# The Cripple Creek Chronicles



## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

1. I like the way you buy horses - really 

Oftentimes, the less thought that goes into a horse trade, the better the deal turns out to be. As far as the mistakes we make ------ well they teach us something

2. Riley's abscess: how deep is the mud? Over the top of hoof boots deep? If not I would soak his hoof in warm water and Epsom salts, then put boots on him for turnout. 

However, if the mud is over the boots, the mud will get down inside the boots and they will do more harm than good.

I would still try to soak him in water and Epsom salts, and try to keep hm in a dry place for part of the day.

Is it possible to alternate Riley and Pistol, day by day? Not ideal but if you can soak him every day and keep him dry every other day day, it's better than nothing.

3. Cripple Creek is a great name. There's a song titled "Up On Cripple Creek". It's been done by several bands including Dave Matthews and the Oak Ridge Boys. I like the Oak Ridge Boys 1982 version the best


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I LOVE the Oakridge boys! I'm going to have to download that song! I was going to go with the Triple C because there are three of us and our last name begins with a C but since my dog is arthritic, Pistol is blind and arthritic, Beauty is mechanically lame (she severed her tendons several years ago), Riley has navicular, Sierra has a massive scar on her belly (from before we owned her) and my husband is lame half the time - I thought the name fit...



walkinthewalk said:


> 1. I like the way you buy horses - really
> 
> Oftentimes, the less thought that goes into a horse trade, the better the deal turns out to be. As far as the mistakes we make ------ well they teach us something
> I agree! I could not in good conscience sell that pony to someone that wanted a kid horse and I had not ever had a bad experience with a TWH so the chances that it was a good trade were with us.
> ...










I forgot to add pictures of the house...


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## Capparouge (Oct 3, 2016)

amazing pics and family!! : )
I hope you are able to sort the issue out. you seem to have a really good heart, thank you


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Yesterday I raced home from work in order to get Max to his baseball lesson in time. After we finished that he had some money burning a hole in his pocket so we went to Walmart where price and quality suddenly mean something to him. Amazing how that happens when the money is coming from their pockets isn't it? Anyhow, we ended up going home with subway and no super duper gaming chair. It was dark and Riley was moseying about the dry field and my Collie had packed his bags and headed to Grandmas house. He does that on occasion, decides we aren't paying enough attention to him, or he's hungry or just wants to get away from our German Shepherd, who is still a baby. I had to get back in the car and head up the hill to her house to grab my wayward dog, who insisted on walking home. Which meant for three quarters of a mile I had to maintain a pace of approximately three miles per hour with the occasional stop to crap and pee.

Anyhow, Monday through Friday my mom does the evening barn chores and feedings because it's dark when I get home. So I didn't get to deal with the Ri-monster because she had already handled him.

This morning, while he is very stiff and short strided, I am happy to report that I was able to clean his feet without any argument, meaning he could hold his full weight on each of them. The puffiness is gone from that back leg, still not sure what that was about and he appears to be headed back to his normal. I have this red boot that I put on him for soaking purposes, it's a canvas kind of tote that you put on and then fill with your Epsom salt/water concoction, that way he can graze or stomp or whatever and he's still soaking. It's getting old and starting to leak in spots so I am going to have to break down and buy a new one. I can not for the life of me remember what it would be called though so that I can websurf it... Soaking Boot? Seems like I have the original package on a shelf somewhere. I plan to use it tonight, was thinking I may put a gallon plastic ziplock bag inside the canvass boot so that it all holds in place.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Davis makes soaking boots and I think Valley Vet carries them.

Or buy a box of one gallon zip lock bags. Put one inside another one, fill with your soaking potion, duct tape around his ankle. This will work until you get your soaking boot


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I think I got 7 years out of the old one. I hope I can find the same brand. Going to look at valley vet to see if it's the same one. I think I'll put the zip lock inside the old boot. It's not destroyed, it's just spring a few leaks. Do you think i could paint that "as seen on TV" stuff on the boots where they leak?

