Thursday, July 30, 2015

April's Foot - Dew Poisoning

What is up with our luck, and animals these days? Well, Today is April's turn. She had this raw spot on the back of her foot that I spotted it last week. So, Bart cleaned it out really well, even wrapped it up. It started looking better, but today it didn't look good at all, and it was starting to smell.
 
 It is all that brown stuff on the left foot - it looks like scabs. She doesn't act like it hurts her, but today it looks a little swollen.
 
 So, we felt it was better to be safe than sorry. So, we are off to see the vet - yet again. We have been to the vet every month since we have been here. This is costing me a ton of money!

But, today we have a little help. We have Brandon and Bryce to go with us. So, Bart hooked up to the trailer, and got everything all plugged in. April is turning out to be a really good horse. She has always traveled with another horse though, so we loaded her up. She loaded up really nice, but as soon as Bart closed the panel on her, she started trying to strike out with her front hooves, and was backing up really hard in the trailer. I told Bart that he needed to go back in there and see what was going on.
 
Well, I just have to say - always trust a horse! She had good reason to be acting all crazy! There was a wasp nest inside of the trailer! And, wasps were flying all over! Bart got her out, and Brandon broke off the nest. In the nest, were baby wasps, and larva in there too. He smashed it really good. We loaded April up again, and off we went. Always trust a horse.

 It was so hot and humid today, and I think that April was nervous traveling by herself this time, that she worked herself up into a lather. She was dripping wet! She actually did really well, and traveled really quiet. Brandon was talking to her and calming her down.

 We were early, so while we were waiting, Brandon, Bryce & I went to look at the inside arena that they have there. Man it was nice!

 They have all kinds of jumps for the English riders. There were a couple of people exercising their horses while we were there. Man, I would love to have an arena like this. It was nice and cool too.

 There was another section that said "Private Area". Bryce went to go in there, and I told him that we had better not. So, he was being a bit rebellious, and just put his toe in there!

 We found out why it was so cool. They are running swamp coolers in there, and they actually have beach sand in their arena! There were these weird fibers in it too. What?! This is insane! Now I know for sure where my money is going now!

 Then Dr. Wooten came to look at April's foot. (Look at his poor boots. They are all worn out on the heels!)
 
 He said that it is called "Dew Poisoning" or "Scratches". It is caused by the grass always being wet. So, now we have to go back to keeping the horses locked in the barn at night time, and the turning them back out into the pasture during the day (after the dew has dried). This is crazy! And a pain in the (you know what). I think that our horses are just so spoiled that their bodies can't take all this pampering. I don't see these people who have like 30 head on their property having this problem! Whew!
 
Anyway, Dr. Wooten made up some special cream that cost us $85, and some special shampoo to get the "scratches" off, and sent us on our way. He didn't even treat her foot! We had to come home and do it. I wasn't very happy - at all. Then they overcharged us, so I had to straighten them out on that. What happened to our Brownie points that we earned today?

Oh, and while we were walking around checking out the other horses, there was a stall that was named Sky. So, I guess this is where Brandon boards her when he is at work! lol jus kiddin!

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