Everything, All At Once

Here's an update on everything, all at once and not in the right order.

This photo was taken while Daisy was colicing. She ended up spending a full day with lots and lots of sleeping lying down.

This was one of her hoof prints on the drive from us walking up and down.

Sunday evening I gave Daisy some hay and she actually enjoyed it.

This was before Sunday evening, this was Sunday afternoon, as Daisy napped in her stall. I sat right next to her as she lay down, which was a sign that she was feeling really bad.

I set up this fun craft for my 4H club. I cleaned 25 old horseshoes. . . I like how mine turned out :)

Daisy got over her colic. The vet came the following Wednesday and I discussed it with her and she suggested I put Daisy on a daily dewormer to prevent colic. I thought about it, and have decided to put her on Apple Cider Vinegar again like last fall instead, and only resort to the dewormer if it doesn't work. I'd rather have her on something natural like the vinegar. 

This photo was taken Tuesday April 12th, when I took Daisy over to Jenny's for the night.

Itching on her tree :)

I love my new camera. . .

Daisy tucked in her old stall at Jenny's farm. She slept there Tuesday night, and Jean picked her up while I was at school on Wednesday and brought her to her farm because I needed her taken care of while I. . .

Vacationed in Germany! :) This is a panorama shot of houses along the Rhein river in Mainz, Germany.

I went to Germany with my friend Stormy.  This is us in the vineyards of Kiedrich, Germany.

This was us at a castle tower in Eltville, Germany.

The view out of the Eltville tower.

The "Mouse Tower" on the Rhein.

Us leaning out our bedroom window in the Castle Stahleck youth hostel.

The only horses I petted while in Germany :) some cart ponies in Obersdorf in the Alps.

I was surprised to see them come down the street soon after I said goodbye to them in the middle of the town.

Two cuties.

Daisy is home now, still trying to gain back weight she lost when she coliced, but she's close to her regular weight again. She is almost shed out and feels and looks so soft and pretty. I bathed her legs, tail, and mane today. I love when she smells like baby shampoo :) 
Sorry for my lack of update,

Spring is Right Around the Corner. . .

I came home from school yesterday to a colicy horse. This is evidence that spring is here, or on it's way.

I headed out to the barn around 3:30 and found Daisy completely muddy, soaked through to the skin in places. This was weird considering that Daisy is not a big roller at all. I took a look at the ground and realized that there were paw marks... everywhere. Some places it looked like she'd been digging to China. I could also see a roll spot, and eventually found two more spots, plus evidence that she rolled in her stall. I took her right out on the driveway and walked her a bit, then brought her back and let her loose. She didn't paw again, so I threw a cooler on her and cleaned out her stall. I came back fifteen minutes later and she was pawing again; more walking. After about 15 minutes my mom reminded me of the banamine (I'm really not sure how I forgot about it. . . ) and so I gave her a dose and kept on walking. She started shivering even in her cooler, so I took it off and put her thick blanket on.  I let her loose one more time, but she pawed again, so we kept walking. We ended up walking up and down the driveway for over an hour. The banamine took a long time to kick in, but it finally did and I could leave her with a bit of hay. 


This morning she seemed better, though lacking her usual zest for food. I left for school feeling the worst was over, but got a text from my mom later on saying she was pawing again. I got picked up at 11:30 already and came home to find her doing much better. I walked her up and down once and splashed some apple cider vinegar in her water for digestion, put her cooler on (she was soaked again), and left her. She seems to be better now and eating normally, but doing a lot of sleeping lying down in her stall. I'm not really worried about it though; She's closed in with the bottom half of her dutch door and I think that makes it inviting to lie down. I think she's just recovering; she seems fine otherwise.


Needless to say, I ordered 10 16oz bottles of organic ACV again. I used it last fall and she didn't colic so, fingers crossed it works from now on as well. I'm making an appointment for hopefully next week to have her new vet come see her for her spring vaccinations and coggins, and a fecal test and to buy more banamine (I'm down to one dose). 


Ahh springtime . . .

Colic, Dentist, and Upcoming Show!

Hello! Sorta-long-ish time no post!

Some of you who commented last time...I'm sorry I haven't gotten around to your blog! I'm busy, and forgetful :P I'll try when I'm done writing this.

