Monday, May 28, 2012

Snake!

There is a Black Snake living in or around the barn. Look out crickets and beetles! His mouth is too small to handle much else.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Spa Day

Because of the twins surgeries we were laying low for the weekend, plus it was pretty darn hot with the accompaniment of high humidity. We decided that mostly everybody needs a bath! He had previously upgraded the water heater in the LQ trailer to work on dual fuel: propane and electric. This increases the heating capacity, so not only is the first bath hot, so is the second. We started with the pre-bath shampoo – manes and tails – of Sprite and Lil Fred. Traditionally Lil Fred has been horrific at bath time. For someone that weighs around 200 lbs. he can be quick and dangerous. He rears and plunges, spins and dives. This time he actually took it like a man! Sprite is always resigned to the fact that this is going to happen, just deal. April also got a bath and let the shedding begin in earnest! W0W – looks like the stuffing has been knocked out of her.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Cut, Cut - It's a Wrap!

Today both Irene and Max went to the vet's, to get neutered. Two birds with one stone, two babies with one knife, something like that. Glad it's done with. We're looking forward to our holiday weekend, but spending it babysitting the two of them. The Infirmary is in full swing.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Holiday Weekend on the Horizon

No food after 10pm for Max or Irene. I think the best plan will be to feed her at 9:55 and hit the sack. I feed her right before I go to bed and she sleeps all night, sometimes the alarm wakes her. I recommend that to anyone that says cats are Nocturnal and will keep you up all night. Cats are not chinchillas, you can change their life patterns. Food is the key.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Emergency!!

We have a puppy: An out-of-control Muttly Mutt of a puppy. He is now approximately 6 months old. He desperately needs to be neutered. He might not think so, but he does. It's not an option; it's been scheduled but can't get here fast enough. We also have a cat, Irene, who is over two years old but is also not neutered. Coincidentally she will be spayed the exact same day as Max! They’ll be twins! On Wednesday morning, at 5:33 precisely, Irene jumped into the window that is above our headboard. We are sleeping. Max jumps onto the bed to chase her into the window. He uses Tom’s face as part of his launch pad. This is not a good thing. Tom says, “I think he cut my lip.” Famous last words, right? He goes into the bathroom and says, “I’m going to need stitches,” What? “And a wash cloth.” Seriously? So I take the very bad puppy outside, feed the horses, by then he’s got most of the blood cleaned up from the wall, mirror and sink, his clothes on and the wash cloth against his face. I drive to the Emergency Room. He’s processed fairly quickly, we’re both asked if we feel like passing out. Do we look that pale? I text my mom to call me with my cell number – it is 6:45. She calls back fairly quickly. She also asks if I’m going to call his mother. Really? Why? She doesn’t think dogs belong in the house, let alone in the bedroom. We’re not even going there. I drive back home to get the horses out of the barn, back to the hospital where I run into a co-worker in the parking lot. We both say at the same time, “what are you doing here?” It’s 7:30 a.m. In the end he got 4 dissolvable, one stitch to repair the torn muscle, and 18 stitches on the outside. It looks great! We go to the pharmacy to fill the prescription for Penicillin and SPF 60+ and Neosporin Ointment. After he takes a nice nap we go to the grocery to buy foods that are low in salt and easily chewed. He’s to drink everything, including coffee, with a straw.
Monday he’s scheduled to have the stitches out. That’s pretty quick, right?

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Mother's Day *WARNING - GRAPHIC IMAGE*

I believe there is a good reason I'm not a mother. Mostly because I would not make a good mother. **************** WARNING - GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION & PHOTOS **************** As you might remember WE HAVE A PUPPY. On Sunday we went over to the old house to finish up a couple things, this and that, before listing the house for rent again. On the car ride over Max threw up. He does that mostly every time he gets a car ride. He loves car rides. He managed to miss mostly the tools piled up in the rear of the car, leaving a nice pile of barely-chewed dog kibble. In the puke-pile was a little bit of his shredded tennis ball and a white plastic-looking round object.
Of course Tom has to dig the round object out of the pile and it uncoiled in his hand, immediately dropped it on to the drive way and it writhed there for a short minute. Ugh - round worm! I wanted to mow the grass but it was instantly evident that the mower was not right. He flipped it over and discovered that the blade was bent, disfigured. Argh! A trip to the BigOrangeBox was eminent. He decided he would go to the BigPetStore, too, and get wormer for Max. Why didn't we do that a month or two ago? We are dreadfully bad parents! After we got home he gave Max two pills. This knocked him out pretty good. I know it was a long day for Max anyway, but having this strong medication going through him was rough, too.
In the morning the dead worms were anxious to leave the host. Grosser than gross. We are bad parents!

