Happy 9th Birthday Lazarus!

Today was a really special day...one that a couple of months ago, I thought I wouldn't see....Lazarus's   9th birthday was today!! April 25, a month to the day from my own birthday!

We were out of town visiting family but made it back in time to spend some QT with Laz even though it was raining.  It wasn't a day I could miss and my husband came with too understanding how I felt.

My sweet courageous Lazarus.....love you

When we first arrived, he was in his stall by his choice to be out of the rain I gather.  I love that he access to chose to be inside or out as he pleases, 24/7.

The birthday boy rub his head into me and loves to have his eyes, forehead, cheeks and ears rubbed.  Yes, he is spoiled and I love it

For his bdat, sweet Laz got a jolly ball in lime green, apple scented!

He seemed to love how it smelled

Love his face in this photo...what a beautiful TB head

and then this camel lip shot to show his goofy face

So, because it was raining I thought "Should I wait to open until it's a nice day?" Then I was like, am I crazy?! Seize the day and OPEN now!!!!!!!!!

I hope he likes it!

"Mom...what else is in this box?"

The bday boy was GREAT when I asked for his feet for a pick cleaning.  He is 100% off all anti-inflammatory medicine now, and doing really well and still walking around looking better every day.  

Laz's Dad fed him a couple of carrots until the small blunt pieces which he had me feed because he confessed "I'm scared." lol! 

Happy 9th Birthday my sweet Lazarus....many, many, many more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While I was away...

So, this past week I was away in Chicago for work.  It was the Kitchen and Bath industry show and it's always an amazing event to attend.  As a designer, I get to see 'first look' on all new things for the kitchen/bath world.  It was a great show but I did miss my brown man.  Luckily, I never worry about him while I'm gone.  A huge perk of being at a small private facility and being friends with the BO's who take amazing care of the horses.

While I was gone, the BO kindly sent some fun pictures so I could sleep easy.

She took Laz out in the arena for a hand walking and some turnout time.  He has been permitted to nibble on the grassy arena areas for about 15-20 minutes which he loves.

Short necked Laz

Dirty boy taking a siesta in the sun

"ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

During my stay in Chicago, we stayed with my family in the home I grew up in. 

It's always nice going home, and they are getting it ready to finally sell after 37 years of owning it.  With that, I took home a few boxes of my Breyer horses, Barbie horses and other horse toys, etc that I had collected.  I also seem to have horse books in the hundreds from over the years.  Many of you know of this website "Horse and Wildlife Gifts" and they carry gifts and decor items.  I'm thinking of purchasing this lovely bookend for my office to display the many years of collected books that I now am transferring to my home.  The pages are all a bit tattered and well read over, and some of the books seem ancient, lol, but will look so nice displayed properly.

I'll be seeing my Laz man tomorrow and can't wait!

Room with a Lake view

Not only was it a beautiful day out, it was a great day with Laz too.

My husband and I headed out to the farm today after some coffee and relaxing for a bit with our two dogs with us.

When we got there, it started getting windier but was still nice out.  Cool but sunny.  

Laz was laying in his new sandy spot that he dug out at the far end of his paddock.

It's got a beautiful view of the next door neighbor's lake/pond and I was laughing that it's his room with a water view!

The sun felt so warm

This is one, loose lipped content little OTTB

Lazarus is pretty great about letting me walk up to him, talk to him and rub on him while he naps.  I try not to disturb him too much but today he was open to it. He was groaning with contentment and kept nuzzling his nose in the ground and sighing.  He was just enjoying nap time...it's not because his feet hurt (or anymore than his normal)

Still a little ribby but he gets free access to hay, and gets his Trip Crown L/S feed, it may just be him bouncing back slowly.  Just had him tested for worms being he hasn't had any wormer since he got sick, and it came back -he's worm free.  He is in good physical shape considering..I just wish he looked a bit rounder, but that is more for me than him

I mean, look at that face and perfect little crescent moon star on his forehead! I love how my hair and his mane are kinda one big windblown mess blurred together

Tip: don't kiss your dirty sand loving horse with chapstick on.

oops

I was teasing here and pushed his airplane ears forward for a good head shot.

So after posing and playing with him, I just started rubbing him. 

 I used my thumbs along his spine and he let out a big fart, lol

I rubbed deeply and then gently, and pulled out on his bad foot's leg.  I just know that avoiding walking on one leg since October has to also do a number on his muscles and alignment.  I'm not a professional anything, but I know I'm a sucker for a massage and will basically take it from anyone.  Laz apparently is too.

