If only they had thumbs...

I find myself saying this all the time, "If Lazarus (or Mason) had thumbs they could help out so much!" I feel they want to help; they use their mouths, they use their hooves/paws, etc trying to help. It's not their fault they don't have thumbs! :)

Laz here was nibbling on the wood (he is a wood chewer!) handle of my pitch fork. Maybe he wants to help clean up his paddock?

Peaceful Holidays

Happy Holidays everyone!

Lazarus and I are still doing well. Meaning, he is still fighting like the Champ he is with his laminitis and his new bout of welts. I am doing well, being I still have my brown boy alive and happy. Simple pleasures and very thankful for over this Holiday season!!

Here are his welts, going down actually, since last week. We are still trying to figure why he got these itchy welts.

Look at that hay belly..so much better than his ribby look he had for a bit!

How cute is this, the barn owner decorated for the Holidays! I found it funny that Laz's was a rocking horse, like old man in a rocking chair healing! LOL!

Look at those ears, love them! "Hi Mom!"

He is a pigpen, he loves to roll, lay down and really laaaay down and place his head on the ground stretched out. He did that before the laminitis too.

After grooming him lightly (I don't want to cause the welts to itch more) I swapped out his rain sheet and put him back into his winter blanket. I'll see if this was the culprit of the welts, although I don't think it is...

Look at that calm sleepy eye and he is totally smiling!

After spending a few hours (brrrr) outside with him, Mason and I left. Look how happy and peaceful the horses are here. We are so lucky to board here.

Mason loves coming here too! He is a city living dog, but loves the country life!

I hope everyone has an amazing New Year and wishing for a GREAT 2010!!!!!

Holy Hives!

My poor Laz!! He seems to be unable to catch a break! Well, I guess that is not entirely true being he is beating the odds so far with his laminitis.

Yesterday, I went out to see my sweet brown boy. It was warmer than usual, the sun was out, the wind was down and it was a balmy 32 degrees. So, being a 'good' horse owner, I thought, I need to yank off his blanket and really groom him (since I hadn't seen him in 24 hrs) and check him over. As much as I love putting on a warm blanket on his thinner body, I do feel it masks him and I can't fully see him. Laz was a bit off too, yesterday. Quite spooky, spinning and flinchy. Almost like a horse that was smacked around would act. I gently pulled off his blanket and literally gasped!

All over his body were hundreds of HIVES!!!!!!!!! It looked like mosquito bites but obviously not the season. I called the barn owner over and we put our heads together.

-He has had his winter blanket on for about a week, and no hives on Friday.

-He did start a new supplement G.U.T. for his ulcer prevention

-Maybe he's allergic to the scotch guard we sprayed on his winter coat about a month ago but I used the same brand as last year and he had no issue with it. Same winter coat too.

So, we decided not to give him his supplements and to switch him back to his rain sheet until we talked to the Vet this morning. Vet informed us that usually they administer a steroid that will take care of the issue. However, being Lazarus is healing from laminitis, he doesn't want to give him that being he thinks his laminitis may have been caused by what he calls a chemical founder. Too many medicines in his body during his colic, or some combination his body couldn't handle.

So, we have to wait a few days to hope they go away. Poor little man is so uncomfortable and itchy. I didn't want to scratch the hives because I know it'll make it worse for him. I did groom him lightly and if it wasn't cold out, I would hose him down for relief. But in the winter? I just hope he rolls in his cold sand for some relief.

Have any of you experienced hives? Allergic reactions to blankets? Supplements? Those are the only two new variables that I can think of!

Toothbrush?

Just another calm, peaceful day spent with my boy.

Our routine has been as follows: I get there all ridiculously bundled up to stay somewhat warm in 20 weather. I first walk over to him before going in to shout my "Hello!" I head into barn, grab my grooming brushes from my locker, head to his paddock/stall. I walk up to him and love on him and we chat for a bit. Usually, I then throw his a few flakes of hay. I unwrap his legs to allow them to breathe. Then I spend about an hour cleaning his area, picking up poops, loose wet hay and attempt to chip the ice out of the freezing sand to soften it a bit more. Then, I groom him. Then, I re-wrap his legs, top off his water, throw more hay and I head back to work.

The best part of it is I get to see him, breathe him and love on him.

Below was a funny quick video I took of him trying to 'groom' his brush and play with it. He was especially into 'grooming' me with his camel lip and grabbing my coat with his lip. Amazing how strong that lip can be. Nothing makes me laugh more. I think being he's been separated from the other herds, I've become his grooming buddy.

Easing into winter

Brrrrr! Depending on where you are, this weekend was C.O.L.D.! Like fingernails wanting to pop off your fingertips cold. Friday evening I went out to the barn, which now, I'm trying to do every other day to save a little on gas (drive is an hour each way) and catch up around the house, etc. Friday was frigid. Re-wrapping Laz's wraps in the WIIIINDY artic cold was hell. He was spooky and kept spinning while I was trying to wrap him! Finally, I had to pull him inside his stall, throw him some hay to persuade him to be quiet. I could stand the cold for about one wrap, then I would run back in the heated club/tack/grain room to warm up and did that for each leg! LOL! He was toasty warm with just his lightweight rain sheet on and did I mention the best news...Friday, when the vet came out, he thought Laz looked quite good!! We will cut his Equioxx dose in half starting tomorrow and Laz seems to be moving better and better each day!

