Vet Visit Day

This morning was vintage Southern California spring.  Sunny skies, warm temperatures and new life everywhere - squirrels, rabbits and flowers.

I washed Jackson's tail and legs so he would be stunning for the vet.  I let him graze around while his tail dried.

Flash looked up from his nap to see what we were doing.

And then went right back to sleep.

Stretching to get comfortable.  Flash loves his naps.  He takes lots of them.

Clove Currant bush.  The scent of clove from this plant in the spring is almost over powering.

It's not the most beautiful plant but it does provide great aroma in the spring, currants in the summer and beautiful red foliage in the autumn.  I planted a bush at each of the four corners of the viewing stand.

Jupiter's Beard.  Pretty color.  Invasive.  Not sure if I love it or hate it.

Here come the California Poppies!

Tarragon is coming to life after its winter dormancy.

Yesterday evening when I got home from work Brett and I walked out to the future goat area to decide where we are going to put the goat palace  shed.  Brett had been busy drawing up plans.  The shed will be like a little house with a porch, dutch doors and skylight.   Brett plans to put a brick walkway from the gate to the front door...  These goats will be living in style.  One of our community neighbors raises goats (African pygmies) so we will buy from her.  She has a doe who is due next month.  Perfect.

The goat area will be next to the front driveway, just inside the gate.  I'm standing at one end of their area with the camera and it will go all the way to the far fence.

Brett marked the four corners of the goat house location with bricks.

I think they are going to have a blast on the boulders.

The afternoon and vet visit weren't as happy.  I asked her to check Finessa first as she has been a bit gimpy on and off.  The poor little donkey is foundering - and the only thing she eats besides  hay is 1/2 carrot each morning when the horses get their supplements.  So, no more carrots for the donkeys.  

 And Jackson.  Not good.  Now both fronts are testing sore with the hoof testers.  She suspects laminitis.  I immediately went numb.  That is what killed Strider.  As I'm standing, holding Jackson, and thinking about the death diagnosis she tells me that she thinks it is treatable/fixable.  I think she must have taken one look at my ashen face fighting tears and realized what I was thinking.  It is most likely either from our ground being so soft from the rains and that causing bruising when he was worked or could also be an insulin issue - like diabetes in horses.  She took a bazillion x-rays and a full metabolic blood work up - thyroid, glucose, insulin.  She'll have x-rays back tomorrow afternoon and the blood work Wednesday night or Thursday.  No more carrots for Jackson either.   Hopefully, the x-rays won't show any drop or rotation in the coffin bone.  Then we can put some pads on and I can hope that it is an episodic laminitis and not chronic.  ...I have my fingers, toes, arms, legs and brain crossed.