About this Blog

Meet my very 1st horse, Lazarus.
I couldn't wait for Santa anymore or ask one more time for a pony for my bday (after age 30 it got embarrassing). I took matters in my own hands and I finally decided to pick a pony that needed a new home. Laz found me as I contemplated with this idea. He was sweet yet very sassy, fresh off the track, Thoroughbred (OTTB).
Join us for our re-training, rehabbing from laminitis and testing all parts of mixed up horsemanship and partnership, and luck...

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Can we get a break?!

Jeez.
Ok, so some humor here.
IF anyone was ever tempted by my horse's handsome good looks and wanted to steal him....they would return him with a note that read "No thanks...too $$$ to keep."
Moving on. 
Poor Laz.
This poor boy is made of fine china.
Thin skinned doesn't even describe it.
I was gone for the 4th weekend, and when I came home Monday, I was greeted with bug bites all over his body.
Yipes! 
I even said to a boarder, "this almost looks like hives!"
I cold hosed him to give him some heat and itch relief. Let him dry and sprayed with fly spray. Some kind we've always used.
 Next day, it was worse.
I went to the tack store and bought some M-T-G hoping that would help the skin irritation and bites.

Today, it's no better. 
I have put in a call to my vet who mentioned it may be sun burnt skin from spray having oils in it.  There are oils in spray being it's a natural spray, but the original issue were small bites that moved into some allergic reaction.  His poor neck looks like a wrinkly puppy.  Was it the M-T-G?? Ugh...I feel like I always try to do the right choice, but somehow I get dooped.  I read all about M-T-G and how great it was, etc, etc but I guess I didn't think about  the sun causing it to irritate the skin. If that is the reason...
 He suggests picking up some Keratolux shampoo, rinsing him off and starting him on Tri-Hist granules that won't interfere with his laminitic system.  He also suggested putting him in a bubble..I mean, a fly sheet and neck cover.  
Sigh.
I'm not sure the neck cover/sheet will last with his herd mate biting/play antics so not sure I'm excited about spending $100 for that to be a shredded rag in no time.

In hoof news, Michelle came out last night, keeping in fashion with our weekly trims.
She's awesome.
Laz is doing great in her trimming care.
He has some major bruising that is coming up exposed as she slowly takes down his false sole.  Hopefully, after that clears, we'll see a difference with his movement and see if he can trot limp free.
She also mentioned showing me how to rasp him and for me to learn about trimming/balance/etc.....I am NERVOUS and excited about that!!! To have the tools and knowledge would be great-to be dependent on my skills-very scary.  She assures me I would be fine, so we'll be together for a few months and cross that bridge later.
She also thinks I should pop back up on Laz (when this hive situation is clear) and put him back to work, walking.  Give him some time off from trotting until next week, and we'll analyze from there.
That was great news, since it's been since May 17th since I've been able to ride him.


10 comments:

  1. Ugh. Poor Laz. Hope the shampoo helps you out.

    I just ordered Izzy's first ever fly sheet. Bugs are bad this year.

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  2. Wait, I can fix this! Bathe with cold water and white vinegar (mix about 3-1 in a bucket, sponge on). Hives/bug bites will vanish before your eyes by the time it dries. Repeat as necessary. I happen to be the owner of a rather large, brown, delicate flower myself.

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  3. Poor baby :( As if this weather isn't uncomfortable enough already! That's a neat tip from Marissa. I will add that to my horsey home remedy arsenal.

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  4. Marissa <3 u!! I will try that FOR SURE! xo

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  5. Don't be scared, you can learn to trim and do it well. Especially with one of Bowker's trimmers to guide you :)

    Sorry about the hives, I have no idea how to treat those.

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  6. Poor Laz! Prince got hives ALL over his hindquarters one year, I never figured out what caused it and they haven't come back (knock on wood).

    If it makes you feel any better I think they went away on their own (I tried a few different shampoos but I can't really say any of them worked).

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  7. Laz will be great in no time!! Sending great thoughts!!!

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  8. Poor Laz. It looks just like my old mare's sweet itch, but she only got it on her neck and shoulders. I've never seen it on the haunches. It does look like hives, but I have no experience with that. If it's sweet itch it's caused by those stupid gnats that bother them so bad. I hope the granules help him. I doubt you caused it though so don't beat yourself up. :) Some horses do have very bad reactions to MTG, but it's usually like a burn, not bumps so I don't think that was it. It is good to test out the MTG on a small patch of skin first though.

    I think you'll love the trimming when you get used to it. I used to trim all of my own horses. The only reason I don't do Chrome is because I know nothing about club hooves and my back was bothering me for a while. I might start doing it again soon though. At least for maintenance between our regular trims. :)

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  9. This exact same thing happened to Sora a couple of years ago. Apparently the type of weed she had chosen to sleep on not as good for her skin as it was for a bed :) I ran cold water over it and it was sensitive but not itchy or seemingly painful. I never figured out which weed cause it but she never got it again. I'm hoping that is exactly what happened to Laz but I have my fingers crossed for you either way :)

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  10. Oh, forgot to add that if I would you I would just leave it alone for a day or so and see if it goes down. Putting anything on it might just bother it further and if it doesn't look better in a couple of days you can try something else.

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