Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Well, we have a new gelding! Just call him Dopey:


I felt soooo bad for him afterward. I didn't think it would bother me, after all it's something almost all colts go through. He was so drunk, staggering around with his hiney tucked like he was hurting pretty good. I had to drag him around like my little puppy dog for quite a while until he woke up enough to be turned loose. He got to meet a huge excavator up close while it dug down by the creek. He was more aware by that point but not freaking out. He made sure to keep me between him and it though.

Good news on Scout - that eye is working! I still don't think it sees totally normally, since he sometimes seems startled when I do things on that side without warning him first. (Picking up a foot, sticking a wormer tube in his mouth...) But the vet confirmed my suspicions, he is reacting to movement on that side. Steve (my vet) is going to give the ophthalmologist an update on it and he things she may be interested enough to take a look at it again free of charge. Steve also wants me to get Scout on a foal supplement rather than the regular supplement he's on. I guess because they're high in the stuff he needs to heal that eye. Although I so love my Horse Guard, I'm going to compare them closely before I switch.

Bad news on Bella though... I can't ride her just yet. He thinks her lameness is probably the prepubic tendon. It didn't feel torn, but if it's strained it will take a while to heal. It's probably from carrying that big ol' baby, maybe made worse by her young age.

He said I need to feed them less. I feel like I'm starving them as it is, I feed the three of them as much as I'd normally feed 2 horses. But yes, Bella is definitely fat. A little cresty, even. So I cut them back more tonight, and I'll start getting Bella out for some walks so she can start losing that baby belly. I am so bummed that I can't ride her. He said I could ride at a walk, but then when I said I hadn't been up on her, he said to wait in case something scares her and she bucks or jumps and hurts herself.

Here's a couple pictures from before the vet got there. We are so ready for this! If only she was sound.



They liked my baby boy a lot. One of the techs that was with them has a QH filly just a couple weeks younger than him, and she said he's huge in comparison. :D Then she commented on his tough feet as we sat there and watched him sleep, and my vet said, "Mustang." ;D

No wolf teeth on either of them. Yet, anyway. And Bella's teeth are fine for bitting. Maybe I'll start ground driving her if I can't ride her.

Scout had no swelling as of 5 hours after his "brain surgery." I opened up a couple pastures for them to wander so he's moving around more.

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