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Saturday June 14 It is larger than the vet recommends, but as one sage friend put it, "Decide if you are going to go with your gut and if you do, be ready to live with the consequences." I have done that. My gut has told me that Doc needs more space. Not to frolic, but for his sanity. Let me back up. Earlier this week I shared about his antics. I took him off of alfalfa and began to walk him for about 10 minutes each time I was there. It worked a magic. I think he began to feel in his hock joints the results of his antics as well...he wasn't quite as perky. On Wednesday evening, when I visited Doc, I noticed that his shavings hadn't been changed since he had arrived almost two weeks earlier and they were sopping wet from the top all the way down 6 inches. The last thing I wanted was to add thrush (a hoof problem as a result of standing in ammonia soaked shavings) on top of everything else. I started to scrape his stall clean. The ranch hand who I have gotten along well with, took issue with this...he was pleasant enough on the outside, but I could tell I had miffed him...Well, I figured why mess with it. I wanted Doc where I could be with him without messing with that. As Thursday continued and Doc began to calm so much more when I had him out I began to wonder about asking Paula, the lady who keeps our other three horses, if I could bring him home to be in the small enclosure she has. I went for it, she said yes. Yesterday morning, my husband, Paula and her husband worked on getting it all ready for Doc...they are the best. (I was called away by a friend needing some help rather urgently...or else I would have helped too! LOL!) Paula is planning on using the enclosure by the end of July for a new yearling she is getting in Idaho ...so it works out well for all of us. So last night Paula loaded Doc into her trailer. Doc was reticent to get in her trailer. But she was so patient for him...and he stepped in finally and then out and then in and we were on our way. I am so thankful for Paula...she has been such a blessing to me! (Our friend and horse mentor, CK, did end up getting a job at the vet clinic where we took Doc...so getting her hand kicked by Doc wasn't for nothing I guess! LOL!). I am getting ready to go visit him now...but suffice to say he was a bit leary of returning to the old homestead....the electric wire along the top of the fence really freaked him out when he first came there...and he seemed to start stressing when he saw it. Some of you have asked me about when the horses move home to my house. We keep taking longer at each stage than we thought we would. So...the answer to that is...I dunno! Yesterday we did get most of the fence posts set in concrete, but we still have some major hurdles. We have a bunch of stumps that have to be hauled away...they are sitting in the fence line and we can't get it completed as long as they are there...thing is, we can't get anyone to return our calls or to come out and do the job...it has been a long time since we began the process....the grader stuck the stumps there back in March...bleah!!! Anyhow, sorry this is so long winded. I just wanted you all to know that Doc is home! Please continue to pray for fusion of the joints. Additionally, I would ask you to pray that he would relax and feel calm and settled back at Paula's and that no mishaps would occur. It is easy to doubt my decision. I was glad that, with his halter off, he didn't run and leap and play...he was much calmer than earlier in the week. I am monitoring his food and water intake and output carefully...so praying that he won't stress and colic or get dehydrated would be grand, too.
Sunday June 15 He has been very tense for the past 5 days or so. At first this seemed good...indicating he might be feeling better. Now I can tell he is sore. I have given him two bute doses today. The flies at the pasture where all the horses board are insufferable...intolerable. Please continue to pray for Doc to be in no more pain....but to fuse well anyhow. If he is miserable because of the flies and/or the slight slope of much of his enclosure. I want to bring him home! I also want to do something so he can be in the shade during the worst parts of the day. He doesn't want to be hosed off. He is not welcoming my presence right now. Obviously, that makes me somewhat sad, but then I remember that Doc isn't a dog. He is a majestic animal, a horse, with a personality that I have yet gotten to know because of all the things that have been affecting him. But I understand that he may associate me with all the discomfort that he has been going through. At the ranch where he boarded for the past two weeks he was eager to see me because at least he associated me with wandering around munching on grass and treats (many of which have been cut out) and extra feedings. Now I bring the food and water, but I don't take him out of the enclosure as 1. there isn't any decent grass nearby and 2. it would mean walking through the pasture with all the horses--adding to the stress in a way he doesn't need. If I can manage getting a canopy for part of his enclosure, I will do that and then consider having Harley join him in his enclosure...or at least introducing them and if it goes well (Harley is really easy to get along with) allow them to visit for a short while each day or something... Basically...I need wisdom. I have been worried about dehydration again.... arg... I am tired!!!