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Saturday Ride

We planned to go riding on Saturday, if the weather cooperated. It did, such a beautiful day but lots of the trails were wet, standing water, sloppy. We went anyway.
We know our way around the park pretty well. We had previously spent lots of time being lost, arguing about being lost, getting turned around and found again. All of that is in the past. Our friends wanted to pay their respects to the O'Neils, buried on a hillside on the other side of the river, plus go to the tavern at the other end. They also wanted to use their new GPS. This could be a long ride. Weather was delightful, KC was on his best behavior, and we have a wonderful ride in the park.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

First May Weekend Wrap-Up:

This weekend the 'Flower' Moon will be the closest to the Earth, but also a full Moon, which won't be seen again until 2029. Naturally Saturday night was mostly cloudy. We spent both days at the old house, getting the place ready to rent again. No riding, no playing with the harness, but we did play with the puppy. You have to play with the puppy! There was an event at the horsey club but we never got a chance to stop in. It also rained, and some of our friends are camping out - in tents! I'm sure there are some lessons learned, right? With the rains the grass is growing, finally!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

The Tale of Two Horses

We harnessed Lil Fred up, no cart, and gave him a spin around the barn, several spins. He really is good and this is the first time we had him in harness since the cart mishap. He doesn't like even looking at the cart.
After that we tried to harness Sprite. No. Can. Do. She was rearing, plunging, kicking out, side-stepping. Making it impossible to put the bit in her mouth. She was good the first and only time she was harnessed. Sometimes that is the defining moment. You think they've got it, when in fact they got your number. And it's never going to happen again. I hate to admit a 300-pound pony got the best of us, so I put her halter on and lunged her, a lot. She was breathing heavily when I said enough. We'll try again soon, and if it doesn't work out she'll get lunged, a lot. There were weather alerts into the evening: Heavy downpours, thunder and lightning, until 10:45. While putting hay in the keeper, I moved the cart and Lil Fred had a 'freak out' and took off. I got the big boys in, fed them a flake of hay, and watched the clock. At 11:00 I put them back out, the worst of it had passed by then. Overnight we got a smattering of rain, not enough to put the dust down.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Busy Day Wrap-Up

We had a smattering of rain overnight; the thunder woke me around 5:00 but the lightning was far off. No mad dash out to the pasture this morning. Dr. Sarah, our veterinarian, came out early and did everybody: Rabies, Tetanus, West Nile, Coggins for the boys, the whole deal. Quick work. She wants to see pictures of the little guys in their harness and cart. So then right before the Appraiser is due out, Max discovered feral cat feces by the landscaper bins and decides to have a joyful roll. He fouled the entire parking lot with the stench. Tom tied him to the patio table and gave him an EZ-All bath. That water is cold, too. While the Appraiser was here Max was in his cage, wet and mad. He then met the A/C estimator at the old house; we'll probably get the A/C replaced along with a new furnace. We had the A/C installed in 1989, the furnace was already old when we moved in. We got our money's worth out of both units. The best part is the new renter will pay for the new units. That's the plan anyway.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

May Is Here!

Last night we got Sprite harnessed up, took her for a 'spin.' Literally. She couldn't go straight too much, had to turn, 180s a lot. I drug her around, she was working the bit, trying to get her in the right direction, moving forward. I also got the cart out, following and leading. She did work hard, for her. Progress! Worked with Max on his 'sit,' which is getting better all the time. He now is wearing his 'shock' collar, but we haven't pushed the button yet. We want him to get used to the collar, the weight, and not think that when he has it on is the only time he needs to really, really be good. Tomorrow will be a busy day at Twin Maples, too. The home appraiser is due out, so is the Vet.