SNAP CRACKLE POP

Well I finally cracked last night. The heat and flies and all the rest lately have just been slowly building my anxiety.  Likely since my back has been super painful and my threshold is lowered just enough...I just look at the weather channel every night and count the days until rain, and until peace and cool weather prevail...

I had been waiting for a call from the vet for hours, and my mind just went where it seems to go after this long without my close friends around. I can't trust anyone, they all let me down. F*** it. Don't bother asking for help since no one steps up anyway. Stop wasting your time offering help to other people. It all comes down to me dealing with things by myself and relying on my own ingenuity and limited supplies. That being said, my cousin Shana has been awesome with her amazing support and horse knowledge, and her special insight into all things Oakley.

It was cooling down nicely, it was dark and I was just finishing locking everyone up while listening to the Wailin' Jennys. I choked out a few sobs, then the phone rang. It was our vet. He was willing to come out rather than leave it until morning. That was it for the moment.

This is what needed to be dealt with:

 

 ..And why G was upset yesterday, which only adds to my stress, but so it goes.

Sedation, local, a twitch, a good cleaning, some freshening of the flap and edges, and a nice slice through it for drainage.  Equine vets really have more in common with wildlife vets than small animal...Even with heavy sedation we still had to be cautious, and I was glad G was there to help support Oak as he leaned and tottered.  Wish I'd rigged something up to support his giant head, since it weighs probably as much as I do and I was trying to hold it up with one hand while holding the twitch as Ed sewed. It was sort of fun though. I miss my job.

I left G to stay with Oakley and make sure he was coming out of the sedation while I went to pay the bill and discuss care instructions with the Doc. When I got back to the barn G had braided Oak's mane, and was telling him how good he was : )  We joked that Oakley was really a unicorn in disguise, with that wound right on his forehead.

This is why my 'can't trust people' alarm was tripped this week:

Winny after cleanup.

 



Oakley bit Winnicus while we were having a date night at the MN State Fair.  I'd finally whittled down the responsibilities for locking up the beasts at night, enough so I took a chance having the 14 year old neighbour do it for us.  So when we got home at 10:30, we went to check on everyone, and we found Winst depressed in his stall with the huge wounds on his back, full of sand, and one deeper laceration on his other hip. Bloody and clearly visible.

G stayed with Winst while I went to get supplies to clean and treat the wounds.  What a downer after a really fun night.

 

The next day neighbour girl texted and asked how everything looked when we got home. I said all were safe and thank you so much. But Winst had some very bad wounds from Oakley, and I suggested that she might have missed them since they were filled with sand.  She texted back that she had noticed them, and that's why she put Winst in his stall early.  Ok, what am I supposed to think??

 

1-she didn't notice, and was embarrassed, so made up a story so she'd sort of look good.

2-she did notice, but didn't tell me.

 

Either way, not good enough, and very disappointing.  I also have to keep telling her to be careful around Oakley, especially inside the barn in close quarters. She always tries to kiss his nose, which he's not really a fan of unless he's in the right mood. She just doesn't get it that he could break her face. I've clearly told her that she must wear boots when in/around the barn--no flip flops.  And it sounds like she brought someone with her, and I'd rather know who that is so I can make sure they will behave appropriately around Oak.  I don't think I'm being alarmist here--he is huge, and certainly not a 'horsey camp' sort of boy.  Although he does generally try to suck up to visitors, and show off just a little bit more ; )

G sent me a list of reminders for today--this one was my favourite: " bubble wrap and put a helmet on the unicorn"

*****

 

Last week at the beginning of this heat wave I went out to the pasture to check on the horses.  I saw Winston laying down, very still, and I couldn't see him breathing.  I figured poor Winst had a giant stroke or heart attack. How sad that would be, since he's only just come to us and we're trying to give him a good life, for however long that may be. He's stolen our hearts in such a short time!

 

When Oakley saw me coming he followed me over to Winst.  I still wasn't sure if he was alive. His fly mask blocked his eyes from view.  He was alive but seemed out of it somehow. He was covered in sweat, and he didn't budge even though Oakley was pretty much standing right over him. I tried to coax him up, picked up his head and pushed on his neck to rock him to sternal. Finally hauled him up and we went back to the barn.  Doctor Ed just happened to call while I was walking him back.  Have no recollection of the discussion.  I was just so grateful Win was going to be okay...

 

Yesterday was so hot I hosed both of the horses down twice. Win hyperventilates pretty badly, and doesn't stand nicely for the spray like Oak does.  He sort of has a tantrum, which is hilarious but doesn't help me manage a lead line in one hand, the hose in the other, making sure Oak doesn't lunge for Win and making sure I control Win if he bolts (which he does).  When he realized he wasn't going to get away, and that Oak was standing nice and friendly-like, he started acting out. He knocked over the hay bin, the mounting block, the water bucket. Winny tantrum!!

 

******

G brought me flowers last night : ) We tried the kimchi he made, and I actually really liked it. Tonight he'll pickle the beets I roasted yesterday, and some more cukes. Extra zucchini went to the chooks today, and I need to cook some waste eggs for them too. Maybe tomorrow night we'll have a hot date in the rain (40% chance of T-storms)--need to pull ragweed from the sheep paddock and that will take a while. So best do it together!
 

Still feeling a little rough today, but I felt that the beasts were doing ok today so made the time to go for chiro, and got a half hour of stim on my back.  What a difference when you aren't feeling pain... I've tried to take it easy this afternoon, and I'm feeling a bit more confident that I can make it through.  Still missing friends though. That won't change any time soon. 

 

I still have a few animal procedures to do tonight, plus barn and regular night duties, and a bunch of other things.

 

Little chance of rain for the rest of the 10 day forecast.  I'll still look at the weather channel every night and hope it changes...

 

 This is such a change from last month, when a visitor from Van commented with surprise that our animals all looked "so relaxed and happy".  Not many compliments could beat that one.

Going back out to do my best.