Virtual Brush Box

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

Week 7 post surgery
Week 1 of paddock rest

One of the the daily activities around here is to give Rodney time out in the pasture. Fortunately (!!), he chooses to stay in sight of the barn and therefore in sight of Milton. Between this and being bribed with a flake of alfalfa in a slow-feeder haynet, Milton endures the abandonment.

Rodney generally wanders back in after an hour or so.

While he is out, I either do chores, or sit in the run-in area and read. Since the entire goal of the project is to keep an eye on Milton, I should sit were I can see him, right? However the most comfortable place to sit is leaning up against the wall of the stall. The one place I can’t see his fluffy gray butt.

I have discovered that while I can’t see Milton, I can hear him. Sitting on a stool and leaning against the stall wall means my ear is only a few feet from Milton’s snoot munching away on the other side of a plank of wood. Since he’s eating yummy alfalfa, the rhythmic chomping doesn’t stomp. Or it shouldn’t. If I does, I can stand up and make sure Milton isn’t stressing.

Sound. The underappreciated sense.

Onwards!
Katherine

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

Week 7 post surgery
Week 1 of paddock rest

This adventure manages to be both stressful and boring. A delightful combination.

In Other News

Treating myself to lectures as well as books. “Milton’s rehab has involved a fair amount of retail therapy as distraction. I have a horse on stall rest. I deserve this book. And that book. And that one over there.” [Stall Rest Chronicles 11 Feb, and Book Club Blog Hop Announcement]

And this class.

And that one over there.

Next class. US Graham School: The Medieval Book, Class starts 24 March, Registration closes 16 March. Free lecture. US Graham School: Exploring Medieval Manuscripts, Tue., Feb 28, 2023. As before, the lecture is a teaser for the class, but likely to be interesting in its own right. [Blanket Adjustment, SF Class]

Discovered while poking about for related things to read. Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts: Twelve Journeys into the Medieval World, de Hamel, Penguin, 2017. Truth in advertising. While I have immensely enjoyed the first three chapters, I have not finished the book. I’m pushing myself to read other things *cough*TerraIgnonitainfourvolumes*cough* and saving this for closer to the next class.

Onwards!
Katherine

Dogs are doing well.

Rose is still a sausage, but more of a summer sausage, less of an overstuffed bratwurst.

Jas has developed bit of a wobble. We’ve bought a sling to steady her up & down the ramp to the outside. Yes, we built a ramp. Not our first Basset Hound. Not our first ramp.

Her ability to moved is closely related to her desire to get somewhere. Climb the ever so slightly inclined lawn? I couldn’t possibly. It is Mount Everest. I will lie here in a hopeless heap. Dinner? Did you say dinner?! Is it in this room? How about in this room?

Basset Hounds. Low altitude; lots of attitude.

Dog Posts

[Jasmine and Rose, Meet The New Dogs]
[Jasmine and Rose Have A Big Basset Adventure]
[Jasmine and Rose, One Month Of The New Dogs]

Onwards!
Katherine

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

Week 7 post surgery
Week 1 of paddock rest

Sent weekly photo to vet. Got the thumbs up.

Vet asked us to feel along the incision for soft spots, which might indicate a possible hernia. In-house medical advisor says tum feels okay, and he managed not to get kicked. Milton doesn’t like his belly touched on a good day.

Got clarification on phase III turnout. No trotting. To the vet, a “small” paddock means an area where the horse can walk and graze but not have space to trot. Both of our horses are capable of trotting in the stall. Hand walking it is! [Stall Rest Chronicles 13 Feb, Phase III]

Speaking of tele-vet, should I include the visuals? We don’t have many from immediately after the surgery. At the clinic, the incision was covered most of the time, either with iodine and medical tape or with a belly band. By now, the wound is fairly benign. The incision is closed, save for minor leaking. Each photo is mostly a big expanse of shaved gray belly with a line down the middle. It’s fine, as long as one doesn’t stop to consider what it represents. (Pause to shudder.) Do you want to see the pics?

Onwards!
Katherine

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

Week 7 post surgery
Week 1 of paddock rest

Skidmarks. Notice the second set off to the left.

We tried having Rodney out grazing on his own while Milton was on a leadrope for hand-grazing.

First time. All went well.

Second time. Rodney decide to strafe Milton. Milton decided to take it personally. Hopping ensued.

If I look back many months ago to January, I think we had the same pattern when we tried walking the two together. 1st day fine. 2nd day acted up.

That’s enough of that.

Onwards!
Katherine

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

Seven weeks post surgery
Two weeks at clinic DONE
Four weeks of at-home stall rest DONE
Starting week 1 of four weeks of paddock rest
Still to go, four weeks of pasture rest

Starting today, Milton has veterinary permission for turnout in a small paddock or round-pen. Hand-grazing has been raised from 20 minutes daily to unlimited.

Unfortunately we don’t have a viable option for small turnout. Our spaces are a large stall, the adjacent run-in shed, and the pasture. We could temporarily divide the pasture, but I’ve watched a horse trot through a hot wire.

The plan is to provide continued stall rest with as much escorted time out of the stall as we can stand. We will start with 20 minutes twice a day and build up as Milton gets stronger. He still gets tired after 20 minutes, which is up from getting tired after 5 minutes when we started. We figure the amount of time he wants to be out will go up as we go along.

Rodney is on the schedule to get back to work. Now that Milton has unlimited time out of the stall, he can stand next to the ring and supervise. There was no physical reason for Rodney’s extended winter vacation. It’s just that all of our time & attention was on Milton. And on keeping Milton from having his standard screaming hissy fit when Rodney leaves the barn to go to the ring.

Onwards!
Katherine

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

Finishing week 6 post surgery
Finishing week 4 of stall rest

Horses shod end of last week. Nine weeks. Amazing how long shoes last when you sit around with your hooves up on a metaphorical couch.

Blacksmith has never trimmed this much foot off of either horse.

Milton

Rodney

Plus two more, right, after sweeping up. The rightmost is huge! For a Thoroughbred foot. Possibly from Rodney’s hind.

Onwards!
Katherine