I LOVE my horses. Of course, this isn't news, but the past two weeks have been exceptionally good for us and I just can't get enough of them. We are in that safe and happy comfort zone where everything works and we trust each other no matter what.
Last Thursday was the only day I didn't get to ride. Instead I rode the mower. I decided to make a "track" around the outside of some of my pastures.
The horses can't be turned out there yet because the grass was so long when I cut it. I have to wait a week until it dries and is safe for our little Foggy. He is prone to choke. I have been riding the horses on the new paths and I love them, but the horses all think that pasture riding is boring. They make me laugh how slow they go in there - nothing new and exciting in there for them. Pie especially says, "ho hum" and requested a long adventure walk out through the town after the pasture ride. He walks over to the road and sighs and stands and waits for me to look both ways and then we cross over to a small side road. One motorist stopped and smiled and said that the borough should build us a bridle path. Oh, I agree!!!!
Yesterday was fall shots day, only this year I gave them myself. Even Pie was good for his nasty bee stings. My veterinarian has increased her prices - in May our spring shots for three horses was $600! I remember riding in the veterinarian truck back in the day when inoculations for three horses might have cost $60. Am I really saying this? I sound like my relatives from the Depression - get out the violin because you know, I also walked to school both ways uphill...but, $600! My husband wondered why she doesn't just make it an even $1000.
After our rides yesterday, I left the horses in the barn to snooze while I scrubbed and refilled the outside water buckets. When I came back inside to turn them out I found Sovey's lower lip like this:
Horses make me giggle with all their silly, wonderful ways. Sleepy lip is one of the cutest things. And Foggy's fuzzy bunny ears, and Pie's head lower to look in my eyes, and the way Sovereign stuck his head in a car window yesterday on our ride, and Foggy's fast, determined stride to anywhere, and Pie's head turn and pocket nuzzle for carrots, and Sovereign's statue pose so I can mount out on the trail...I LOVE my horses.
We were blog visiting simultaneously ;D
ReplyDeleteFall shots due here too. I could give all but rabies, but worry that if something happened reaction-wise... we're so far from an equine vet. So I pay through the nose. The critters get all the health care $$$ on this little farmette.
Sounds like you and the boys are in horse heaven these days!
I think I can give rabies in the spring, but I worry too about reactions. I need to get some epinephrine just in case. I am lucky because I worked for a vet for years, but I am also all too familiar with what can go wrong. My mom talked me through it and we watched the boys afterward like hawks. I rode and moved them to hopefully prevent stiffness, although, the vaccines these days don't cause stiffness too much like they used to.
ReplyDeleteBrian calls our three boys "the three yachts we own" because of the costs. My mom has graciously decided to pay the yacht costs for us now. Whew. Thanks Mom!
$600!!! Holy cow! That is crazy!
ReplyDeleteYour boys are so precious! I love droopy lip! Shy is famous for that, he lip hangs so far!
I love the way you describe your horses - especially sleepy lip :) It's so cute when they do that. Sometimes I can't help but tickle their lower lip when they do that.
ReplyDeleteMy vet was kind enough to teach me to give my horses their shots. I do it every spring (excpet he does rabies)with no problems. I'm wondering what shots you give in the fall? Here in NS we give all shots once a year, in the spring. Just curious if there are additional things you need to innoculate for, or if you space them out more?
I give rhyno, west nile, rabies, strangles. I can't remember if I give others - the vet tells me every year!
Hi Carol!
ReplyDeleteI like to play with their droopy lower lip too. I used to think it looked like a coin purse with my sweet mare, and I thought she did that because she was old. Now, with these guys, I see that they do that even when they are young - I can play with their lips and gums and even the alligator Sovey doesn't mind!
As far as shots, our boys get:
Spring vaccines - Rabies, Rhino/INF, Tetanus and West Nile
Fall vaccines - Encephalitis, Potomac(PHF) and Rhino/INF
Whatever they are getting in terms of inoculations and worming, I am sure is too much. Sadly, I question the integrity of our veterinary/pharmaceutical companies. The "better safe than sorry" approach is what I am following, but I am certain it fills my animals with unnecessary toxins and makes a lot of $$$ for others. I believe Kristen over at sweet horses breath has cut out the shots altogether, so she might be a better person to ask than me!
Allison,
ReplyDeleteI think everything your sweet Shyloh does is just adorable! I would worry if I owned her that someone would just scoop her up and take her home to be their own pony!
$600 OUCH! I agree, meds and vacs add up SO SO quickly. I saw you commented about me giving up meds. We have, mostly because I saw issues in his hooves afterwards AND, I just personally decided to only vaccinate for things that some things that I felt were important. It's such a hard choice and I don't fault anyone for giving all, little or none. This year, I bypassed the flu shots. I don't get them myself. ;)
ReplyDeleteI love the oozing love in this post! I hope you carry this smile all through winter, and back into Spring! xo
Juliette, Oh, I'm so glad you are in a good place with your special and wonderful horses. I love to read about it.
ReplyDeleteI think sleepy lip is funny, too. Our big,strong horses, but with a loose, floppy lip - so funny!
And yes, some things just keep going up and we have to make changes so we can afford the critical things for our horses. I recently had to switch to a different probiotic for Buckshot because his old one got just too expensive for me. So I researched them and bought small bags of two other kinds, and found one that makes his poop very nice and solid, so I am thrilled with how it is working for him, and it is affordable for me. So I understand.