Power Packed Post

Me, taking care of the mare. . . just loving on her~

First off...allow me to introduce you to Freyda. She is a rescue feline that my sister fostered. At 6 mo old Freyda had a littler, with only one surviving kitten.  That was 8 years ago. Now, as my sister(non horsey one) is becoming more active in marathon biking and running sometimes...she needed to re home her. Sooo- meet our new kitty!

She is a very LARGE cat weighing in at 20 -22 lbs. I had a very difficult time weighing her..she encompassed the scale, and to pick her up...really hard...but I did...but almost fell off the scale for leaning over, and  forward...to try to see the digits, around her mass!

She Is healthy, my sis went to many vets to see if she had a problem. NOPE. But yet... and I have a diet plan for her..(will go into later)

I have enjoyed her being at home, waiting for me as I open the door! These

 past 2 weeks, her waiting for me at home, has been a comfort to me!!

(all photo's  in this POST taken from my new phone-quality-eh--but I may send to my email and the computer does not object)

Weds evening,  (after my story below)....

Freyda cat...taking care of me!

(I started to write this story...last Weds)

So bear with me..it has gotten so much better..but this is how It began-

SHOCK...I am in shock.

In a series of three events...in a row, My mare had sustained another injury, as well as Pantz.
I pray this is the last for a LONG while!

I had to work Tuesday last....all day, all night. I told my PBO I would not be out. No problem, she takes care of my horses- feeds, waters, handles and brings them in at night now, as I asked for that, last week.
 I don't worry at all.
Wednesday was to be therapy for the mares, since the Road runner day, week before, and crash. Also..I was going to be packing for the BEND trip!!

I got to the barn Weds, after working the morning shift, and went out to the mares...again, they are standing in the extreme corner, at the gate...waiting to come in-at 1pm?!!

This has been the trend for them, the past 2 weeks..waiting to come in, not necessarily, at dinnertime.
 I notice theses things...as well as Pantz being extra cranky and getting more tucked up and slim looking .

 I  Notice, I have to, my sister trusts me with her horse, I am in charge of her now.... I have to notice.

I weight tape both mares on a monthly basis. It is one way I keep track of them and changes.
As I walked into the field..I doid notice Pantz's grain bowl...set aside and out of the way- so my mare could not eat her food. I looked into it..not only was there a quarter of grain left, not eaten...there was the rest of her morning meal...still in the baggie. OKAY...WHAT IS UP WITH THAT?? Something is amiss.
I digress..

I got them in the barn and started to ready them for a Equine Therapy treatment.  Yea..I always feel excellent about having the specialist out to access their health-BELOW THE SURFACE!


OH! I noticed Pants first...

Pantz's hind legs were swollen up , solidly, from hock to pastern. HARD. I checked Pantz out...no heat but totally swollen hind legs! Then, I walked into my mare's stall and almost lost my breath- for what I saw...sinking, I felt like I was sinking.

These were so sore and hot/swollen..the mare would barely let me look at them very long, let alone touch!

Claw marks, spanning her back rib cage, to hip and over her rump! Funny too...I never thought anything other than CAT, meaning -COUGAR.- from the get go.
Some now think it could be a bear...but?

Though I have walked the field , several times now...looking for anything else it could be!!!

My sister came up from the coast too-emergency like- to check it all out.

 WE walked the mares near everything in the field, anything near that height. I had my  sissy, walking behind me and Wa mare, to see if it were possible to make those marks.

 NOPE...they are NOT on her side...they are in the curve area and up on top! IN straight lines.

Well, with  my Equine therapist was coming in 10 minutes, and having her Thermography camera  with her ...

Oh MY Wonderful GOD! Couldn't have planned that better...
It not only showed the marks on Wa mare that we saw...it showed another complete set of marks, full of heat, atop her upper rump!

(bad quality from my cell phone, yet the heat/trauma marks are still apparent)

It also showed marks on Pantz, as well, we couldn't even see .

I thought Pantz had gotten off, with no  more than swollen hind legs.

 NOT THE CASE.

She too had scratch marks upon her upper rump area, the camera showed lines there, in bright red...Miriah, my Equine Therapist...gasped...walked over to Pantz and touched the area the camera showed..
OH! She shrunk away from her touching it!

She also found her Gaskins(that right?) her inner hind thigh area...heated and red on the camera too...running, I think running, and maybe kicking.

This technology is amazing!

I tried fanatically to reach my PBO...tried her husband too! I just  wanted to know WHEN this happened!!

DID it happen in the hours between -when you took them out to the field- that morning???

Did they get left outside Tuesday night?? I just needed to know!

Nothing from her.

I was in more than shock,  now.

Basically, I knew we WERE NOT GOING ON THE HORSE  TRIP.
I Could not think of that trip. I did NOT care about loosing the $105. bucks!

Back to horse...

I wondered if I should have the vet prescribe me antibiotics again...cats claws are so dirty...infection is my concern here.
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I am having the mares in all the time, right  now..they have very large runs, attached to the open stalls. The Rains have begun ...It is a bit warm for blankets yet and they would want to be under cover...with none out there.

I have gone daily, since the attack anyway. so, the mares are getting out for walks and grooming and assesment. Funny thing too...I make sure to stay till dark time...and the first night, there was this screaming noise..yeowling in the woods across the street. The other horses were all huddled in the barn as well as mine...they all took off- out of the stalls...all except Wa mare.
 She bobbed her head up and down..and would NOT budge. In fact...tonight, Monday the 20th- almost a week later. She still will not come out of her stall -at dark. I tried to coax her out tonight with an apple, then a carrot and then ...a nice pepperminmt  treat from my shelf...no go!
interesting...she knows best for herself.


