Have you ever noticed how your horse keeps a schedule? One positive side to this whole laminitis nightmare is that I've been spending much more time with Laz. Quality time, bonding time and horse poop shoveling time too. ;) At any rate, I've noticed that I come right around the time he likes to nap. Today was that day, I was literally keeping him up by my chattering and busying around him. It was so beautiful out today here in Michigan. Totally warm sunny day and birds chirping, and I even heard a nearby hawk squealing.
This yawn was my polite boy saying "um....I need a nap, Mom."
Even Jessie (the pretty blondie pictured) was resting peacefully. That poor Mare doesn't lay down. Ever. Ever! She literally falls asleep and sometimes falls down forward. It's awful to see and the other day I threw a soft snowball to wake her up because I worry for her. She is sweet and I wish she could sleep. The BO has done everything for her to provide a safe home, supplements etc, and nothing seems to work for her. She was attacked at a young age while sleeping so the BO thinks it's why she doesn't lay down.
Any advice from anyone who has seen this?
It's almost like narcolepsy but not that bad.
Blue skies and soft eyes
Laz sometimes reminds me of a dinosaur
So, while I was grooming him, he just sighed and seem to say "well, if you aren't leaving, excuse me but I'm resting-you can brush me down here."
Poor Laz has two rub off spots from laying down more than the average horse...they haven't turned to sores quite yet but I'm keeping an eye out
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His copper tones come out with the Sun shining down
You can see on his left front foot, an old racing injury on his heel bulb.
This is my kind of "resting in peace" but with a heartbeat thank you!!!!!
Mason was in awe of his big brother laying down and this is as close as he gets to him, lol
Cleaned horse, brushed mane and tail+Sunny afternoon=laying down in wet sand
I can't wait until he feels better and the weather is warm to give him a proper bath- it's been MONTHS!!!!
Happy boy
Deja Vu, Deja vu, deja vu!!! That was crazy!!!
ReplyDeletelovely lovely boy. He looks so happy
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to see Laz without his legs wrapped. He reminds me of just a bigger version of Mason. They really are brothers!
ReplyDeleteThere's a blog about a rescued TB named Argus. He didn't lay down to sleep for a long time after he came to his new home.
ReplyDeleteHere's his blog: http://savingargus.blogspot.com/
And I'm just in awe. I found your blog though someone's side links, and your story broke my heart. Then I got the hopeful news via Denali's blog, and remembered I'd forgotten to follow you!
He does look like a happy horse! Every single picture makes me want to go to Michigan to give Laz a big hug and a big kiss! What a sweet boy!
ReplyDeleteOh, and to answer you question to me, no, I did not know Phoenix as a baby. I didn't start leasing him until Jan 2009, about a month after the last horse I was leasing passed away. I went to go try Phoenix out because for weeks (even while I was still leasing the other horse) my friends kept telling me they had a horse that was so perfect for me. It took a lot of convincing (and even more when I took off his blanket for the first time and saw all those spots) but they were right.
Ah, he looks so content!
ReplyDeleteAh, isn't that sweet! Napping in the sun. All the horses at my sister's (where my horse lives) nap around the same time, around the middle of the day. I rarely see My Boy laying down, but I know he does cuz I brush the dried muddy filth off of him, LOL! :) He also sleeps in his turn out shed at night, I always find shavings in his tail.
ReplyDeleteWhat attached the Palomino when she was young? I feel so sad for her, that she doesn't feel safe. Does she feel safer in a stall than out in the open?
I just love that sweet face! The last photo is so precious!
ReplyDeleteVery sweet photos - I drove by the barn at lunchtime today - it isn't far from our house and I was coming back home from errands - and Dawn was napping next to one of the round bales - lying in the hay - we often have noon time napping.
ReplyDeleteAaaawww, cute little cuddly teddy-bear pony! How nice that he trusts you enough to lie down and relax while you're with him. I guess the silver lining in this cloud is that this struggle has brought you two so much closer.
ReplyDeleteThat poor, poor mare! I feel her pain, as I am a major insomniac myself. Have the owners ever turned her out at night with some horses that she trusts? I have read that most horses feel much more comfortable sleeping if they have other horses "on the lookout" for them, like they would in the wild. Or, hhhmmm, maybe they make Horsey-Sized Ambien pills? Lol. If they do, maybe that would help me, too!
Juliette-I love it too, having Laz without his wraps. I can never get the baby powder off completely for photos though.
ReplyDeleteMisae-Welcome and thanks for reading and caring :)
Frizzle-Jessie the mare was attacked by another Mare when she was just a yearling (over 10 yrs ago). She is now kept with her daughter Ellie who will be two in May, Sawyer a quiet 4 yrd and Jazz a 19 yr old who has lived with Jessie since she was purchased. She is the head mare and we think that is why she wont sleep. Not even in her own stall at bedtime, not when alone, not when with her herd. It's awful to watch. How awful for you that you suffer from lack of sleep too..do u drink caffeine? xo
Peaceful pics of Laz made me feel a bit tired myself. (smile)
ReplyDeleteI knew a mare who could lay down, but couldn't lock her knees to stand up and sleep. Unfortunately, she'd frequently forget to lay down before napping and then would fall or nearly fall. She had a couple pretty bad accidents because of that and despite careful handling, and she ended up having to be put down around 19 or so. :-( I loved her.
ReplyDelete