Vet Follow Up for Jack & Nugget

Dr. Rach came out today to discuss Jack's blood work. Everything came back normal which would typically be good news but what it means for us, is that we have no idea how to treat Jack's symptoms. We're try the panacure protocol first and then I'm not sure what we'll do. Time to hit the internet for answers.

He really came out to x-ray Nugget's front left fetlock & pastern. Turns out Nugget has a small bone spur that could very well be responsible for the inflamation and swelling of the joint. The first thing Dr. Rach recommended was to trim Nugget's toes right back to the toe callous. Once again, I'll be reading up on the interent to see what other folks have tried. Cortosone could be an option but Dr. Rach recommended some herbal options for pain management.

The day was not entirely grim however because we had tickets to Cavalia. What a magnificent show for horse lovers. By far, this was one of my all time favourite shows that I've ever seen. Mark and Sherri bought 14 front row tickets. Aside from having plenty of leg room, it was a real treat to be sitting so close to the performance.

Cavalia was a beautiful demonstration of liberty ground work and riding and if you get a chance to go - I highly recommend it.

Take care,
Tovie

We Welcome Ryder to the Family

After we lost Shilo in August 2009, we made the decision not to get another dog, at least not right away. Then a couple of months ago, Gord and I started talking about the possibility of getting another dog. In the past we have adopted adult dogs and that has worked well for us because we don't have that much spare time to spend training a puppy. I started looking seriously a few weeks ago; and I would invite the owners to bring the dog out to see how it would be with horses and Clover. Several dogs came out and we knew within minutes that they were not the dog for us. A couple of days ago, we found an ad on Kijiji for a 5 month old pup named Tiger. Gord really liked how he looked and when I went to meet him, I knew I had found a dog we would enjoy for many years. When the owner brought him out to meet Gord, Clover, and the horses, it was obvious he was a good fit for our family and lifestyle. While it is still work having a young dog to care for and train, he is very easy to have around.

We renamed him Ryder and once Clover shows him once and for all who the boss is, he will settle in beautifully.

Spring Cattle Drive

It was time again to move cows with our friends Lyle & Sherry MacDonald, up at Water Valley. I took Jack because he was so amazing at last year's cattle drive. Riding Jack is so comfortable after all these years together. Neither one of us perfect but we keep each other safe - even when the pressure is on - we can fill in for each other. Jack is only exposed to cattle once, or maybe twice each year and the drive is very exciting. The cows are excited, the people are excited, the mule team is excited - so it can be difficult to stay calm and relaxed for our horses. At one point Jack and I found ourselves surrounded by several young calves and for Jack, it got a bit overwhelming. We worked together to get out of the middle and it proved to me again how important it is to constantly work on our relationship with our horses. Although Jack was very anxious, I never felt worried that he was going to overreact and that is a very comforting feeling when things don't go as planned.

The weather was not very cooperative; as it drizzled, hailed, and poured throughout the day. It was imperative to get the calves across the creek before the forecasted heavy rains started or it could be a problem for the smaller calves to get across the creek safely.

By the end of the day, everyone was wet and cold but happy with the day. Goldie and Melissa had a warm fire and a tasty feast waiting for us when we got back to the home place. We were also delightfully surprised to see Jack Juke waiting for us as well.

This year's drive was fairly uneventful except for the two pairs that decided to take a detour. Lyle and Sherry are confident they'll find their own way home.

It was great to spend a day working with my horse - wish we could move cows more often.

The best part of the cattle drive is that it confirms Spring is finally here!
Tovie, Jack, Gord & Magic

2011 Vet Visit

We had Dennis Rach, our vet from Moore & Company, out today to check on a couple of the "boys" and to do Dexter's teeth. As you may recall, I've used Grant McKinnson, an equine dentist for the past couple of years. Dr. Rach specializes in equine dentistry and helped me understand that it was not a good thing that Grant has taken way too much off the incisors.There were other things about using anyone but a vet, that I hadn't previously considered (i.e. a horse reacts to the tranquilizer). Only a vet could help if a situation occured. Going forward, I will only be using my vet for dentistry. Dexter's teeth were in very good condition so that was good news. Jack and Nugget didn't fare so well however.

Just prior to spring arriving, I noticed that Jack was expelling a lot of liquid prior to pooping and he wasn't keeping the weight on as easy as is typical of "fat" Jack. The liquid went away when he went back to grass so we thought it could be the alfalfa that was causing him problems. The vet palpated him and discovered a tightening in his bowels that shouldn't be there. Unfortunately, without doing exploratory surgery, it is nearly impossible to detect what the problem could be and therefore - it is difficult to treat something we can't specify. Dr. Rach suggested doing some blood tests to see if that will show any infection, or abnormalities. If the blook work comes back normal, Dr. Rach suggested a 5 day panacure protocol to ensure it isn't a parasite infestation. What I learned is that when I do my fecal egg counts, there is a parasite that doesn't show up on the FEC. Unfortunately, if there is no improvement in his condition after the panacure protocol, the only thing we can do is monitor him for additional symptoms and distress.

My beautiful Nugget has been showing signs of lameness recently so I had the vet check him as well. After doing the flex test on the affected leg, it was apparent there is some inflamation (arthritis) in the pastern joint. We'll have him back out for x-rays to try and pin point the problem so we will know how to manage it going forward.

Needless to say, it wasn't a great horse day.

Tovie, Dexter, Jack & Nugget

2011 Mane Event

Gord, Mark, Sherri, and I all had a terrific weekend attending the 2011 Mane Event Expo in Red Deer. Sherri is still a Newbie so it was great fun to experience the Expo through her eyes. We were also happy to celebrate Sherri's b-day with her today.

It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces in attendance; all of you very inspired by the talented presenters and clinicians. Kade Mills won the trainers challenge and in our opinion, it was a well deserved win. Kade has a lovely way with horses that we all appreciated and admired. Watching the challenge also gave me a few tips that will undoubtedly help me with Dexter's training.

Stacy Westfall was a crowd favourite and for good reason. Stacy's unforgettable bareback, bridless ride was truly breathtaking. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend googling Stacy's ride on You Tube - truly a tremendous diplay of harmony between horse and rider. Every horse owner should aspire to be in such glorious harmony with their horse.

Jonathan Field, what can I say, he is truly a gifted horseman and teacher and packed the stands with every one of his demonstrations. What I like most about Jonathan is the pure joy he exudes as he plays with his horses.

The timing of the Mane Event couldn't be better. With the onset of spring, we all came away with an excitement of getting out there and playing with our horses.

Happy spring (finally)!
Tovie, Gord , Sherri, and Mark