I think this is it. https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail...=84506446843&gclid=COf-6uujl9ECFceFswodLIYG3A

Looks like the same one.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

farmpony84 said:


> I think I got 7 years out of the old one. I hope I can find the same brand. Going to look at valley vet to see if it's the same one. I think I'll put the zip lock inside the old boot. It's not destroyed, it's just spring a few leaks. Do you think i could paint that "as seen on TV" stuff on the boots where they leak?
> 
> I think this is it. https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail...=84506446843&gclid=COf-6uujl9ECFceFswodLIYG3A
> 
> Looks like the same one.


The one you found in the above link will work just fine.

This is the one I was thinking about. https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail...92-00b0d0204ae5&gas=Davis equine soaking boot


I have seen that stuff in TV, lollollol. If you use it, let me know how it works


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Can you use that one with shoes? The other one comes with the pads too but I couldn't use them because he acted lamer when they were in the bag so I never put them in it. I just put his foot straight in the bag and then poor the warm solution in. I've used it on several horses and they never seem to mind. I always hated when they would spill the bucket that I was using and get me all wet and pick up their foot and slam it down, pull the back foot over the bucket, drag the bucket over while I tried to save it... etc... 

The bag is definitely the way to go!


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

I have had success with tire inner tubes. Cut the length you need for soaking and duct tape it while it soaks. Inner tubes seem to last a very long time and cost nothing.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

It's been cold and wet here. My grass ring is soft and slippery, the round pen is wet, and the paddocks are a sloppy mess.

This morning we got up and ran to the post office to submit our passport renewals, then headed to the mall to exchange some gifts that were the wrong size, had lunch at Bob Evans where, just for a minute, it snowed. Then went to the dentist, happy to report no cavities and finally... came home to play with horses. I let Pistol out of his jail, that's what he considers his new paddock and he raced around like a two year old. He was such a silly boy, I mean at one point that old man was at a full-on gallop! I pulled baby horse rom his paddock, yanked his blanket and threw him in Pistols pen (Remember that's my round pen, or was, now it's more of an oval pen. I have this really long stall guard that I stretched across the entrance from the overhang tot he paddock so that he couldn't get into the stall or under the overhang, so while it's not round, it's still usable for ground work.

I let lame horse Ri out to graze with Pistol and then grabbed Blue for a ride. Smalls was outside with us, he's my german shepherd and he kept racing at us and following us or zipping past us. I wanted to lock him up but I decided it was better to ride the horse while he behaved like a nutcase. That way I don't have to worry about them not expecting his antics should he be set loose while I'm riding. Blue couldn't have cared less about him anyway. We had a nice quiet ride. Mostly walk/trot. In the end I did a little canter but my ring is so soft I was worried he might slip on the short ends but he did just fine.

When I finished with him I worked baby horse. My plan was to just walk trot him on the ground since he hasn't been worked in a couple weeks. I wanted to throw a saddle on him as well but it was nearing dark. Smalls raced along the paddock fence line barking like a maniac while I worked him, which of course, got Cloud all kinds of riled up and my slow easy walk trot became a ridiculous obnoxious race around the paddock, heels flying. He did settle for a bit but I don't feel like it was the best session, in fact... It kind of sucked. While he did everything I asked of him and did follow directions, he kept his eyes on the dog which meant I did not have his full attention. I should be happy that he respects me enough to follow direction while being distracted but still...

When we finished I went to blanket him from the "wrong" side and he moved away. I tried a couple times but by then it was pretty dark in the barn so I blanketed from the "right" side. Looks like I found something else we need to work on. I want to blanket, tack, and mount from the right or left side. 

Pistol went into his "old" paddock while I was playing with Cloud since I left the stall door open (it leads from the barn to the overhang to the paddock to the pasture). I was getting nervous because I couldn't find him anywhere and then I realized he was in the field. He really wanted to stay out there so for tonight I let him. I kept lame Riley in Pistols area and turned Cloud out with Pistol. They all ate their meals and got there blankets and are happy for the night. Pistol will have to go back to his paddock but I let him have a sleep over for tonight...