He really, really, really, was enjoying this buttock massage

Rubbing, rubbing...

He was falling asleep during my massage

The BO said "see if you can get him to lay on his side and really relax" so I asked...

And he gave

Rubbing, stretching and working on stretching him before our arena walking lesson

I laughed out to Billy and said "Who shot my horse?!" 

Happy boy

He even allowed Billy to come over and rub his eyes (his favorite) and his forehead

Billy kept the dogs busy playing so I could chill with Laz and of course took pictures too.  Pudgie, our Frenchie still isn't great about understanding the fences are electric, so we turned them off while we were out there with the BO's permission

So the BO "C" again helped me LOADS today.  We worked on Laz and I walking in the arena.  Sounds so simple, but add wind, an OTTB, a green owner and it's not.  I'm not ashamed to ask for help when I feel we need it.  So we had "C" in there with her suggestions, her teaching and training.  All for me being a better leader/owner and for him to be a better mannered horse who thinks instead of panicking when scared.  

So I need to work on me being a brave leader for Lazarus.  Giving him the correct leading signals while I'm leading him.  Teaching him to respect my space (which is so hard for me when he spooked a couple times and rushes up behind me and I think-Hooves on head trample!!) by stepping in front of him with my back at him to block him from coming forward and reminding him that I'm leading you and you are safe with me. LOL! It's a very tough thing for me but I can see that Laz NEEDS a leader and I have to be that for him.  We worked for about a 1/2 hour with my Clinton Anderson halter/lead combo which I love btw because of how you can feel him thru that halter and lead, and use the lead in a number of ways for training. 

  Then she had me release him and 'free' lead him which he did good.  A couple times the surrounding grass tempted him but I grabbed him back and rewarded him when he listened and followed me with a carrot.  I'll have to get pictures of it. It's very cool and at times (like in the scary corners) I feel my heart rate go up.  In fact, I let out a forced sigh and it spooked Laz, lol.  So I did it again and again so he got over it.  He did very well today and was pretty tired when we were done. OH! And he walked EXCELLENT, hardly limpy and is looking really good.  

We put him back in his paddock, he drank a few big gulps of water (good for the detoxing of his massage) and was a happy boy.  I picked his feet (he picked them up...good boy!) and he is still barefoot 100% and doing well without his easyboots and still easing off his Equioxx meds.

See you tomorrow Bubba

Barefoot trimmer and shrink?

So, with Mason in tow ( I couldn't bring him with the last time because I came straight from work) I felt so good about going to the barn today.  Mason just enjoys it SO much and it's so good for him to run and play with the BO's dogs.  When we pulled up, the wind was wicked!!! So strong and SO cold today..weather.com said it was going to feel like 35 and it did! I brought a hat and my tingling ears told me quickly to grab it and pull it on.  I thanked myself for wearing three layers and a vest and down socks, being when I was heading out the door I quickly thought "is this too much?" Nope.  My DH couldn't come with as planned due to his school homework, but not a big deal.  He's planning on coming out hopefully this weekend. I do love when he joins in and I try to be as supportive of when he's coaching his Basketball HS varsity team and his time commitment to that.  It's give and take.  Or better put, share and share. 

When I pulled up, Laz was standing in his stall staying out of the wind.  He was totally erect and looked 20 hands tall!  He was wound up pretty tight with the wind whipping around, which I knew he would be.  But I tried to not feed in to that.  I am trying to make light of the 'scary' situations.  So, I rubbed his head and entered his stall and walked out in his paddock where he trotted out behind me so fast that I had to fight the feeling of "is he going to run me over?!"  I think the big difference with Laz compared to some other horses, is Laz is SO quick sometimes.  He can spin his body around faster than light.  His actions are fast.  Those that have TB's know what I'm talking about, and maybe this is with other breeds with this personality.  The head that can flip left/right/up/down all at once in a second.  The leg when you are picking a foot, that was in your hand one second ago and now you see that same horse standing 10 ft away.  Quick.  There are horses that when they stand,  you know they are standing like brick walls. Calm, content and sure.  Laz is sometimes like that, but on windy days for instance, he is like a cocaine snorting rock dancer on stage.  Explosive.  Not mean, not angry, maybe not even dangerous....just unsure, nervous and insecure.  So, backing up, I walked outside and he 'quickly' joined me.  I chatted to him calming and picked up his poops and walked all around the paddock encouraging him that it is indeed safe in case he wasn't sure.  He went to eating his hay wisps that were left on the ground.  I went back in, grabbed my grooming bucket and started grooming him.  He wasn't into it today but I kept making him stand outside, without any halter on, while I groomed him.  He did OK. He walked away a couple times, but I stopped him or reminded him that 'no, we are getting this mud cake off your coat.'  I thought too, why am I more scared of him when in the arena while I'm leading him, than right now when he's loose and fancy free?  Seemed silly.  I asked the BO for more lessons desensitizing this weekend, so I'm looking forward to that.