So to update you...well, again, I'm forgetful so I'm probably forgetting to write something. Riding has been uneventful. The last two weeks I haven't really paid any attention to Daisy's leads, I let her do what she wanted out on the road rather than fight her all the time. I think that was a good thing, because when I rode yesterday, she actually listened to my cues for leads! That never happens. NEVER on a straight-away do I touch her left outside and actually get a right-lead canter on the first try, without sidepassing. And I did yesterday. AND we went for a real gallop, and she felt amazing; very controlled, but fast.

My friend came on Saturday and rode Daisy...she was good until we got to the point where we normally gallop. And she didn't want to walk. :P Bethany did a good job handling her...and could have got her through but I didn't wanna wait :P. Of course, once I got on, she got her butt in gear. She's smart, that horse.

Our first game show of the year is Saturday! I am frankly not feeling ready...not that it matters. I just feel sorta bad that I'm not riding much western but will show western on Saturday...heavy saddle and all. I've only ridden western one other time (I think...) since the last western-riding-picture post. Lydia will be joining our club at the show! :)

Daisy's dentist came today. Which brings me to the question. Should you have horse's teeth floated yearly, *even* when they're "young"?
I think you should. Because it's not like they don't grow when they're young. It's not like they can't have problems when they're young. Why wait until they have an issue? I'm for prevention. :) Plus Daisy likes it; she leans into it ;). And I feel better about her. Some horses will ride, while in pain, and seem to be fine, because they're good little ponies. Others may have issues that may seem behavioral...but could just be caused by pain because their teeth are too long. Yes, older horses might need more dental work because their teeth are "old", but they can essentially have the same problems as young horses. Age shouldn't be a deciding factor (in my opinion) So I wanna know; what do you think? Maybe I'm wrong. I'd like to know. Also, do you think people can still do a good job floating teeth without using one of these thingys to hold their mouth open? Mine doesn't use one, but he looked in her mouth today with a light on his head....sooo...just wondered.

And moving right along to...my new Tuffrider APPLE GREEN SADDLE PAD! :D I love it. I got it at Horseloverz.com. Which I linked in the sidebar ---> there but I wanted to point it out again. I LOVE that store. They claim they ship in "one day" and they used to ship really fast, but they don't seem to anymore...which is a bit of a shame, but it's ok. I got three bags of Nicker Snacks treats for free with the order. I can say I have first-hand experience with their customer "live chat" feature and it works very well. :) So just had to plug there.

And there's my bug! I took all these photos with my cellphone...I think they're decent! I'm not sure currently where I put my camera because I cleaned out my room and had it sort of re-done, and it's in one of my boxes...I'll find it tonight...maybe.... ;).

And this was taken just today of Daisy grazing.

OH! I remember now what I needed to post!
Daisy coliced. TWICE last week. The first time, Tuesday, was minor; not very worrisome. Thursday, it was bad. I went to go to Bible Study at night, and noticed she was pawing and not eating...again. My dad updated me while I was gone and after an hour said she was lying down in her stall...which was unusual. And my brother had seen her pawing. So I went home. After walking up and down the driveway a few times, I let her in her stall for a moment. About a minute after she went down and rolled. I was not happy. That's not a good sign. She's never been in enough pain to roll. So I made the decision and gave her a dose of banamine and walked some more. The eerie thing was that while walking, she was in a really good mood, the entire time. But as soon as we stopped, she pawed. So I guess the walking eases the pain...

I discussed it with various people on facebook. Some brought up grass. That can't be it because I'm slowly getting her used to it...she's only on for about a half hour a day right now. And Tuesday she hadn't even grazed. Another said lack of water...but she seems to drink a lot. I'm not sure if it's just coincidence, but Daisy's never been colicy at Jean's...there she's in a dirt paddock with no trees near her.

So I'm thinking it's leaves. There are no more red maples in her pasture, but there are sugar maple leaves...The other thought is that she went into heat on Friday after colicing....soooo...it may be a heat thing. I've never heard of other mares colicing when they go in heat, but it seems possible. Since Thursday, she's been fine. On grass and everything.

So that was my "big news".

Daisy goes to Jean's on Thursday. YRY mounted meeting Friday <3>

Until then (probably),