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

It was a very pretty day today. Riley is still slightly off. I don't think he'll go 100% until I get his shoes reset because he is overdue for his farrier visit. I think he is just about sound enough to get his new shoes put on. I was running a few days behind on his visit as it was, since he needs to get them done more often than a normal horse, the abscess set me back. I rode Blue today because my ring is still pretty soft and I wanted a balanced horse. We walk trot, cantered and then even popped a few cavalettis. I think I may start riding him english a few days a week. He seems to enjoy it.

It was nice ground tying a horse to tack and untack. I will be excited when baby horse learns to stand that well.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I think I'm going to write a country song... It's going to go something like this:

Blue escaped again, he was in the barn, eating all the hay.... He flipped the lid and chowed on the alfalfa pellets Yodel-eee....

Riley's lame again, he was tiptoeing in the stall today.... I gave him some bute and locked him in a stall again.... The farrier is scheduled for tomorrow... but it's going to snow.... Yodel-eee....

Riley pooped in his bucket, Smalls smells like a skunk, Scout has poop in his tail....

Sally's mad at me, Beauty's in a mood... .Yodel-eee....

Ok... Maybe I won't write a country song, but I think I will stick with the Cripple Creek name....


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

So... The snow came and the farrier cancelled. I have to call him to reschedule now. Amazingly, Riley burst out of his stall this morning as sound as could be. He and Baby Horse played in the field all day long. Blue escaped again. It probably has to do with the fact that the pencil wire broke and I tied it up with baling twine... That only fools them for so long. We'll fix it tomorrow. I let him play with Riley and Baby Horse in the big field today and they are in their stalls for the night now. Riley was not happy with me when I locked him up for a second night. Tough cookies spoiled one. You are going in your stall again tomorrow night too!

Husband blew the hose out the last time we used it so it's on him that it's frozen! I had to hall water buckets down from the house. Ugh. Max uses the rhino to get to the school bus stop and back, he left it completely out of gas so I ran out and had to leave it at the barn. I'll fill it up tomorrow when I do my next bucket of water run. I forgot a bucket too (I usually have 2 in Riley's stall). It's sitting in my kitchen sink. Oh well... I have to clean another one out since Riley likes to poop in his buckets and the yuck froze in the bottom of it.

Smalls is in the bed with me right now, he's not allowed in the bed. He stinks like skunk. Husband will kick him out when he comes in. 

I have a vet appointment for the first set of shots for my guys Monday. I really hope they don't cancel. I have to have them all done before baby horse go's to spring training.

That's it for now.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

There is not a whole lot of fun about winter, when the livestock all lives at home is there

Only the male of the species could drain or blow the hose and it still freezes, or forget to tell you the 4-wheeler needs gas and it runs out on your trip to the barn

It is frustrating but, believe me, most of it will pass (the stuff thy precious son does and you will chuckle about it someday

As far as the parfum-de-skunk dog in bed ------- somehow that seems like justice for DH, even though I do tip my hat to him for all the hours of ploughing he's been putting in


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Well... The washing machine is broken! Husband is going to take it apart today to figure out what he needs to do to fix it. The wheel barrel is full but I haven't dumped it yet. I'll do it in an hour or so. I still have to finish my stalls. 

I tied the fence back up with baling twine. I'm such a loser! The ground is completely frozen and one of the posts broke at the bottom. We are going to go down in a bit and figure out the best way to fix it. Might just run some electric across to hold them for now.

I think by Thursday we should be able to fill the water troughs. By then I think it will be 50 during the day... I think what happened was.... One of my water troughs had a leak in it so my dad came down and plugged the leak but it was in a really muddy paddock so husband came down and dragged it into the field for me and filled it. Then he hung the hose along the edge of the paddock all the way to the big field so that it wasn't on the ground (I think it's like 800 feet of hose). And my guess is... he forgot to blow it out.

