July 5, 2003
Hi, everyone! I hope those of you in the States had a great 4th. I spent part of mine in the emergency room. Cutting open a bale of hay in a big hurry I sliced into my forearm pretty good. Had to have stitches. It is really fun being in the middle of nowhere with no cell coverage and two kids freaking out about mommy dying! LOL! We made it ok. I have a way with holidays and emergency rooms!

Doc has been doing pretty well. Today I took him out of his enclosure so he could come out like the other horses and get his grain and a bit of attention in a different space. Doc was reticent to go with me I think due to the fact that the last time he left his enclosure it was for the shoeing. But he went. He did very well.

It was very hot today so I gave him a sponge bath later in the day. He really relaxed for it and didn't fuss at all. I still can't figure out where he is getting his water, but he is still alive, so I guess he is getting what he needs. Maybe he is part camel!

The biggest news is that, as with everything in our fencing project, we have had yet another delay. The UPS truck never delivered materials that should have been here by now. If they don't arrive on Monday we will have to call and find out if they were ever sent. We are using ElectroBraid and so there are no retail outlets from whom we can purchase items we need. It has to be ordered from Canada.

We have, however, in addition to all the rest of the fencing, made plans for a part of the hillside with lots of shade to be enclosed for Doc during the time of the day when there is no shade on the flat pad area. That will solve the problem of needing shelter--we can't afford any more expenses...this has killed us financially already, as you can well imagine!

So once we do get him home, during part of the day he will have a part of the graded pad area and the rest of the horses will have the hillside pasture and the other part of the graded pad. Then, during the hottest part of the day, the other horses will have most of the hillside pasture (all forested) and Doc will have the entire flat pad and a small hillside area with shade. He can pick where he is most comfortable. Flat with no shade or a slope with shade. I feel like that is a good compromise for him, allowing him to begin to work his muscles a bit more without overdoing it. He still won't be with the other horses, though he wants to be.

At this point as soon as the materials we need arrive, we have only a couple hours of work left before we finish...a bit more than that to get Doc's enclosures just right. The entire hillside pasture has the four strands of ElectroBraid all the way around it. If we have all the electricity working right and there are no more delays, then I imagine Doc will be able to come home before next weekend. The other horses definitely will be able to come sooner.

I am beginning to ease up on Doc's feeding...He looks good and I just want to maintain his weight until he starts building muscle in his hindquarters. About three weeks now and we have our 60 day post-op ex-rays and examination.

Please pray even now that we will be seen by the surgeon for that appointment near the end of July. Please pray for fusion as always. When Doc does move to our home, I ask you all to pray that he wouldn't be stressed at the change. It has been stresses related to a new home each time that has resulted in him drinking LESS, as you all know. I don't feel like he can afford that at this point.

All for now. Thank you so much for your prayers.

July 12, 2003
The four sweeties are all home out my back door! YAY! (This is a dream that began when we moved here in October of last year. Bought all four horses this spring...so the dream has now come home!)

Here is a BLURRY picture of all four!

This picture shows Doc in what will ultimately be his early evening to mid-morning enclosure. There is an electric braid temporary "fence" that we will take down during the time of day when he doesn't get shade. That is when the other three will go down the hill and have all the hillside forest to romp in and Doc will have all of this pad and a tiny bit of a shaded slope if he wants for comfort.

Hubby is finishing that part up today.

When we need to, we can put the horses outside this flat area and use it as a "round pen" of sorts--to practice riding (like the kids or their friends) in a more controlled environment (not on Doc, but I mean on Breezy or Harley, for instance). Or if the day comes and we are cleared, we may try Doc out there... and give him a bit of movement...all as the vet recommends.

When we got him home, he wasn't eager to meet his friends. Both my husband and I had thought we would just introduce the four to one another on the flat pad, but while I was gone we each had independently concluded we weren't comfortable with the idea after all. Doc's lack of eagerness at the prospect confirmed that we needed to go slower. So we moved the three down the hill while we put Doc in his flat enclosure.

The next hurdle will be the vet appointment with the ex-rays at the end of July! We find out then if Doc's activity can be increased, though it really has been compared to what the vet had in mind for the first 60 days, given that he hasn't been in the 12x24 stall for quite a while!

July 13, 2003

Doc seems to be happy! He is drinking so nicely! He has been for a few days, but as you can well imagine, making the transition to his new home, I feared he would do the "I won't drink you can't make me you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink" number again as he is prone to do when he moves.

