Mum wanted to go shopping today :-( not my favourite pastime (unless it's for something horsey!) so we rode out early, Corky still acting up, she's a funny old mare, just taking the mickey out of her dad, I think! Having led her past the frightening whatever it was, Jim remounted and we continued on our short hack. Anky felt ok, fairly relaxed and willing. I've spoken to an equine vet in the UK who's been helping me with Anky, providing advice and information and we've got a feeding and supplement regime sorted out for the next few months.We're going to give her a course of oral aloe vera gel which should help heal any damage to her intestines, and follow on from the gastrogard with a product called Neigh-Lox which will buffer any excess acid and also protect the stomach lining in order for it to continue to heal and then remain healthy.
Worked with Remy in the school, he learns quickly, but he is so big and must learn to keep out of my space in the in-hand work. He's a joy though.
We got a nice surprise on our return from shopping, the men had decided to bake ( I know, bizarre) and the kitchen was filled with the lovely smell of lemon sponge and oaty biscuits! Yummy.
I didn't do anything with the horses yesterday, still recovering from my exertions the day before! :-)
Today we rode out, just for 30 minutes up the lane round the fishing lake and back again. Anky came in looking perky, ate her breakfast and did a semi-solid poo! (Believe me, poo watching has become a way of life recently). There was very little energy in the walk, but she felt very relaxed and was stretching down to my hand, so I'll take that as a positive.
We've changed her over to Luzerne (alfalfa) nuts instead of the Alfa A as there is no molasses in the luzerne nuts. She's now having corn oil in every feed and we've ordered some psyllium. She's had the last full syringe ( 1 per day for 28 days) of her Gastrogard today, she'll now have half a syringe per day for another 14 days. I'm really hoping she doesn't revert to having the discomfort she had before once the dosage is reduced.
I took Remy up to the school, it was a good exercise as we had tractors and trailers (harvesting the corn) coming and going along the lane all the time we were up there. He got a little worried at one point and jumped away on the lunge line, he didn't try to get away though and soon calmed. I led him around for a couple of minutes to reassure him and then we did a little walk work up and down the long side. He's starting to respond very nicely to the walk on signal and I can walk at the side of him rather than leading from the front. I say I can walk, but when he really walks out I have a job to keep up with him.
This is something a friend of mine wrote today, she's going through a bad time at the moment. I wish I could help her.
Through Billies Eyes.
I remember a different place, before we came here.
We all had our own rooms, we didn't stay in them much though we spent our time running through the fields, playing, or just grazing and sleeping. Whatever we wanted to do. Sometimes we would get excited, we just knew something was going to happen, different to other days, we could smell it, we could feel it, we would watch her approaching, we always did, but these days were special. She would come and greet us in turn, I always speak to her, she understands what I say, its funny she doesn't make a sound back but I know what she is thinking. When she walks away I follow her, we all follow. We don't know where she is going but we trust her, its always somewhere good. We walk across the now short stubby fields that only a short time before had been lush and green. Now and then she stops and listens and looks around, we understand and wait behind, wait for her to move again, onwards we follow, she disappears between the trees and bushes, we can't see what is on the other side, we are anxious, then she is back again and we are happy to follow, through the trees and out the other side, and there before us is another magical place, a green expanse where the breeze is cool and we can see for miles around, we are still not sure and wait patiently for the signal, as she steps aside and lowers her head we know we are in a safe place , we run as fast as we can, leaping and racing each other as far as we can go and then race back again where she is waiting, we roll in the long grass which feels wonderful on our backs, we are happy and relaxed because she is watching for us.
It is not the same here, there are no magical places, we still follow her on the special days but we can see where she is taking us, we can still run and roll and eat, but is not the same. It is hot and we don't stay long, we prefer to stand back in the big room, we all stand together helping to keep the flies away. Sometimes she sits with us, quietly in the corner, she makes a strange noise and there is rain on her face, but it is not raining outside. I have heard this noise before on the day I couldn't find my friend. I saw him when we were all together in the field, but then he started running around and I tried to follow him and he kept rolling in the grass but he wasn't happy. We were taken back to our rooms, he didn't come, I could hear him but I couldn't see him. When she came for me and took me to where we were, I could see him but couldn't hear him anymore. There were others there, they all stood making noises I couldn't understand and they had rain on their faces but it wasn't raining on me. I stood with them and whickered low, but he didn't answer me, so I turned to her and she nuzzled me it made me feel better, so when she sits in the corner with rain on her face I nuzzle her, it makes her feel better.