I'm going to do some light house work before heading back down to the barn.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

^^^all of that falls into the category of "If you had a duck it would drown this week".

This must be the time for washers to quit. One of the other gals on the forum just got hers fixed. I put a call in, Friday, for someone to come out and look at mine; it isn't broke yet but it's gonna break and having it quit with the tub full of water is not on my list of things to do

Try to cover that broken t-post so none of the horses an step on it and puncture tnru their hoof. I had that happen, many years ago and almost lost the horse by the time I got her to a different vet who had an X-ray machine and found the problem.

In those days, only one vet in my area had an X-ray machine and that involved knocking the horse out, putting it on a tilt table, and taking an X-ray with a clunky machine big enough to be a storage closet. 

My how things have changed since then but you still don't want a horse stepping on the broken post. If it seems iossible, they will find a way.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

The post is broken at the bottom (just dry rotted straight through) but still hanging in place because the fence is holding it up. We did not fix the fence. It's still being held up by baling twine. I had tied up the end near the gate that enters the riding area with twin and assumed that was where he was getting out but that twine is still holding. It's the other end, that opens into he pasture that had come down so I've baling twined that end too. They go out along the woodline (which is at a creek) and walk to the arena. I live so far off the gravel road that I'm not real concerned about them escaping. They can't get into the feed room and there is water in the barn. They go anywhere, but I still don't want them loose so I will work on it in the morning. They are currently bedded down in their stalls.

Maybe it's the Russians?! The Russians are breaking all our wash machines just like they "fixed" the election! (Sorry... Not nice...)

I filled the rhino tank with gas, dumped the wheel barrel and then the freaking spigot was frozen! I carried the bucket upstairs and filled them with hot water, loaded them in the rhino, and drove them down to the barn. I couldn't figure out why the barn cats were screaming until I realized their water was frozen and they are to darn spoiled to go down to the creek for water! I gave them some hot water too. Darn feral cats!

The vet just called. She is still coming out tomorrow for shots but she won't be pulling Clouds wolf teeth because it's only going to be 4 degrees and she is worried about colic w/ the drugs. I'm good with that. I have another appointment already scheduled for February so we can do them then. I just want to have everything done so that when the trainer calls to tell me he has an opening we can load and go...

AND... I vacuumed the living room. Took me 2 and a half hours! That's right... I'm a dirty slob. Well, that and I have a collie. Collies have some serious fur! (HE'S SO FLUFFY!!!) AND... I bought a $700 dyson because that's supposed to be the bet vacuum cleaner EVER! (NOT - overpriced piece of junk)....


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

Oh my goodness, that DOG. What a fluffy beast!!

I have a mutt that some people think is Collie/St. Bernard mix, others think is English Shepherd mix. She's not telling so I'm not sure. I always thought she was hairy but your guy puts her to shame!


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

It was raining when I went out to the barn this morning. I fed everyone, cleaned the stalls and then came back in for a shower since the farrier was coming at 9:30. Old people.. You can't ever count on them to be on time. He showed up 30 minutes early. I wasn't even dressed yet! I threw my sweatpants on, grabbed a ball cap and ran down to the barn with no socks on.

The horses were pretty good. I usually slip Beauty some bute before her appointments because that back right isn't real flexible and she gets a little cranky with Eddie. He is careful with her but he's in his 70's and so he can't bend as low as he used to... She's in her 20s and has that scar tissue from her severed tendon but she was really good today. She fought with him a little bit but for the most part let him do his job.

I had to laugh when he got to Riley. Ri has been a little off this month, abscesses and then his toes got a little long and his navicular was bothering him. Eddie kept telling him to "Be a good Christian horse and remember your Christian upbringing" every time Riley tried to take his foot back. And would you believe every time he said that, Riley quit fighting. 