Tuesday June 17 We have launched a major assault on the flies! I have spent a fortune I don't have on trying a bunch of different approaches and I think in my heart of hearts that the thing that is likely to do the trick is moving the fly traps, put up by the lady who owns the pasture, farther away from the horses. I am eager to see how it goes. I think that the traps, located so close to the horses favorite part of the pasture, has actually attracted flies TO the horses! Anyhow, we will see what happens. I got a citronella thing to wipe on the horses...I really dowsed them in it. It worked great while wet... we will see how it works later when it is dry. I also bought this molasses flavored block (instead of a salt block which they also have in their pasture, it is sweet...Breezy tried to take a BITE of it! LOL!) that claims to help repel flies when they ingest it. Another experiment. On the heat front: I have been wetting Doc down a couple of times each day to help keep him cooler during the hottest times. He is allowing me to sponge him off...doesn't like the hose, but starts "licking and chewing" when I am using a wash rag to wet him down. He starts a bit agitated and then gradually calms...I think he likes it, actually. The great news is he is accepting my touch again more willingly certainly! YAY! I am spending more time rubbing him, brushing him, and just enjoying him. I have to remember that the bottom line is he likes that a lot...he has shown that. I think in my concern I had stopped rubbing him as much... I have reduced his bute dose to half a gram twice a day at the most, as one person I respect suggested...enough to take the edge off so he will remember to drink water but not so much as to reduce the pain so much that he kicks and bucks and the like. I bypassed his bute this morning as he seemed perky and able to move ok without it. In other words, I think things are going better. I credit your prayers and our wonderful God! As for his hydration...that still has me baffled. The skin retraction test doesn't indicate that he is dehydrated. But it didn't last time, either...even though he was terribly dehydrated. I could, of course, check his gums...but he would go nuts...I need another grown up to hold him if I do that..maybe hubby tonight or something. In fact, I think I will do that. He is drinking a small amount quite regularly. Maybe it is more than I think it is....but it sure doesn't seem like it would be enough!!! For now, I will stop worrying...and continue to give him love and support, rubbings...whatever he needs NOW. I have found that horses really CAN sense how I am feeling. If I am uptight, Doc will get uptight. We can't have that! Please keep praying! I am sooooooo tired!
Weds. June 18 I think I can take a breath now. He is thriving on the orchard grass hay he is getting. YAY! Many of you have written expressing your concern about the pace at which I am living... not taking enough time to rest and relax and recuperate my strength. Admittedly, this is a problem. I am up until pretty late with my last visit to the horses bringing me home about 10pm, followed by showering and visiting with my hubby who has been traveling a lot it seems. I get up at 5am to have my first visit with the horses start at 6am. At that time, I give a feed ration to Doc, give him the salt, fresh water and food. I feed the other horses, too, freshen their water. (Today I decided to scrub out their water trough...it was disgusting!) Then I muck the freshest poops out of the pasture and Doc's enclosure. I think this is where my exhaustion is coming from. I am trying to really keep on top of the flies, so I scoop up two to four big wheelbarrows full of poop, haul each one to the far reaches of the pasture, where I spread it around and cover it with diatomaceous earth. Most of the pasture is a slight or steep hillside and more and more the horses are pooping along a very hilly part of it right NEXT to the flat area where they all hang out when I see them. Anyhow, that is how I start the day. Visits two and three happen at about noon and 4:30 pm for feedings, waterings, and brushing, loving, graining...whatever. On another note, I guess there is a time coming when it will be time for me to ask Doc to allow me a chance to sit on him. He is a lot taller than any horse I have ever ridden (and I am a lot older than I once was...it takes longer to heal!)...so...I hope I can gain my confidence before that day. Anyhow, yes, I am exhausted. Thank you all for caring about that...and emailing me encouraging me to rest. I hope to do that today in spite of my kids' pleas to take them to the pool...maybe the lake... that sounds good to all of us. I just want to do something novel like sit and read a book! That sounds just too unfamiliar to me any more! Maybe even a book that doesn't have horses in it! LOL! So to summarize since this got long (LOL!), Doc is doing much better and I think I will be too. I am going to make a bigger effort in the next few days to rest in between horsie visits. Especially given we have to finish our fence and that means the weekend will be full of work--hard work. (Hubby is a slave driver! LOL!) I continue to value your prayers for death to all flies and other vermin in the pasture to die and relief for Doc from that. LOL! Breezy has been breaking that molasses flavored fly block to pieces with his hoof and then eating chunks of it. I sure hope that is ok! LOL! Additionally, if you could pray for Doc to continue to drink as much water as his rather large body needs to stay 100% perfectly hydrated, I would appreciate it. Continued prayers for fusion of his hocks...sometimes I forget that this is what it is ALL about! Prayers for pain to be kept to a minimum. And PRAISES to God for things going more smoothly this morning! YAY! Thank you so very much. I apologize that this is so long, but I did want to try to answer some of the questions that have come privately.
 
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