Sweet Laz standing against the wind, he soon figured out that he could stand in his stall and reach his neck around to eat his hay and watch the other horses. Our next round of xrays/shoes is for Jan 6th! I'm so happy to see his improvement happen and am hoping for solid results via xrays!!

Friday, on my way home, I stopped at the North American Horse Expo to check out the goodies, horses and any sales. It was a cool show, lot's of different disciplines showing, unique horse breeds,;mares and stallions, and tack stores offering great deals. A little bittersweet for things that I can't use for a while, nor can really afford right now. I was able to save about 15% on Uckele products, such as E + Se, G.U.T. and Cocosoya which was great! Do any of you use G.U.T. for ulcer control? My vet thought it would help control Laz's ulcers for the future, so I went ahead and bought the BIG tub (for good luck).

Love draft horses, they are just so prehistoric looking and majestic. It was funny to see them just cruising around the Expo. Speaking of majestic, holy Fresian stallion that stole my heart. This is my husband's favorite breed.

Sorry for the fuzzy photos, but I tried to quickly snap these fast moving horses and well, they just didn't turn out that well. Below is a Spanish Barb Mare pregnant, rocking a Bob Marley hairstyle. Sweet girl.

There were three small arenas set up for demonstration, and this was a lovely dressage demo. I have never done any formal dressage training, although the woman I board at, knows a bit and has done a little with us. It would be something I would love to get into, I find it so fascinating and beautiful.

Below was a snoozing stallion that I thought was just lovely. I do love a paint horse! They are just walking pieces of contemporary art! It was a fun Expo and worth the savings on my supplements. A great way to spend a frigid day, still amongst horses.

Building Trust

Lazarus, on alert.

Something had his attention a few days ago and he has such a strong presence when he wants to. Even though he has the Mati beads braided in his mane and tail, he doesn't let the 'jewelry' take away his masculinity, lol!

Now that the weather is much cooler, I opted to put his rain sheet back on him. The little bit of extra warmth does his comprimised body some good, and keeps him from getting wet when laying in the wet sand.

Here is his looking into his stall, hesistating to come in for his water. We had to move his water inside to keep from freezing.

He comes in OK, but comes in slowly and carefully.

On most days, when I pull up to the barn, this is the image I see. My sweet boy standing in his sand paddock, ears perked facing me. Lately, favoring his right rear leg but moving from outside paddock to inside his stall and shifting weight. He seems to be easing into healing (????)...time will tell. But the perked eyes, the bright eyes, the healthy appetite all helps.

Yesterday, when I pulled up, I saw this and I have to say in the past it was an image of "awww look at how content he is." Now, it sometimes causes flashes of worry. I think; oh god, is he hurting more? Can he get up? Is his stomach upset? etc etc.

So I wheeled inside the barn, so I could go out to him and see what was up.

It was good news; meaning, he was just fine.

Laz was just totally relaxing, and chilling. In fact, I feel he would have lightly wagged his tail while laying down, like my dog would when approaching him snoozing. Laz stayed down for about 15 minutes. I snapped this quick shot, but then put my camera away and just rubbed his head, his neck, his ears. He strongly rubbed his head into my hands, blew out a content snort/sigh, and stretched his neck out like a giraffe for more grooming coverage. It was a total tender moment. I felt he allowed me to come near him when laying down, because he trusts/trusting me more. After he felt he had enough, he (quickly) stood up, pee'd (lol!) and then went back to munching his hay.

Made me smile ear to ear!

Swimming pool for Laz?

No, I have not gone crazy and bought a pool for sweet sweet Laz, but sort of wish I could!

I saw this company, The Sanctuary advertise on TheHorse.com and thought how lucky for some rich horse owners to have this for ailing babies. By 'babies' I mean of the Equine sort of course!

I know Lazarus would enjoy this pool therapy for his laminitis healing, as he loooooves to paw quite aggressively at water. Well, our one and only trail ride before he got sick, he did anyway!

I hope in about 8-12 mths, when...not if!..he heals, I can take him back on a trail ride and maybe allow him to swim a bit!? Granted it's a shallow river, certainly not a salt water pool like above!

For now, instead of purchasing a pool for him (yeah like it was a reality) he has a new left shoe, so both of his back feet are suited up with her power shoes and he has given us all (vet and farrier included) new hope for a recovery! We still have quite a battle and another round of xrays to hopefully prove we are right. His blood work is back to normal, ulcers seem to have settled so he is now off Gastrogard.

For now, I'm quite happy that Lazarus seems to be accepting the shoes with a gregarious appetite and fighting to stay alive!

Mt. Lazarus

Living in S.E. Michigan, it's pretty darn flat. There are some hills, but nothing grand and beautiful. The other day, while I was out grooming Laz and hugging him, I was noticing the fine detailing of the curves of his body. His sloping withers, his long back, his hips, his barrel, etc and thought they reminded me of beautiful rolling hills covered in streams of black icicles.

I love how his coloring even matches that of earth brown

Something very plush looking about a winter fur coat coming in

And like always, a little luck never hurt anyone! So Laz (per Vet's suggestion even) is sporting a new Greek Mati tied in his tail to work wonders specifically on his back hooves.