I was supposed to work on the tractor all day today. I was going to haul dirt and fill in that "pond" in my paddock but the rain is falling and the weather is dropping and I'm a loser. I am out of hay, COMPLETELY. I had to send my dad out to get hay pellets for Pistol the other day and then my mom ran out and got some over priced tractor supply hay the other day. Husband is whining because it's raining and he doesn't want to get hay in the rain so I may be getting over priced tractor supply hay again today. I don't want these horses to start a mutiny over no hay.

Right now though... My toes are frozen so I'm laying the bed watching Clear and Present Danger... I don't think I've ever seen this one before but I must admit, Harrison Ford always was a hottie. I love his angry voice 

I may go get dressed in a minute... I can't decide...


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

...and yes... it is quite convenient having the parents next door. Don't worry, they run me on their personal errors much more than I run them and I am constantly watching their animals when they go on their cruises three times a year.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Not much to report on. I haven't ridden in over two weeks. We did spend our weekend fixing the fence in Cell Block B and my son and I hauled about 25 loads of dirt into Cell Block A so that we can fix the drainage and rebuild the damaged ground. The Recreational Area has been temporarily shut down because Prisoner 2014 took down a few wires in his latest escape. I am happy to report that Cell Block C is in fine working condition and Prisoner 1984 is happily residing in solitary confinement.

All prisoners are unhappy with the current lock-down situation but until the paddocks dry out, they will report to their cells at dinner time and will not be released until breakfast. They continue to rattle their buckets in dismay.

Hey, I'm just the Warden....


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I don't think the rain is ever going to end. I took yesterday off so that I could go to the horse Expo in MD. I slept in a little bit on purpose, didn't head down to the barn until about 6 AM. Pistol had bedded down under the overhang but got himself to close to the gate. He kind of had his butt in a corner so he couldn't roll over to stand himself up since he can only do it form one side. I had to wake the husband up for help. We drove the rhino down and pulled the tow strap out but it turns out he didn't need help. I opened the gate and that gave him the room he needed to sit up and then pull himself up. He was sort of cast I guess without really being cast. Got everyone fed and ran the kid to the bus stop. 

We headed out to the expo, I was really worried about traffic since we had to go right through DC but it was a straight shot, no issues. We passed the new MGM casino in MD. It was neat looking but not really my taste. The expo was cool but really small. I did watch some clinics and bought a rope. 

On the way home we hit a little bit of traffic for a minute and I think that was the Rioters - er... I mean... "protestors". I saw that they were very peaceful while they destroyed the local Starbucks and burned a few things in the streets. Once we got past that though it was smooth sailing. We did watch the oath from a restaurant. I think they were democrats because when we asked if they could turn the volume up so we could hear they were really irritated. (We were the only ones in the restaurant). 

I have been watching an old TV show that I somehow missed the first time around (got to love netflix), it's called Jericho and it's about the "end of the world". Basically 22 nukes go off across the US. I haven't gotten all the way through it yet but I'm getting the feeling it was home-grown terrorist so yesterday I keep thinking about escape routes etc. I even told Max that if anything ever happens and we aren't home - he should head to Grandmas! LOL...

I remember growing up (I'm an Army brat) people used to think we were crazy because we had a plan. It wasn't much of a plan, just if the "world ends" and we are separated get to Southern Illinois. When I started dating my husband as a teenager - he thought we were nuts... He was like.. What is in Southern Illinois? Uh... My grandparents... Duh! ****! I guess we were a little nutty... 

Anyway, back to the horses... We've been working on the drainage in the paddocks for a couple weeks now. Monday through Friday is really hard because it's dark by the time we get home and this week my son had baseball Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday... So.. that takes up a ton of time. When I was going up sports were so much different... You played a couple different ones and you had off seasons but now... It's year around and you focus on one unless you are crazy athletic...

