Weathering the Weatherly...

[DeniseJP]

My horses had their annual visit from their veterinarian, who they normally love and surround... even after getting their vaccines.

It was pouring two Fridays ago here so everyone was in their respective stalls/run in sheds. Problem one - no herd support.

Nefertiti was good and she is normally the naughty one.

Weatherly was next... getting the Coggins blood test was OK but when it came time for the shots, she was bad... bad to the point of getting a twitch out (which I hate using) and she shook it off... then we tried a lip chain... and I could not do it to Weatherly, who will not wear a bit as she finds it painful. Now I have 15.2 hands of upset horse and upset owner and a vet who has to get the job done, until I said enough.

I opted for an oral tranquilizer and paying an additional farm call to try the shots again... I had to sit with Weatherly for an hour after the vet left to make sure I was not on her (Weatherly's)"manure" list... round two happens tomorrow... and I am hoping she will take the oral tranquilizer disguised in a bit of applesauce (her favorite).

I truly believe (even though the veterinarian doubted it) that Weatherly remembered getting her shots last year and getting very, very sore, to the point of standing funny afterword and not moving until she got a dose of Bute. I might be a few sandwiches short of a picnic but I get a picture of what Weatherly feels... horses remember being mistreated by riders so why would they not remember an event that made them feel poorly?!

The herd will be with her tomorrow so hopefully they can support her as well through a necessary part of being healthy - weather is supposed to be cool but sunny. I am trying to visualize what she will have happen so she can understand but my animal communication skills are more in tune with Mercy's frequency so I have to refine my skills further to expand on additional horses. Some would say I need to get a life but my barn family is a life I enjoy.

Rabbits I am working on... and I am working on my dogs and cats and my snake...it is tough being multi-lingual in different species!

Denise

 

[hartleybun]

snake.........anyhew i believe animals can remember. brandy hates going to the vet. she becomes a completely different dog vet = illness and pain in her book. each time we take her we think positive, give out the good vibes etc. still the same reaction despite our' its one of those things' attitude. whiskey has no problem, luckily

the joys of having animals in our life! not many snakes round here at it's a tad too cold for the adders of woodbury common to show themselves......yet....h34r2h34r2

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Poor girl! both of you! I'm surprised the vet didn't think she remembered... I really believe they do! and to support that fact; they did a study recently and horses remember other horses and people who they have met over their lifetimes. Lexi goes to visit her first horse we leased.. the first POKEY, and she is around 33 years old. It's been like 6 years since she first started riding and showing her. When Pokey sees her, she nickers really loud (she loved going to shows and being handled and having a job!) It's the same nicker she had for her when Lexi used to go in everyday! That horse's eyes light up and you can see her love for Lexi.

Applesauce is a miracle worker for hiding medicine LOL

 

[DeniseJP]

Bo B Bunny wrote:

Poor girl! both of you! I'm surprised the vet didn't think she remembered... I really believe they do! and to support that fact; they did a study recently and horses remember other horses and people who they have met over their lifetimes. Lexi goes to visit her first horse we leased.. the first POKEY, and she is around 33 years old. It's been like 6 years since she first started riding and showing her. When Pokey sees her, she nickers really loud (she loved going to shows and being handled and having a job!) It's the same nicker she had for her when Lexi used to go in everyday! That horse's eyes light up and you can see her love for Lexi.

Applesauce is a miracle worker for hiding medicine LOL

Well... I snuck the oral tranquilizer into the applesauce and she ate it and realized she had been duped...45 minutes later the veterinarian arrived to vaccinate but I knew it did not affect my girl... she was chasing Freedom and Saoirse and leaped into the air with a mighty buck as the veterinarian pulled in to the driveway... could have stood in the yard ripping up $20s... LOL

The vet pinched Weatherly's neck skin and Weatherly whirled around... wild eyed and ready to fight. She was not going to hold so I asked for the vaccinations and said I would "go it alone."

The vet left... and I got the first one in and delivered. Weatherly was upset and a bit angry about it but I tried to tell her she needed it for her health as tetanus and rabies could kill her. She tolerated the twitch for the second shot and I gave her a break, lots of patting and dealing with that look of "I cannot believe you are hurting me, mom!" Wished I could have hugged her while it was being done....

I then had two more to go on her right side... a side that had not yet had a shot. I retwitched her, tried to explain it was OK... I did not want to hurt her but it was for her health and she was not happy but allowed me to do the deed. Untwitched she ran about the stall, half reared and tried to run me over... I totally felt her anxiety and pain.

I promised her grazing time, which I gave to her, and rubbed the sore spots on her neck, which she eventually let me do. I have her hay spread out so she can work her neck muscles throughout the night... and I have the Bute ready in case she needs it again due to post vaccination soreness.

She followed me about the pen (400 x 800 ft) after the shots and was happy to take grass from my hands... stopped when I stopped... and let me scratch her neck.

Sometimes, bonding with a horse (or any animal you love) can be tough. I felt like a mom with human kids who has to give them a sticker to make them feel better...

:heartsWeatherly...

Denise

 

[DeniseJP]

And, as I expected, Weatherly could not move her neck the following morning... a few doses of Bute over 36 hours to relieve the soreness and we went for a walk where I let her eat grass to stretch her neck to the ground... funny how she could move just fine when food was involved and she could not see me watching her... she so has me wrapped around a hoof but I would not trade her for the world...it is great to have found my soul mate in a big horse...and all the little horses in the barn...

Thank goodness her shots and Coggins tests were done - we have a ladies and horses only camping trip planned with friends on May 22nd...so we are good to go!

Denise