Then Cliff pulled up.  I held Laz for him while he trimmed him and he thought all looked 'normal' in the case of his feet and his scenario.  There is some separation of his hoof wall that in the future will cause that section to fall off but "no big deal" he said.  There are some issues that he is just growing through.  There will be some trims that won't look so pretty but basically he adjusts him as needed and thinks he is doing well.  He is totally barefoot without the boots still and is to remain that way, unless we feel he really needs them one day.  The boots are mine to use in the future for trail riding, heavier riding, etc (Eeeek! for those days!)

So we remain happily in the hands of Cliff.  I can't believe how lucky we feel.  It makes the 'trimming' seem fun to learn again and not so scary that I'm going to lose my horse.  Cliff is just a fantastic person all around.  Not only do the horses love him (oh by the way, the BO's lovely mare who is very scared of men, was brought out and she loved and nuzzled Cliff with NO fear) but people love him too.  He is very easy to talk to, he answers any and all questions even though I'm sure to him, they seem obvious and dumb, and if so he doesn't let on in the least bit.  He even made a very interesting comment to me, as I was telling him of my workings of ground work with Laz and learning to trust him and not fear the what if's.  He said to me "Well, you design for a living, you LIVE in your head."  Duh.  Light bulb moment for me.  No one has ever been so right.  I sooooooo live in my head.  My thoughts are constantly whirrrrrrring around.  Even when I sleep, I dream at least like 3-5 dreams a night and wake up remembering vividly what they are, and it makes for being tired and unrested sometimes.  Some days, my creative juices and mind are bouncing around so much that I long for quiet.  I find it in different outlets, but there was one I need to bring back in my life somehow and that is Yoga.  I so enjoyed that in the past and since October I haven't had any form of exercise and too much worry that I really need to get centered again and think that will very much help with my connection with Lazarus again.  

I left the barn today feeling really understood and enjoying this nice path that Laz and I are moving on.  

Feels good! 

Barefoot trimming tomorrow

I added a label of "Barefoot" assuming that I will be talking a lot about that as we progress through Lazarus's healing via barefoot.  

So far, we are very happy. 

Very impressed and somewhat shocked at times at simplicity that seems to work.

 I am happy for the following reasons:

1. Lazarus is doing well, moving and walking and eating and drinking and being a happy little horse instead of a patient.  That translates into not having to wrap his legs because he's moving and therefore not stocking up.  Also it helps SO much with his gut, his mind, and really just everything.

2.  I enjoy the fact that nature seems to be winning so far in Laz's recovery.  Go nature!

3. I adore Cliff, our barefoot trimmer, who is the NICEST and most patient man.  He has a kind soul and everyone feels it.

4.  This treatment, hoorah, is less (and I mean a lot LESS) money vs the other (xrays, shoes, xrays, shoes, medicine, etc).  Feels good to have a bit of a break since shoveling it out since October.

5.  I can see his foot, it's not blocked by gel, foam, tape, shoes or anything right now. I was able to treat thrush pretty quickly instead of it being masked  and I'm trying to learn what is good, normal, not normal, etc about his feet.  That is VERY new for me. 

Laz is happy for the following reasons:

1. I move around my big paddock ALL day and ALL night.

2. I have a comfy, cozy stall if I want to get out of the rain and take a little snooze.

3. I have created a new rolling area that has soft sand in it

4. My Mom grooms me no matter how dirty I get and doesn't get mad

5. My tummy feels better since I don't take as much medicine

6. I like going for walks again and sometimes I like to listen to my Mom when I understand her

7. Mr. Cliff smells nice and he makes my feet feel light and they don't pinch anymore

Cliff comes out tomorrow for Laz's 2nd trim.  