Riley is a little off again today. I talked to this old guy at the expo, he had these interested pads that go under the shoe. He said they ere originally designed for Navicular horses but when I told him about Riley, he insists he is not Navicular because if he were, he'd never be sound. I am going to get another set of x-rays this summer I think. It's been a couple years since the last set and it didn't really show anything. I kind of wonder though because when I gave him six months off, he was 100% sound. So maybe it could be some other injury, a ligament or a tendon but if it is, I would guess it's chronic. When he was diagnosed they x-rayed and blocked. The x-rays didn't show much, but the block is what they made the diagnosis on. Anyway, the old guy asked me if he was in a bunch of mud and if he had thrush which is a yes answer. So he told me to try keeping him in a stall at night and treating the thrush a couple times a day for a few weeks. He promises I will see a difference. I know I will because I started keeping him in at night (all of them) because of all the mud. I don't want them standing in it 24/7 and I have noticed a difference. The question is though, if there is a tendon injury, then the mud would aggravate it right? I may take him to the equine hospital or the race track for expert advice rather than use my local vet. My local vet is really good but lameness can be a funny thing...

At the expo I bought some mane stuff for detangle and health. I put some on Cloud today (he is filthy) and wow. It is amazing.

I better go help the husband.... He's working in the paddocks. What a sloppy mess....


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

Have you ever tested Riley for PSSM1 and/or had a muscle biopsy done? Sometimes a muscle myopathy shows up as recurring, intermittent lameness without an obvious cause... 
I don't know if you've ever seen my videos of my gelding Fabio, but his "lameness" went completely away after I started treating his muscle myopathy.  He was regularly barely "off" in front, sometimes REALLY off, and had an occasional "hitch" in his left hind stifle. I'm happy to share the videos with you if you're interested. 

It's something to look into, if you haven't.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

We had vet appointments today. Cloud got one wolf tooth pulled (I think that's all he has - she said as far as she could tell there was not another, not even under the gum). He got his teeth floated as well. The rest of them will have to get their teeth floated next month. I talked to the vet about Riley. I am probably going to go ahead and get the Osphos shot again for him since it really did work well for him before. She wants me to consider getting the joint injection as well but I'm really worried about that one because there is a very slight chance he could get an infection at the injection site and since we are talking about a horse that peeled his eyelid inside out, fractured his pelvis, had cellulitis all the way up his leg, had an infection after his castration, peeled his ear, and has navicular... I'm thinking anything that could go wrong... will go wrong. So even though that may be the best route... I'm going to hold off and then if I do it, I think I want to haul him to the vet and leave him overnight...

I groomed Cloud while I was waiting for his shots...


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Well, it's been one of those weeks. Monday was my birthday but really it was just another day. We did go out to eat but that was about it. I had the vet out in the Morning, worked in the afternoon and then had a quick dinner with the family. My brother flew in from Kuwait because he loves me just that much... OK, so he flew in because they are leaving Friday to fly to the Philippines to pick up their son that they are adopting. The Army gave him 10 days and then he has to be back in Kuwait...

I had a flat tire yesterday, I changed it by the way. I had to jump up and down on the crowbar thing but I snapped those nuts loose!

My "boys" (the guys I work with) are all out on work stuff so I'm in in the office and we have had data calls out the ying-yang but luckily I'm good at pooping out mumbo jumbo so I think I've answered everything well enough that they won't take anything out of our budget...

Today my mom called and said Pistol was down so I left work and got stuck behind every slow driver in the county! It took me almost an hour to get home. Husband beat my by a few minutes. My parents had already flipped him over and started to get him up but they ended up getting him stuck under the fence so we had to take it down, it's just ramm fencing so a few bolts drop it.

We tried a couple times to get him up, I looped the tow straps on him and pulled him back so we could get him up but he tripped over the fencing that was down and fell so we ended up strapping him to the bucket of the tractor to stand him up. Once he was up he took off at a trot. Luckily husband is quick on the tractor and dropped the bucket enough to drop the tow straps. I was running along next to him undoing the clips and sliding them off him while he was trotting around the pen. Husband said make him stand still. Um... OK... Pistol! Stand! (He had no halter or lead rope). He seems like he is ok now. I was worried because he was down for a couple hours but he doesn't really struggle until we are there to help him up so I think he is ok. That leg of his just does not cooperate and you have to flip him over so he can get up and always he lays down where it's the worst place.