The Up. I had a lovely morning on Friday when Trudi and her daughter Lydia came over. It was a lovely warm, fresh morning and we were able to work with Anky and Remy in the school. Trudi did some in-hand work with Anky and then helped me as it's all pretty new to me. She made me realise that I have to find my own way with the in-hand work(thanks Trudi), find out what works for both me and the horse. In other words, "don't follow in the footsteps of the masters, search for what they sought." The quote is in my head, I'm not sure where I've read it, but it seems to sum it up.
Lydia, the video queen and budding film maker charmed both Jim and I. Before going off with Jim to oversee harvesting of produce in the garden she took this little vid, she's such a star. Watch it with the sound on.
We took Remy up to the school and played, he's learning to walk on ahead now, he's quick to learn and apart from getting a little bit excited he was a good boy for his Auntie Trudi:-)
The Down. We returned from an afternoon with friends yesterday to find Anky a little colicky in the field, she was stretching and lying down and rolling. My heart sank, I'm so emotionally tied to this horse now I can't be objective and it's really starting to get me down. We brought them in and she lay down in the stable, she wasn't rolling or pawing, just quiet. I kept a close eye on her and after about 30 minutes she stood up and whickered at me for her tea. By the time we put them out for the night she seemed fine. Jim did remind me that although she is still showing symptoms, she is much better than she was. Having started the Gastrogard treatment, we are now taking steps to try to heal any inflammation in the hind gut, which often goes hand in hand with gastric ulcers.
This morning she came in looking fine so I took her up to the school for some in-hand work. I concentrated on getting her focussed and motivated and we did some nice walk work, including a little shoulder in and leg yield down the long side of the school.
Another Up. We've just spent a lovely afternoon with some friends, playing silly games in their pool and having a laugh. Like big kids we were - just what I needed.
It was lovely this morning, warm but with a lovely cool breeze. Couldn't be better. We rode out with Corky and Anky, we investigated a new track and Anky went down it no problem. She is tight in her back, only to be expected really, but today she was forging. I'm hoping she'll gradually start to relax over her back, it's only occasionally that I feel her really moving my seat.
I've been gathering quite a bit of information on Gastric Ulcers and associated problems. It seems that Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) and Right Dorsal Colitis (RDC) often go hand in hand. The only FDA approved drug for the treatment and prevention of recurrence of gastric ulcers in horses is GastroGard®, which is what Anky's on, but this won't treat colonic ulcers. Feeding corn oil daily is recommended, to be added to the feed to increase Omega-3 fatty acids. A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids may help to reduce inflammation in the colon. Also Psyllium mucilloid can be added to the feed. Psyllium increases the concentration of short-chain fatty acids in the colon of other species which reduces inflammation and may reduce inflammation in the horse colon. I don't know anything about Psyllium, but I've heard of it being sold as a supplement for horses so I'll have to investigate. We feed the horses sunflower oil, so I'll change Anky to corn oil from now on.
After riding out, I took Remy up to the school. He's not been up there in a while and he was a little reluctant, but once he'd got his head round it he went up there ok. He was distracted this morning, but he settled once in the school. We've been doing little sessions, asking him to walk on from the voice and a light touch on the girth. I want him to walk on of his own accord, which has confused him a little after all the leading work we've done. I think he's starting to get it and today in the school it seemed to click and he gave me a purposeful but relaxed walk stride. I think he's got quite a good walk. Early days, but I find him a very exciting prospect.
I could really see today, how much better Anky's feeling. She has a calm look in her eye, she's not gassy or stretching and she's moving around much easier. Also she's put on a bit of condition and started to get a shine on her coat. It's only now when I see her start to look much better that I realise how miserable she must have been feeling. I feel guilty about it, have I been looking at her with my eyes closed? I think the biggest red herring along the way was thinking that it was a problem with her seasons, because that was when she was the most uncomfortable. But what about the in-between times? I dread to think what kind of discomfort she has been living with. She's on the Gastrogard now though so I'm really hoping all will be well.
Continued the same with Remy over the last few days. He's very well behaved on the lead rope and fairly focussed for most of the time. He's happy with the bit, mouthing nicely, happy and relaxed in the school and I think he's ready to start some lungeing and in-hand work.
Corky's been on bute for the last couple of days. She has a swelling over her croup, along the sacral area. The swelling's on the near side and watching her walk away, she looks to be dropping her offside hip. Now, I don't know if she's actually dropping her offside hip or not using her nearside hip properly. The bute has reduced the swelling, but she's still unlevel behind, though not as much as before. So, I think a visit from the osteo is in order. I'll ask Lucinda to come along with her osteo and he can look at both Anky and Corky.