I'm always curious to hear what he has to say.  He is so optimistic that it makes me feel so good.  We have been sloooowly working Lazarus off his Equioxx too with hopes he'll be off it in about a week's time.  So far so good with that as well. Also, he's been 100% barefoot since Monday, no boots, and doing really well with that.  It's been rainy and wet and Cliff ok'ed it if Laz seemed comfortable which he does.  Laz still limps, that has not gone away, not that I expected it would so fast.  Slowly...slowly but we are very happy so far.  

Desensitizing for Laz and I

It's funny, those days when everything goes right and your connection with your horse is right on.  

Well, last Friday was NOT one of those days.  

The wind was wicked and I convinced my husband to join me to go to the farm and help out due to my back pain and secretly knowing I would battle a fire breathing dragon flying around in the wind.

I took Laz in the arena for our 15-20 minute walk.  Or as he interpreted it as a blow up, side spook, eyes wild freak at EVERYTHING.  He scared me.  I felt deflated, being he is the longest I've been with one horse (18 mths now) I was upset at myself.  Growing up riding, I always leased other people's horses...so by the time I would connect, they were gone and I was on another horse.  This time, I've had Laz long enough to (in my mind) not be scared of his wily behavior and in one instant go to "He's going to trample me!"  I did eventually gain my composure and got him to walk calmly on the one half of the arena about five time before putting him back in his pasture.  I didn't want to reward his crazy behavior.  I need to learn more about what to do those instances.

So, I wanted to start with that today.  When I pulled up, he came inside to greet me. Awww..ok, major points for that.  I literally told the BO, that on Friday I thought about opening up his gate and saying "Oh..I don't know how that was left open." and letting him run free.  JUST kidding!!!! But that is how mad I was at MYSELF.  :)

So today, I told the BO "C" about what happened on Friday and how I struggled with finding a resource for what to do when he was panicking and spooking.  She is always great about 'let's do this' attitude.      

We took off his boots (he lifted his feet so MUCH better today) and started our work out in the arena.  

Scary spots first.  Jesus, I thought.  BUT..ok.

So, we walked around a few times, me leading Laz.  She reminded me on how to lead him properly and not clutch the lead line too tightly which I tend to do thinking I can control a spook.  "Just let him spook and tell him "knock it off" and keep going", she said.  He reacts from me, I know, and I have to, HAVE to be calmer and controlled and KNOW that I have resources to help me.

So we went around and came up to the scary corner, and OF COURSE, there was a loose white plastic bag.  Seriously?!?!!? But she reminded me, USE what I have for the day's lesson and IGNORE the bag.  I did, and  Laz looked at it and was fine.  

Then it came to the deep left corner again and she suggested using it as his reward time for being a good little pupil, and to unhook his lead and pat him and WALK away calming. He stayed for about 15 minutes nibbling on the grass.  Granted today was less wind, BUT there was wind as you will see in the pictures.  He was SOooooo much better today! I told her that I thought it was because I felt safe having her there as my resource and therefore I transmitted that to him.

Even her husband on the tractor served as an unknowing desensitization.  We sat on the mounting block and just watched Laz.  She said, IF he comes running back to us as his herd, let him.  He didn't, he was braver than I thought.

So, she had me walk back up to him and hook him up and walk out without over thinking it.  That is my bad habit.  

I am the "WHAT IF" girl.  

Like, what if he steps on his lead line.  "So what."  What if he spooks?  "So."

I've had a lot of bad experiences that I need to get over and start trusting my boy a bit more.  Today was good for that, and one of MANY.

 He was content and happy today

We even used the dogs catching their frisbee as a desensitizer.  Good boy Laz!

When he came up to us, and was nuzzling the BO's hair.  He defiantly feels safer with her vs me, and I've got to learn to give him that confidence.  I feel it's better than last year, for sure, but we have a long way to still go.  For both of us, we need to learn to trust each other.

She had me stand on the mounting block and drape my upper body and arms all over him.  That felt so good and he seemed to enjoy it.

The small details...no this isn't a duplicate image...one tiny difference between this shot...

and this one........listening

AND..this weekend, I finally was able to put these beautiful images of Lazarus and I into proper frames and set them up as they so deserve to be viewed.

If you don't have a poster from Juliette at Honeysuckle Faire yet..trot on over and order one.  They are insanely beautifully, graphically cool!!! 

I love being able to stare at my boy when I'm at home working.

I set the frames up in my home office, along with my Smithsonian copper horse statues that were a gift from my Uncle in Belgium, that I've had since I was a child.