I had a feeling he was going to do it today though because the temperature went up to 70 so it was a great day for a nappy-nap. Tomorrow will be 39 so he won't want to nap then.

I had called my neighbor over to watch so that if my husband is out of town they can help but her husband was at work. He is a first responder so he's on 3 days and off 4 etc. I told her he picks the most inconvenient times to work!

I knocked my bumper off coming down my driveway too. Not really the bumper but that plastic piece that go's under the bumper for looks? Sigh...


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Husband is out of town and I was out of hay so instead of going next door (a few miles away) and getting a round bale for $50 like we usually do, I thought it would be easier on me to pick up 20 square bales so I drove to the other side of the county and got 20 bales for $140! HOLY ORCHARD GRASS BATMAN! We are NOT telling husband what that cost.

PS - it was easier for me to load and unload... and will be easier to feed but uh.... hee hee....


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

My teenager was helpful today  He loaded and unloaded hay, he helped feed the horses, he carried the trash up to my parents house (The trash truck stops at their place, they don't come all the way down.), he helped load the feed at tractor supply but left me to unload it although he did unload the dog food. And he fed the pig.

Oh and he put Pistols sheet on for me. That as hilarious, first he just flung it over his back which would have been fine but it's the kind that has no buckles in the front so it has to go over the head. Then Pistol was trotting circles around him. Finally the sheet fell off and he started over. Pistol stood perfectly still, probably because he was trying to figure out what that kid was doing! He slipped the blanket over his neck but then could not figure out what to do after that. He kept holding out the blanket and looking at the horse like he couldn't figure out where it went. I laughed so hard!


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

The pig keeps getting loose, there are 3 fence rails down and it's Valentines day... but the husband is working late so... Hallmark Channel it is!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I love Hallmark - both channels, lol

If you have DirecTV the second night of this year's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is on the FS1 channel; 219 on DirecTV. It comes on at 7:00 PM central time, tonight. You could always record it, if you can't watch it tonight.

The working dogs are tonight, which is my favorite group. The herding dogs were last night, my second favorite but I fell asleep before they announced the class so I don't know if the German Shepard won or not.

Anyway, along with Hallmark, the dog show might offer you some inner peace


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I just read in the paper that there is a dog from King George County competing there. (That's like 20 minutes from me.). What a great idea!


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

It was a beautiful weekend. I rode Riley yesterday a little and then I worked Cloud on the lunge line. Today I rode Blue and Sierra. Sierra and I also supervised some fence work and then the kid jumped on her for a quick scoot.

Everything is starting to turn green around here but I'm afraid to get excited just yet, it's only February. I e-mailed the trainer to see if he wants Cloud this month or next. They are checking on current clients to see if they want another month or not. I'm sending him for 3 at least, maybe 4...


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Last week Smalls got his shots (German Shepherd) and then Monday Scout got his shots (Collie)... Today is final shots and teeth floats for the horses. Riley is getting the Osphos shot today so before we even start I know my bill is at least $500. Ugh.

I called an online university yesterday. I think I'm going to finish my bachelors degree. Not sure why since I'm really happy in the job that I am in. The pay is good and the mission is great but... I kind of want to finish it.

This morning my husband left for work really early. I usually feed at 5:15 but today I slept in a little since the vet won't be here until 9:30. He left for work around 6:00 and came right back in to tell me Pistol was down. He said he was in the middle paddock, which is weird since he was in the first paddock. I said are you sure it's Sweetpea? He was like, we only have one red horse with a lightening bolt. I was like, he's not in the middle paddock.... So I went to check and ... hew as in the middle paddock. He must have scooted under the fence while he was trying to get up? 

It's so muddy and slick that we almost didn't get him rolled over and when he sat up we couldn't get under his butt to push him up like we usually do because we kept slipping so we just did the tow straps and the tractor bit. It was a lot quicker. I hosed him down a little bit because he was so filthy. It wasn't the best hose job because I didn't want to freeze him but I had to get some of that mud off. I'll have to really clean him when the weather is nicer. He's a filthy mess.

