And Then They Handed The Sentence Down

Verdict: chronic laminitis

Our vet and the farrier came up this afternoon.  They wanted to look at Jackson's feet together, when the farrier was here to pull the shoes,  so we arranged it on our regular scheduled shoeing day.  The plan was to repeat x-rays and blood work.

In the morning, Jackson was walking with just a slight gimp so I turned him out in the paddock after grooming him and washing his tail.  He soooo loves the paddock and being able to socialize with the others.  He spent some time at the water trough -- the water must taste like champagne.  The horses prefer it so much over the water in their stalls.

He spent awhile down there at the bottom of the paddock, sniffing the ground and thinking what ever it is that horse's think while they are sniffing the ground "hmmm, remnants of Kalvin's poop I think..."

At lunch time, he trotted up to the run in shed for his hay.  Trotted!  Off, yes, but still...

Then, the experts arrived.  They pulled his shoes, poked and prodded his soles, and looked at his previous x-rays.  They glanced at me furtively.  I think they were afraid to voice what I already knew in case I fell apart.  But then Dr. Thacher remembered that I am a knowledge hound and confirmed that I had read every scholarly article on laminitis I could find.  She knew it wouldn't be a surprise. 

It was obvious.  So obvious that further testing would be throwing money away.  His previous x-rays showed the start of rotation.  The increase in the distance between the wall of his hoof and the sole, indicated a progression.  He stood with his forelegs stretched out slightly in front, the classic laminitis stance.

We left his shoes off.  If he can tolerate being barefoot, it will be better for the health of his hooves.

In an odd way, it was a relief to get confirmation of what I believed was going on.  I was commended for giving him a forever home and continuing to do what is best for him, despite the "can never be ridden again" diagnosis.  I feel less guilty about looking for another horse, too.

I'm Thinking About a New Horse

This seems to come as no surprise to anyone except me.  I've been resisting and resisting with all my might.  Jackson has made me happier than any other horse in my entire life.  He's also been lame most of the year and he is, again, lame.  Lame.  Lame.  Lame.  Not abscess lame.  Laminitis lame.  I've moved from denial to grief.  All my dreams of the dressage journey and trail rides on the beach are shriveling up like the hollow apples left on the trees.

The pain ebbs and flows, but most of the time he stands like this.  Even with bute and pads, he isn't comfortable.  I caught him the other day doing the laminitis park -- the stance they take with their feet forward and their weight rocked back.  I turned away.  I tried to pretend I hadn't seen it.

For Christmas, my parents gave us a generous gift.  We were going to use it to do some remodeling in the mud room bathroom.  Yesterday, Brett suggested that I use it for a new horse.  It's not enough for a whiz bang warmblood.  But it is enough for a steady sound trail horse with potential.  I looked at some horses on line.  I talked to our trainer.  And our vet.  And the nutritionist.  My parents said a horse would be a better use of the gift than the bathroom -- and they don't even like horses.  I went to bed depressed; feeling like I was putting Jackson in the old folks home and looking for a new husband.  Of course, I'm not.  Jackson will live here forever.  But, that is how it felt.

This morning, while I was picking his feet some dogs started barking and he startled.  He jumped sideways, knocking me over.  I landed on my left seat bone and it hurt.  Jackson hobbled back to his hay and I hobbled out to the edge of his run-in shed and sat on the wood edge.  I folded my arms across my knees, put my head down and sobbed.  Deep, hard, can't breathe sobs.  My seat bone didn't hurt that bad, but my heart was breaking.

I expect it will take me a long time to find a horse.  I want sweet and sensitive, smart and brave, curious and willing.  I want sound.  I want hooves so hard they don't need shoes.

In the meantime, I'll be riding Flash whenever Brett lets me borrow him.  And I'll be sitting with Jackson, cleaning his manure stains, and scrubbing his tail.

And maybe by next Christmas I'll be riding my own horse again.

Donkeys and Air Ferns

When Dr. Thacher was out, I asked her about Finessa and the never-ending battle with founder.

She said that both donkeys are too fat.  They don't get carrots, apples, cookies or a bucket of supplements.  All they eat is grass hay.  And they are still too fat.

She said Finessa won't be better until she loses some weight.  Donkeys, she continued, are like air ferns.  They can live on next to nothing.  It is difficult to take weight off of a miniature donkey, but it can be done.

It might take 10 years.  Luckily, donkeys live to be 30 or even 40.  We have time.

I called them out to break the news.  They will be getting less hay for the foreseeable future.

Big bellies

Tuffy: Did she just say LESS food? 

Tuffy: Let's run away to 7MSN Ranch.  Finessa: How soon can we leave?

Jackson Piles It On

As if laminitis and sore hocks weren't enough, Jackson has decided to add conjunctivitis to his list of ailments.  Yup, pink eye.  Horses get it just like toddlers do so I'm dealing with itchy, crusty, goopy eyes.  And so is Brett (Flash has it too) -- it is contagious in the barn just like it is in preschool.

I have put Jackson back on stall rest for the next two weeks until the vet can come and evaluate his hocks.  I'm hoping that the rest will finally kick the laminitis.  With his hind end off, he can't work correctly anyway.  This morning while I was walking him, it slipped out three times.  But, his feet seemed fine so I'm hoping that we will do hock injections next week and then I should have a sound horse again.  Should.  You never know with horses.  I had his hocks injected a year ago and he improved 100%.

While I took Jackson for a walk, Brett rode Flash in the arena.

I like this picture because they both look relaxed.  Brett almost always has contact on Flash's mouth so most pictures of them show tension. 

When we got back from our walk, Jackson explored the barn aisle.

Hmmm, Venice Turpentine, fly spray, a brush and a hoof pick... Where's the cookies??

Where should I go next? 

Oh, right.  Jail.