My sister and Nephew came out to the barn. a few days ago.

 We all took the horses for a nice walk, for a few hours. I got drenched, as we walked in the freshly rained  upon forests!
 My Nephew rode Pantz, with my bareback saddle.
When he thought about it...he took his helmet off for the pic..though a solarization one, and his COOL hair, did not really show up!

 It was a good walk and I found out that my mare is very much lame, from the hip.

 So, for now, I will cold hose and hand walk.

Since most of my friends have seen the photos...some say bear and some say Cougar.

The D.N.R. (Dept Of Natural Resources) thought Young or Smaller wild cat...since she was attacked from behind and not the throat, as an experienced, bigger wild cat would do.

REST AND SAFETY

My plans are for these for the mares.
 It is a terrible feeling, not trusting them outside right now...reading up on it on the web, has NOT helped either! Lots of photos and broad daylight attacks, all over the country. I just do not want them out longer than a few hours..and NOT close to DARK at all!
Rest and safety...it is happening...whew...I am so tired of injuries!

I am having the " Easy Walker Horses"shoes taken off next weekend. I have ridden on them twice..and, as some of you know, I think they are too small and the nails are NOT set. They are long and loose,coming out of her hooves. Her hoof wall sustained some damage since the animal attack. Miriah, the
therapist and my sister  too, found
 abnormal traveling patterns,  really close to the trees in the paddock they were in. Some rocks were up on end around the trees with deep soil  patterns with hoof prints. So Wa probably ran across the large rocks and chipped her the hooves that way...since I am not riding her.

Freyda hiding away in the yard...at first arrival to her -now home.

So, through all this stuff, I have been waiting to tell  my PBO about some "good news"....that did not seem to be so good, when I finally got to tell her a day ago. I have had so much happen in the past 3 weeks...whew my head is spinning.

It really is GOOD though.

 Something I have sought after, for 4 years of owning my mare....

A BALANCE= of Trails and Arena time-in ONE local- for boarding.

I have been on a list for almost 1 year and half now for a  wonderful PRIVATE FACILITY . The first time I was accepted...they had room for only ONE horse...I had 2, with Pantz.

 Last year, just after I was accepted into my friends barn, my current place.....  

They  called me  AGAIN, to offer me the spot..I was reeling from the disastrous ending from being dejected from a stable with all my friends there still.

I said," no, I just moved...but here is a gal you'll love, she just called me to get out of the same place!"

She DID move to the Private ,wonderful, smaller stable, over a year ago and has loved it, ever since...

Some of you know her from "EQUINEMINE" blog

 We have had some really good rides and adventures together!!

This Private stable, it is super duper clean- and the best manged facility, I have seen under $ 600. It's way under that...but my point is...some $600 facilities offer Muddy turn outs and dusty, or soggy, slippery arenas. And grass...um, it has been EXTINCT from the paddocks inn those high priced spots, since they opened...usually,  because of over horse population to try to make a buck outa boarding,  instead of service and quality.

The nicest places I have seen, have an acre per horse, and save room for rotation of fields.

Something my friend noticed right away, after having been there for months and returning to her old boarding barn for a clinic...her horse was sleek and shiny, shed out.... while the others were dull and thick coated.

She has something, at this wonderful stable she moved to, they can't even offer...

GRASS - omegas = anti- oxidants in it, really help!

Plus,  stalls are open to a covered breezeway,and a150 foot run- for each horse.

. PEACE of MIND for the horses!

SO YUPPERS, They RECENTLY called me up again....I was standing with my current PBO, talking...probably about BEND.

I met again with the owner, and looked at the contracts, met with the vet, got my horses fecal done for a 0  count after worming last time.  0 resistance to the program I am on. They manage the fields, grooming them. PLUS, they haul MANURE OUT -to a local nursery. I've only been one other place, long ago that did such a good job of managing manuer (and flies!).

I'm IN!!!

THIS IS HARD THOUGH...leaving Pantz mare.

BUT my sister said,  though she can't afford it right now, she assured me by the time she moves up here and gets a job, she will be able to then!

Ohhh...so much I am gonna miss...but, there is so much I am going to really enjoy, again...A COVERED ARENA, My sissy coming to give me lessons, NEW trails, New friends and friends reunited! A lovely Round pen. Riding in the rain..without getting wet!

Last year, I interviewed at a barn...about this time of year, knowing I would want an arena for winter. I got accepted to board there. I was currently taking lessons there, as well.

 I decided not to move, so I could pay off the trailer and be in one place for longer than a year.

 NOW....I've done my time, boarding and riding  in the outdoor conditions all year-

Pantz will remain at the country local. I won't miss the 26 mile drive...but will still make it, to take care of Pantz mare, until my sissy moves back to Portland.

 My New place is 18 miles from home.

Today...I conceeded to allow the mares out again... both really want to be out now.

At first they seemed to enjoy the stalls..eating hay all day.. ..but now, it's time..I must let them go out again.

 Was going to hand walk them  next door, yesterday...but when My mare reared up in her stall, as I got Pantz out..um..better let you blow off the steam on your own,  in the fields!

 I sat in the field, with them, for an hour.. they both came up to me sitting on the ground...sniffled me then they ran around,  rolled and played and ate lovely fall grasses.

Again..Rest and Safety...the goal!~