He cantered out of the field and demanded his breakfast. Last year he went down three or four times in a month or two and then was up for the rest of the year with maybe one lone mishap in between so I'm hoping that's what we are dealing with right now. The cold weather arthritis and then he'll stay up after that. If not all my thinking about... is going to have to happen and I'm not ready for that. I mean, I am ready but ... not? I'll do what I need to do when I need to do it... But... I don't want to...

He's not on any supplements. I think I will go ahead and get a glucosamine somethingerother. I think I have some of Rileys' smart flex left so I can use that up for now. I can't remember if it's maintenance level or more. Isn't there a liquid type I could try? Maybe I could mix it in with his feed... He goes' through stages where one minute he'll eat everything in front of him at once and another he'll spend the day and half the night eating his feed. Since I have him in his own paddock it's not a problem for him to spend the day eating.

Last night I was watching a re-run of Heartland and it was the episode that Jack refuses to do any kind of ranch work because his knee hurts but it turns out he doesn't want to ride a horse that isn't Paint. He had just retired paint and was having a hard time dealing with it. I know I had a major break down when I bought Cloud. It felt so final. Like, this six month old colt is a replacement or something. When Riley was born 10 years ago I could still ride Pistol but when I bought Cloud, that was the summer that I had completely stopped riding him. I think I had one last bareback ride on him and then quit all together so of course that episode had me in tears.... and then this morning... Ugh.

He's so ornery though. He's trotting around now and eating just fine...

The vets always look him over but they agree that he's not mentally ready yet and physically he's fine as long as he says on his feet....

I need to get some sort of arthritis stuff. I should have done it years ago...


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

So... I thought I was mentioning every time Pistol has an episode in here but I came back today and read through trying to figure out just how close together they have been late. I found him down on 2/8 and then again on 3/1. Both times we used to the tractor to get him up. The first time because we had to and the second time because it was so muddy neither we or the horse could get any solid purchase on the ground. Today he was down again but had himself in the corner under the overhang. He had his back feet touching the gate so he couldn't get them under himself. When I opened the gate he sat up and then stood with very little help. He just was more stuck in a corner than really unable to get up. So I have about a 3 week gap and then a 10 day gap. I could have sworn there was another before that. Maybe I made that it's own thread?

I need am starting to keep track of the dates. Right now once he's up, he is running and eating and peeing and drinking w/out incident. But I am sort of using this journal to keep a track. You know... For... you know...

I'm a little concerned about the weather right now. The high for today is 65 with a low of 42 and then tomorrow is 69 with a low of 47 and then we go 50/22, 40/19, 42/20 etc. I hate going from super high to super low. I guess I'll blanket on Friday night. It's like blanket on, blanket off....


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Ok. I found some more. So we have:

11/09/2015 - a lot of help
http://www.horseforum.com/horse-health/deciding-factor-638786/

08/2016 - help with the rhino

12/22/2016 and 12/23/2016 - more help
http://www.horseforum.com/horse-health/rant-horse-down-horse-up-rant-739633/

2/8/2017 - Tractor

3/1/2017 - Tractor

3/9/2017 - minimal help

Ok. So this is my log.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

So... the weatherman says 8-10 inches or maybe just 1-3 but might be freezing rain or nothing... SO... Horses blanketed, water troughs full, stalls ready... groceries bought... Whatever am I to expect?


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Well... It's been one of those days... Riley knocked my mom down, not sure exactly what happened. He either stepped on her or clipped her, don't think he kicked her - just tried to plow his way through the stall and broke her wrist and leg. She is scheduled for surgery tomorrow. She was in the barn by herself and was yelling for help but the barn is quite a ways from the house. Luckily my german shepherd heard her and alerted my son. He called my dad (they live next door) and then an ambulance.

She already hated Riley... It had to be Ri-ri that did the big bad... Now she really hates him....





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