FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread 12

[AnAmericanMother]

The only good thing about "no ducks" is that you don't have to clean and dress them . . . .

I thought when I saw that sweet innocent look in Belle's eye on her first night that she would be a heart-breaker. Ruby's just a juvenile delinquent. The only look in her eye is, "Hey! Let's rrrrrumble!"

[Duchess47]

:) Everyone falls in love with Belle except Bob. He likes her but prefers Blue. Everyone else thinks she’s wonderful.

[HairOfTheDog]

Good morning...

Sloppy morning here. Bay’s new interim farrier may be coming, but it’s sure not a good day for it.

[FrogInABlender]

How did the vet visit with Homer go yesterday?

[FrogInABlender]

Has it been 4 weeks since he saw him last, or is he just that much worse that you called him early?

[HairOfTheDog]

The farrier didn't trim when he took the shoes off at all, our original plan was to have him back after the Holidays. He desperately needs a trim, it's about 10 weeks now and he's very run forward. I don't know if that's ~all~ he needs, I think Bay is as lame as I've ever seen him, and I can't just let him be like that. Can you watch videos where you are? I can upload if so.

I need a little help knowing exactly what he needs... my gut tells me I'd like good shoes with the toe rockered and leather pads. Essentially, what he had when Mark did him, but with better heel trim than Mark did. But I don't know if that's an educated gut feeling or not. That's just what would make me feel better. I'm counting on this farrier knowing the answer, or I'm getting my vet and a new farrier involved.

Homer looks terrible but is on the improve. The vet shaved him and put him on the right antibiotic, so now he's on antibiotics and antihistamines. We're still just chasing symptoms, we don't know ~why~ he breaks out like this, but the meds have him feeling a lot better, and his skin has dried up and isn't so infected.

[AnAmericanMother]

Poor Homer!

Glad he's feeling better, and at least the places are on his back where he can't see them (so he won't be embarassed - my dog was so embarassed when she got shaved for stitches on her side that she would turn around to show her "good side".

[HairOfTheDog]

He’s definitely an embarrassment now... But at least now he has bald patches that look intentional so he doesn’t just look like a neglect case.

[FrogInABlender]

Dang, I hate to hear that about the ol’ Bay Man!

I’m back at work today so I can’t watch videos here, but you can still upload them if you’ve got time and I’ll watch them this evening when I get home. But as far as whether he needs pads or not, I’d just let the old farrier guy watch him and go with what he says for now. Just tell him that Bay’s as lame as you’ve ever seen him and he needs SOMETHING done and you’re going to trust him to figure out what that is, then let him try his best and see if that helps. And if it doesn’t, then you do what you said and go back to the vets and a new farrier. And I say that because I know that in conversations with my own farrier about some of his other clients, I’ve heard him remark that when people start telling him how to do his job that he does exactly what they say, whether he thinks that’s the right thing or not. ~:-/ So I found that to be some food for thought and filed it away in the back of my mind under “Things not to say to the farrier”. They’re a strange breed I tell ya.

[FrogInABlender]

I feel sorry for poor ol’ Homer. I’ll bet it’s kinda drafty back there when he goes outside to pee.

[HairOfTheDog]

I’m always very hesitant to start telling farriers how to do their job... so yeah - I’m hoping he’ll tell me.

My biggest issue with this guy is that he’s retired and I don’t know if he really wants to do this. That and he seems to think less is more. I don’t want less right now, I want that horse bubble wrapped if it will get me another year.

I mean, when I called him yesterday and said Bay was lame and I wanted him to come out, he said he’d come take a look and maybe bring trimming tools. I said he is very run forward and needs a trim and so do the other two, who also missed their trim appointments before Christmas... I need a full time farrier for all of them, not just advice.

He said he’d come out with trimming tools and if needed he’d go home and get his forge. I’m sure he’s qualified to do the work, I just feel like I’m trying to beg work out of a guy who isn’t really in the business any more. If I don’t feel like he wants to do all three today, I’m going to ask him if he wants to refer me to someone else.

[AnAmericanMother]

Well, Ruby is more 'in your face' than lovable (although she's incredibly cute and knows it).

She's not the least bit nonplussed at being surprised at work!

[FrogInABlender]

I can’t remember, but did you ever get in contact with either of those farriers that were listed on the NB site for your area? I know that you’ve kinda got a bad taste in your mouth for them right now, but I really do think that the last guy was just inexperienced and misapplied a really good shoeing protocol. And I still think you need to contact Mission Farrier School and send them pictures of his work. So does my farrier. I told him all about it and he says that they need to know that one of their graduates is lameing people’s horses so they won’t refer him anymore.

[HairOfTheDog]

There’s one other NB farrier that I know of, and she never returned my calls... not originally, and not recently when all this started.

I have very mixed feelings about the NB protocol, you’re right. I think it might be that it was just misapplied, but I also think if the protocol would really call for taking half his foot off, or leaving his toe hanging out there, there’s something wrong. Bay’s foot was NOT becoming that shape.

If I get Bay sound again I’ll consider what to say to both Randy and his school... And I’ll have more proof behind me that it was just that application of those shoes that made him lame. Right now I just really want him fixed. The old new farrier is staunchly opposed to the NB protocol, right or wrong, so as much as I may think it has a place, I’m not going that way as long as he is involved.

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, farrier came out and worked some hoof testers on Bay, no reaction, I think maybe he was suspecting an absess. He said he’ll come back tomorrow, trim everyone and put a wide web shoe on Bay in the front, and see if he’s not better, see if it’s just ground sensitivity. He didn’t want to watch him move or anything.

Dang... I’m just not sure I’m going to get a good diagnostic unless I have the vet out. If these shoes don’t make him feel better that’s what I’ll do.

Tomorrow it’s going to be rainy, so I’ll probably have to sweep in the morning so we can work inside. Honey, if your workload allows it, maybe tomorrow would be a good time to take the morning off, help hold horses and rig lights? Since we don’t have gates on the stalls any more, the trick will be holding the other horses ~out~ while we’re working on one.

[FrogInABlender]

An abcess was my guess too, so that's perplexing that he had no reaction to the hoof testers at all. But hopefully the new shoes will help and that'll be the end of it and you won't have to call the vet in. I know you're just sick of the whole deal. But I'm afraid that you're still going to have to find another farrier because since this guy is as old as he is, and is retired for a reason, he's not going to want to do them for long. But maybe he can recommend somebody he trusts to do a good job and is dependable and you can use them.

[HairOfTheDog]

Bay's never had an abscess... but I guess if he was really bruised, it would have been possible. I think it's his heels. But I probably only think that because that's what it's been before.

And speaking of this old guy... I guess his horn doesn't work on his car, and I didn't see him pull up to the gate, so he climbed over the gate and knocked on the door. He's pretty spry for an old retired guy ;~)

Tomorrow I'll try to have the gate open before he gets here ;~)

I did upload a video of Bay trotting... for whenever you can watch it tonight...

Baylame12-31-07

[FrogInABlender]

Heh, that’s also pretty gutsy to climb over somebody’s gate when you know there’s dogs in there. But I guess he knew your dogs were cream-puffs. ;o)

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, the dogs were in the house... or I’d hope they would have at least ~barked~.

I’m having a lot of doubts about my security system ;~)

[FrogInABlender]

Yeah, a security system that tries to lick you to death isn't very effective.