For some time now, our older gelding, Bill, has had a patch on his right hip. It's kind of a strange kind of patch......it looks a bit like a wart, yet not. And at times it seems to heal over, only to show up again. The Vet has looked at it, and none of the several vets can figure out what it is. The best guess was some kind of mite. However, none of the other horses ever got it, even though Bill has gone out with them. Also, it never seemed to get any bigger. Bill has been in the same stall for the last 10 years.
Since we have been fixing stalls, there have been several moves. Bill has been on the other side of the barn, keeping Jill (who hates everybody else) company......which also keeps the barn quieter and in one piece from her kicks. I had noticed that his patch was healing over; this time staying healed.
Well, Sheena is now in his old stall.......and it has not been re-floored. It should have been, since it is the most torn up.....there is a huge depression in the middle of it and the original flooring has heaved in spots. It was not done because there were other stalls that were taking on water, and that stall somehow stayed dry (which is good, since it would have been a mud wallow oherwise). It's next on the list, as soon as we get more gravel.
Well, you probably guessed it, Sheena now has a patch, in exactly the same spot as it was on Bill. Now if it were mites or bugs of any kind, it is highly unlikely that they would choose to reside in exactly the same place on two different horses (never mind the fact that no other horse in the barn has it).
My guess is, that when they lay down, they end up in exactly the same spot, as the "vallow" would allow thier bodies to slide into a particular position, kinda like a bean-bag chair. Although the shoarpese point is on the other side, there is obviously a point that I haven't really seen on the ground that must press on tat same spot on both horses, causing a rub, causing a callus, causing the wierd looking patch no one can figure out.
Who'd a thunk?
We'll see if it's true, once the floor is in.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Is it Spring yet?
HoooBoy! It has been one crazy winter!!!
Like most of you, I've been spending most of my time attempting to keep the snow to a manageable level on my drive......but I've not been winning. The long drive to the barn is STILL under 15-18" of snow. The tractor simply gave up trying to push the heavy snow.....and there's no place to put it anymore. So we wait for the melt. And even though we've had several really nice days of sun (which we've had VERY little of here in NE Ohio), the temperature has not been warm enough to really get the melt going. I can't wait until I can get back to the barn via the drive, but I am NOT looking forward to the mud on the other end. Already, my "rollers" have found mud puddles......at least enough to get mud on themselves.
This has been the first year when the horses have not been interested in really running and playing in the snow. Mostly, they've wanted to stay close to the gate......and have not wanted to stay out very long. True, it has been rather raw.....the wind has been cutting through everything ....but they haven't really stretched their legs like normal. Whether the snow has been too heavy along with the drifting......not sure. I have to admit.....trudging out to the barn has been tough enough....I haven't really gone out into the pasture.
My youngsters have been growing. The yearling, Fire, is already close to 16hh and the 2yo's K and Lilly are 17hh already. And their butts are still 4-6" higher than their withers. Athena, the now 4yo I took to the sale and came back home with.....matches my older grey mare, Missy. They should make a very nice team this year. The 3yo Sheena looks small compared to the 2yo's and 4yo.....but she really is over 17hh, when you "stick" her.....she just doesn't carry herself like a hitchy hitch horse. She can move like one.....but she really doesn't wanna. She is kinda our "fifth wheel".....she doesn't really match anyone. Again.....she CAN match our wonder-horse, Star, but she doesn't really wanna. As a horse listener......I have to respect that (even though I would rather see her at her full potential)....because she is not going to be happy, and I don't want her to get balky. She would do well with someone who wants to show her lightly at local shows and have fun with her. She loves the attention, and has done well for us at shows, she's just not quite what we need to finish our 4-up hitch.
Here's hoping you all have a nice Spring.
Like most of you, I've been spending most of my time attempting to keep the snow to a manageable level on my drive......but I've not been winning. The long drive to the barn is STILL under 15-18" of snow. The tractor simply gave up trying to push the heavy snow.....and there's no place to put it anymore. So we wait for the melt. And even though we've had several really nice days of sun (which we've had VERY little of here in NE Ohio), the temperature has not been warm enough to really get the melt going. I can't wait until I can get back to the barn via the drive, but I am NOT looking forward to the mud on the other end. Already, my "rollers" have found mud puddles......at least enough to get mud on themselves.
This has been the first year when the horses have not been interested in really running and playing in the snow. Mostly, they've wanted to stay close to the gate......and have not wanted to stay out very long. True, it has been rather raw.....the wind has been cutting through everything ....but they haven't really stretched their legs like normal. Whether the snow has been too heavy along with the drifting......not sure. I have to admit.....trudging out to the barn has been tough enough....I haven't really gone out into the pasture.
My youngsters have been growing. The yearling, Fire, is already close to 16hh and the 2yo's K and Lilly are 17hh already. And their butts are still 4-6" higher than their withers. Athena, the now 4yo I took to the sale and came back home with.....matches my older grey mare, Missy. They should make a very nice team this year. The 3yo Sheena looks small compared to the 2yo's and 4yo.....but she really is over 17hh, when you "stick" her.....she just doesn't carry herself like a hitchy hitch horse. She can move like one.....but she really doesn't wanna. She is kinda our "fifth wheel".....she doesn't really match anyone. Again.....she CAN match our wonder-horse, Star, but she doesn't really wanna. As a horse listener......I have to respect that (even though I would rather see her at her full potential)....because she is not going to be happy, and I don't want her to get balky. She would do well with someone who wants to show her lightly at local shows and have fun with her. She loves the attention, and has done well for us at shows, she's just not quite what we need to finish our 4-up hitch.
Here's hoping you all have a nice Spring.
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