Explanation. We have a horse on stall rest following colic surgery. This has taken over the blog. Mostly. [Begin, Phase IV]
Third month post surgery
Week 3 of four weeks pasture rest
As we creep closer to our normal routine, what will be different?
The joy of 💩. Horse poops in an inconvenient place, such a clean stall when he could have pooped 30 seconds earlier in the field. Brief annoyance immediately gives way to one of the humans saying, “Poop is good.” Or, “We approve of poop.” For those who don’t follow equine gastrointestinal tracts quite as closely, lack of manure is a bad sign. A pile of manure is a sign that the gut is behaving itself. [When The Poop Emoji Is Your Favorite]
Water, water everywhere. We have always soaked their feed when they are on pellets. Now, we soak, let sit, add more water, maybe soak more, maybe more water. Milton is currently getting soup. Possibly we will unclench out keisters enough to drop him back to stew. Some days he gets consomme.
Further hydrodynamics. In the past, we have served warm – not hot! – water during really cold weather. Now, out of an abundance of caution, we have kept up the habit even in mildly cold weather. We have discover that Milton quite enjoys his long drink of warm water of an evening. As Spring rolls in, we – the barn we – are still carrying a bucket from the house. There is some thought that when truly hot weather gets here, we can stop with all the water-toting. I dunno. I drink cold soda in the middle of winter. I don’t see Milton giving up his tea.
Onwards!
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 
Yay for poop!
💩 🎉