Today was a great, great lesson and I'm so lucky to be somewhere that offers that kind of help.  

Oh!

 I left Laz's boots OFF (Cliff ok'ed it via text,lol) to see how he fairs without them for a couple days, or more..or less, we'll see..

Happy Easter!

xoxo

Chiro for Laz...and me?!

No pictures, no videos...sorry!  Not like me, as I'm a designer therefore LOVE a good visual, but just didn't do it this week.  I'm sure I'll take some this weekend! :)

So, we are doing well.  Lazarus is moving, moving around and actually I think looks a little more ribby even than two weeks ago.  His moving is great and he really enjoys it.  He is shedding like a demon but still has a way to go, but his neck and shoulders are looking more thin and those long winter hairs are just coming out with my curry and shedding blade...hoorah! I love a summer coat!

He was enjoying his grooming today, but he is SO bothered by the two flies that kept landing on his face. Like literally looked like he was saying "Nooooo, No, Nooooo, no!" with his head that for a moment I thought...is something wrong with you?! But no..it's the flies. HE HATES bugs. I do have a fly mask for him but seems early for it...maybe not.  I didn't fly spray him because I want to ask Cliff about putting that on him.  That may sound silly but it's like this crazy effective spray that works so great, but smells SO toxic that now I worry about what it would do if/when it got into his bloodstream.  I have thought about getting Laz a fly sheet but I don't want to spend $100 or more on a sheet, and I worry the ones for the $39-50 range will just shred up.  Any suggestions!? That being said...there are HARDLY any bugs there.  Poops are constantly picked up and I watched one of the other horses who had three flies on his snout while he napped in the sun. Laz is crazy sensitive to that stuff.  So, so so thin skinned...literally and emotionally.

So, if you have any bug products that you like, or fly sheets, etc..send the suggestion our way!

So, we walked in the arena.  Warmed up and then I took his boots off.  The right rear he picks up so nicely and quickly for me.  The left rear, not so much.  For instance, after literally 10 minutes of asking/pulling/pinching he finally stepped forward and gave it up.

So we walked for about 17 minutes.  He was a bit spooky, but I kept thinking..god if I was riding you, I'm sure I would have fallen.  He side spooks and jumps up/turns so quickly that it's somewhat insane! He is so scared of the two arena corners some days..other days, it's like no big deal.  I've been allowing him to nibble the deadish grass in those scary corners as a reward but today, a few times, he lept out with a mouthful of grass, like "WHOA...did you see that?!?!"  On the bonus he didn't trample me which is a fear.  Bonus? Whatever..I'll take it.  But I need to figure out how to make him confident in those corners.  It's by the dirt road so there are sometimes monsters like; cars, people, white dogs, swaying cattails and such.  Is this where I reward him for walking by with a carrot niblet?  Seems that when I anticipate him doing well, he spooks, so then I can't reward.  I'm sure there is a simple solution..I just dont know it yet.  I'm hoping that the more time we spend in there, will help as well.

So, after our walk and letting his feet air out, I picked them clean and noticed he may have a couple of thrush spots.  I emailed Cliff who recommended a product called "Tomorrow" and I can get a generic version of it at TTS tomorrow, lol.  He said it's less expensive and just as good as White Lightening, so I'm all about less expensive right  now. I'll give it a go.  So, I also put Gold Bond's Medicated per Cliff, in his shoes to help fight against thrush.  Putting the boats back on, SUCKED today.  It took me about 25 minutes to get his left rear up and he was just being a jerk about it.  My back is wrecked right now. It was a beautiful sunny day and I was completely in a sweat and my arms and hands were shaking after the 50000 attempts of his semi lifting his foot and then just slamming his weight back down.  I know it has to do with that he probably thinks I can't hold him and he doesn't feel secure. Well guess what Laz, I can't hold you but I have to put this shoes on...so please, as you start to heal, please lift your legs!!!!!!!!  

This week has taken a toll on my back.  I'm trying to support his leg in between my knees while I pick, and then adjust to get the Easy boot on, but it's the literally picking up his foot that is wrenching me.  I have to grab at his ankle to lift it otherwise he just wont give it to me.  For his other three legs, he's a total angel. I even tried lifting the other legs, giving him a carrot niblet, then going to the demon leg and NOTHING.  

Sigh..it was frustrating and my sore back is making me mad.

When I get that Chiropractor for Laz, I may sneak in for a bit of work too