I felt somehow like he knew this was where he was meant to be! He seems happy! YAY!

About 10:30am this morning, I put the three others in the lower hillside pasture and opened up the entire flat pad to Doc and the part that has shade. I don't know if he used the sloped part with shade, but he had access to shade if he wanted it. He seemed to be enjoying having the pad available.

The neat thing was my husband spent some time with Doc this evening and Doc responded very well to Bob. Bob brushed him and grained him and basically treated him special. Bob was surprised when he started to walk away and the gentle giant followed him. Doc is such a love. But I must confess to feeling a bit jealous--I don't want to share him.

Thank you, as always, for your prayers. We have a new fly situation here. I have never seen such big ol mean tenacious flies as we apparently have here. These guys land on the horses and they stick like glue. Hard to get them off. Not sure what to do about those guys. I have tried one home made remedy and it seems to work ok... haven't seen the big flies land on Doc since I tried that...though my son said one landed on Doc today. So maybe I just haven't seen it. Pray for these big flies to move to the next county, ok? LOL!

July 14, 2003

Hi, everyone! I know many of you have agonized with me about getting my sweetie pie some shade. So I wanted you to see just as soon as I could snap a picture of him enjoying the shade.

Today, after I moved the horses around to open up the shaded part for Doc, I left for a bit. When I returned to feed him, he was in the shade, enjoying a bit of coolness. YAY! So I decided to feed him there since he was at home already. Don't be alarmed by the strange colored "growth" on his hindquarters. I think he found his own solution to those big black horse flies...he rolled in some thick mud that has stuck to him caked on. When I tried to peel it off, it almost took off his hair, so I figured I would leave it! LOL!

July 15, 2003

Ok, I just had to do it. The three other horses were down in the lower pasture and Doc was above looking down at them so sad like. After fighting my desire all day, this afternoon, I brought in the party boy, Harley. I figured he would be game to meet Doc. Harley did just what I thought he would do. Nickered, saw what I had in mind. I could almost hear him say, "Whoa, Dudette! Cool!" and off he pranced near Doc to see what scraps Doc had left from his lunch three hours earlier.

Harley and Doc scavenged side by side for about thirty minutes.

The two then moved on from eating together to exploring the possibility of grooming each other. Harley is a fun horse. The five other horses at Paula's pasture would stand in line to be groomed by Harley. He is very gentle...always uses his lips and not the teeth much, if at all. He is very tactile and I am convinced that Harley enjoys the feeling of another horse's mane on his lips as much or more than being groomed by the other horse. This seemed so nice and sweet and all. No ears back or anything...then, as quickly as a flash, Doc moved toward me...and squealed! Followed by a side kick at Harley with his back right leg!

So much for party time! LOL! I don't know if I interfered with their niceties or if Doc was just done or what...Harley pretty much ignored it and Doc didn't hit him, though he could have if he wanted, but given that we aren't "cleared for take-off" yet, I figured I better put them back into separate enclosures. So I did. This was just experimental.

July 28, 2003

Hi, everyone!

Since I know God is in control of all things on the way to the clinic I prayed that he might make a consultation with the surgeon happen...if He wanted Doc to be seen by the surgeon (who had been very definitive that he did NOT want to see Doc, but would call us after he saw the x-rays) that He would work it out. I had peace leaving it there and we arrived at the clinic at precisely 11am for the x-ray appointment.

Guess what???? As I walked Doc around waiting for the x-ray technician, who should descend from "on high," but the Most Reverend Doctor himself!!! He asked me a couple of questions including "How long has it been since we drilled him?" (I wondered inside if he speaks of all living things this way as Doc is NOT a two by four or any other thing typically "drilled" in *my* world...talk about bedside manner being sorely lacking!)

I told him two months, and shared that I had noticed that there was a favoring of the right leg. He had me walk him and trot him and he said he looks GOOD for two months!!! YAY! He said he would talk to me after the x-rays were done.

Doc was scared to go in the x-ray barn with all the fans blowing, but he did it and did ok for the x-rays.

They took the pictures and about 15 minutes after that, Dr. Yarbrough came out and spoke with me. He said that things are progressing nicely--fusion in the hocks is underway and I should do what I have been doing for the next two months. In two months, I should return, x-ray him again and see where we are. He genuinely seemed pleased. I asked if he could be back with his herd mates and have access to the entire pasture now. He said yes!!!!! He also said he doesn't need shoes, just a good even trim in the back for now.

