Random Friday

1.  We had the most amazing rainbow the other day.  It lifted from the ridge across the road, arched across the sky, and landed behind the barn.

2.  Tex is doing very well on his meds and supplements.  The first time I gave him ulcer paste (4ccs of gunk in a syringe that I squirt into the back of his mouth), he was not happy.  He threw his head high and ran backwards.  I stayed with him, remained calm, and rested the syringe against the side of his mouth until he lowered his head and stood calmly.  The second evening, he took two steps back and then agreed to accept the goop.  He's already responding so we will continue with ulcer treatment.  I did not have him scoped.  In the physical exam, he reacted at the pressure points that indicate ulcer.  The medication he is on now masks the symptoms - coats the stomach so it doesn't hurt - but doesn't cure the ulcers.  Our plan was to see if he improved with the ulcer paste, and he has, so we will switch him to a medication which will help with the healing process once he finishes his two week course of paste.  He loves his magnesium pellets and gobbles them down.  He will get them twice a day for a month, and then switch to a maintenance dose of once per day.  He's been very mellow the past few days.  Brett has started calling him "Dopey" because he is so relaxed.  I think he must have been in quite a bit of pain; in both his hind end and his stomach.  I spent some time in the pasture with him last evening; just being; no agenda; just standing next to him and hanging out.  He let out deep sigh after deep sigh, and nudged me with his nose.

3.  I am going to try magnesium with Lucy as well.  She was treated for ulcers when I bought her and is not in pain.  But, she is a hot head and it would be nice if that could be toned down a bit.

4.  JenJ commented that it will be interesting to see Tex's true personality come out, once he is feeling better.  I've thought about that a lot.  Sometimes, you end up with a completely different horse; and it isn't always an easy horse.  It's like peeling an onion: you take care of the pain and get a different horse; you take care of the stress/fear and you get a different horse again.  Right now, he is a more affectionate and gentle horse so I am hopeful that the inside of his onion layers is exactly that.

5.  Spring is my favorite time of year on the ranch.  The weather is still jacket-cold in the mornings, but the grass is green, daffodils are exploding under the trees and in the flower beds, frogs are croaking a symphony in the streams which gurgle happily, Canada geese add their honking to the melody as they fly overhead or waddle around next to us (you'd swear they were pets, they are so fearless) as we do chores.  We still need a fire in the wood-stove at night, with lows in the upper 30s or low 40s, but the afternoons are sunny and comfortable.