Stall Rest Chronicles 7 Feb

Explanation. We have a horse on stall rest following colic surgery. This has taken over the blog. [Begin]

Week 6 post surgery
Week 4 of stall rest

Rolled! Outside!

Milton has rolled before. Those were inside. This was the first time he chose to wallow in the mud. Back when Milton was at the clinic, vet said Milton wouldn’t roll until Milton was sure he could get back up.

In this instance, Milton’s minder said that he knew Milton was looking for a spot. When Milton found the right place – what makes one place better than another? – Milton had dropped to his knees before Minder realized.

Almost as if Milton thought it wouldn’t be allowed so he needed to be quick about it. A ‘better to beg forgiveness than ask permission’ situation. Milton doesn’t usually roll on the end of a leadrope.

One side only this time.

Onwards!
Katherine

Stall Rest Chronicles 6 Feb

Explanation. We have a horse on stall rest following colic surgery. This has taken over the blog. [Begin]

Five weeks post surgery DONE
Two weeks at clinic DONE
Three weeks of at-home stall rest DONE
Starting week 4 of four weeks of stall rest
Four weeks paddock rest
Four weeks pasture rest

September 2022. “Barn opinion is that Milton wants driving to be his job.” [Milton Makes A Milestone, Again]

October 2022 [Milton Goes For A Walk]

January 2023, sent home with veterinary advice, “After three months from the time of surgery, begin light work and riding if there have been no complications in the previous months.” (emphasis mine)

But doctor, I couldn’t play the piano before the operation!

Onwards!
Katherine

Stall Rest Chronicles 5 Feb

Explanation. We have a horse on stall rest following colic surgery. This has taken over the blog. [Begin]

Finishing week 5 post surgery
Finishing week 3 of stall rest

Tried to buy different types of hay to see what Mikey … Marvin … Milton would like. Unfortunately – like Savoir Faire – Bermuda/coastal is evvverywheeere! Sorry Dude, back to eating Brussel sprouts, aka timothy.

Onwards!
Katherine

Stall Rest Chronicles 4 Feb, with Brief Thoughts On The Temporary Format

Explanation. We have a horse on stall rest following colic surgery. This has taken over the blog. [Begin]

Week 5 post surgery
Week 3 of stall rest

The latest development is that Rodney can be left outside eating hay while we go about our business. Milton can see still see Rodney, so Milton goes about his business. Although I do stack the deck by giving Milton his alfalfa while Rodney is out. [30 Jan]

This means we don’t have to sit right there and watch over the two of them. Rodney has shown no sign of hearing voices and galloping around the field. (Crosses fingers) He is more likely to come back into the barn early. He tried to come in while I was still clean the stall and the barricade was back up. He decided he was locked out for life. Dramatic much?

I jest, but it’s a great help for Milton to have Rodney staying so close. It’s good for Rodney to get out of the barn and nice that we don’t have to hover. At least so far, with mild trepidation.

State of the Blog

Background. I had a secondary, separate page for two weeks. Switched to updating as the main blog subject. [Adventures in Horse Care, Patient Report #3, for comparison, an archive of a week’s worth of page entries]

Immediacy is the biggest change from an update *page* to update *posts*.

With the page, I was recapping our activities at the end of each day. In the morning we did this. In the evening we did that. Milton is doing thus.

With posts, I write and schedule them at least the day before. Have been this doing since getting the idea from a web comic artist back in 2012. Plus, I try to get posts done first thing. So, this Saturday post was written on Friday morning about events of Thursday at the latest. [Cinder-blogging-ella]

Therefore, it has become less of a day-by-day record and more about presenting an interesting point that occurred recently. Not a good thing or a bad thing, just a thing, “This system will make the blog more like a prime time recap than a live broadcast.” [ibid]

I have – not surprisingly – more to say about the mechanics of regular updates. I don’t – also not surprisingly – have the mental energy to marshal my thoughts. I hope to circle back and spend more time looking under the hood: Twitter vs sidebar vs page vs blog posts, which ones I’ve used, how they worked, and so on.

Meanwhile.

If you blog, what do you do for long-term, unfolding events? As it happens? Weekly? Keep records offline & recap once it’s over?

When you read, what do you prefer?

Onwards!
Katherine

Stall Rest Chronicles 3 Feb, plus Fitness Photos

Explanation. We have a horse on stall rest following colic surgery. This has taken over the blog. [Begin]

Week 5 post surgery
Week 3 of stall rest

Rain yesterday. Freezing conditions today. Family members getting into negative numbers! I feel as if we are all on stall rest.

State of the Fitness

New places for my daily mile, the first three related to Milton being at the vet clinic. All in the Birmingham, Alabama metro area.

At night in parking lot of vet clinic. Empty, well-lit, lots of space to accommodate horse trailers.

Avondale Mills Walking Track. Almost every time I use a civic walking track, at least one other person is also using it.

Lakeside Park on Lake Logan Martin Lake (Update, official name)

Walking track around an unnamed corporate lake in a suburban office park. The path was worn and being warped by tree roots. The office buildings were clean but empty. Gave off a vibe of ‘humanity is no longer here.’

5K for January [Moseying to the Music, Walk Report, MLK Day 5K Drum Run 2023]

Last month [Picture This, Walk Photos, State of the Fitness]

In Other News

Roaring Back at the Lion of Winter: A Speculative Reading, Sun, Feb 5, 7:00 PM. 10 authors. I’m tuning in for Martha Wells. 👋🐸👋

Onwards!
Katherine

Stall Rest Chronicles 1 Feb

Explanation. We have a horse on stall rest following colic surgery. This has taken over the blog. [Begin]

Week 5 post surgery
Week 3 of stall rest

Milton is not! pleased! Yummy alfalfa in a slow-feeder hay net. Less interesting, free choice timothy below. In case you are not up on hay types, think steak and brussel sprouts.

Yesterday, two readers expressed amazement at our patience. One) Thank you. Two) Is it patience if you don’t have a choice? I mean, yes, on the grand scale of things, one always has a choice. Given that we have taken responsibility for Milton’s care, we have made our choice. Three) So far – crosses fingers – Milton has made it easy. In contrast, “At least Charlie got to spend a day out with his friends? He’s a good dog, but….. a little bit of a terrorist on stall rest.” ‘Fraidy Cat Eventing: mud – 1; emma – 0. Given the context, I think the author is taking about a matter of days, not four weeks and counting. Keep up the adaptable attitude, Milton. We appreciate it.

Onwards!
Katherine