YAY!!! That was the best I could have prayed for! I didn't expect to ride him yet, but only to allow him the freedom to move more and let God continue to work in Doc naturally, though I will begin to do some ground work with Doc too...just leading, head lowering and basic flexion stuff, I think. He definitely has been spoiled being out in the pasture with nothing asked of him.

The wonderful vet that saw him first back when all this began who I really like, Dr. Sprayberry, came out at one point and told me that she thinks he is looking really good--that his hindquarters seem to be rounding out a bit as if he is using them a bit. I think she is right. They aren't as emaciated as they were when I first took him in back in May.

The stinker didn't want to trailer. He is tired of being sore and I know he associates the soreness with the trailer. Paula drove and am I ever thankful for her! She is terrific.

I just have to tell you all on this list...I KNOW that without your prayers this wouldn't have turned out with such a good report. I KNOW that. I am so thankful for the way God is answering our prayers.

When we got home, we let Doc in with the 3 other horses. They all kicked up a LOT of dust. Doc was a bit full of himself, prancing around like a young stallion, and Harley began to make an issue of it all--to fight for status, it appears. So much for Harley being the passive leader, as he was making every effort to DOMINATE Doc. He chased Doc, bit Doc, and was willing to kick him. In the short time they were together, Doc got bit up at least 4 times. Harley was banished. I hope to try again, but for now, I know Doc will be sore. Harley will have the smaller enclosure all to himself this afternoon and evening. The surgeon said that Doc should be given access to all the pasture, even the steep hill. He said Doc can decide for himself now if he wants to tackle the hills! So.....this evening he will have access to it all.

Please pray for healing to continue. Please pray also that he will not be too sore from the romp Harley gave him. I am so saddened to have seen this side of Harley. I knew that he and Doc would have issues...I could tell, but...nothing like what I witnessed. Breezy and Dodger were trying to run interference between Harley and Doc. Dodger even reared...and acted like he was begging Harley to lay off. It was the weirdest thing. Dodger typically runs off when there is conflict, but he seems very committed to Doc...I know that sounds anthropomorphic. Doc, Dodger and Breezy were together in Arizona and traveled here together. They were together at the other pasture before Harley came along as well. There is no doubt they had bonded.

Thank you so much for all your prayers. Oh! One more thing! Since the surgery, Doc hasn't had bute much at all, over all. I know that, too, is due to your prayers. I know you have been praying for him not to be in pain. I still have most of the cannister of bute powder left. Thank you sooooo much.

You folks are the absolute greatest!!!!

August 5, 2003

Hi, everyone!

Wow! I saw a BEAUTIFUL mover today out in Doc's enclosure! Granted, he was concerned about sounds that I think he thought were the neighborhood bear friend, but I allowed myself (since it is dry and safe enough) to enjoy watching Doc as he trotted and then loped around, snaking his neck around, first across the flat pad, then down the hill part way, then turning around and coming back up. WOW! He moves WELL! I was so blessed to see it in fact. I didn't see any hitching of the legs, no dragging even of the one that is more tender. HALLELUJAH! In fact, I saw hope that yes, one day he WILL be ridden (gently) and he will get to enjoy some views away from this small area that has GOT to be causing him cabin fever! LOL!

He is so large that I always wondered if he would be a rough ride some day, assuming he will be ridden at a trot at all. But what I saw today was smooth as silk, his mane and tail flowing out behind him, neck bowed...nostrils flaring. He was nervous and scared, but incredibly beautiful!!!! He moved so smoothly one would NEVER have guessed that just over two months ago, this guy had hock surgery! I am praising the Lord of Heaven and Earth today for his care of this guy.

Additionally, after he had calmed down a bit he and I had some quiet, tender moments together. He found my diatomaceous earth spreader fascinating and so was lipping it, smelling it and being the "gentle giant" that he is as he investigated the gizmo that I constantly (seem to) carry around with me. He lowered his mammoth head and let me love on him, kiss his nose and all that fun cuddly stuff that I enjoy with him so very much. I had a smile on my face from ear to ear the entire time. I bent down to tie my shoe and he decided it was time to nibble on my baseball cap! LOL! I felt his lips gently nibbling at the back of my head where my hat is.

I just love him so much.

Bob can't have him and that is FINAL!