's else's dream, that is).

Call me if you want a used purple halter and are a glutton for punishment.