Two Trips to the Barn

I went out to the barn twice yesterday. It was not a casual visit however. When Jerry got home from work, he said Rembrandt was pawing and looking at his sides. Of course I went into hyperactive, protective, doctor mode. I told Jerry to lunge him, which he did. He came back about a half an hour later and reported that Rudy had passed some gas and manure and was feeling much better. A half an hour later, my dad came in and said that he had gone out to check on him and my beloved horse was laying flat out in his stall. Dad said that Jerry had gotten him up and was lunging him again. I knew that he had colic and I had to get out to the barn to see him right away!

Rembrandt and I at the shore in 1991.

My dad brought his car around to the front of the house. Using my walker and crutches, I got into the car and he drove me around to the back. When we got there, Jerry was lunging Rudy in his paddock, but my dear 32 year old horse was barely moving. 

"We've got to take him out to the riding arena where he has more room and can move out", I said. Again I hobbled from the barn back into the car and my dad drove me around to the edge of the arena. We positioned the passenger side window so I could bark out my orders to Jerry and my precious horse. It was raining now. "Take his blanket off. Move in closer. Keep your line neatly coiled. You'll need to walk small circles so you can keep your whip close enough that you can tap him with it. Keep him trotting! Tell him he's a good boy. Don't let him walk. Keep going!!" After about 40 minutes, some more gas was passed and a small bit of manure. The horse seemed relieved, so we put him back in his paddock and went back to the house to eat dinner. At 9:00 we all went back out to the barn to find a very hungry, alert pony. I gave him a few small pieces of a banana which he inhaled. "No dinner for you tonight, my love", I said. We got his blanket back on and locked him out for the night. I wanted him to move around and didn't want to take a chance of him laying down in his stall again.

The morning reports were that Rudy was very alert and hungry. They say he's sore from all the exercise, but seems to be doing very well otherwise. (Big sigh of relief here. . . ) Jerry closed the gates to the pastures last night to keep both horses off the new grass and has agreed to lunge my old buddy for at least twenty minutes this afternoon.

Thank goodness my parents are here to help! What a blessing they and all my friends and family have been! They came last Wednesday night in their motor home and have been a big help with caring for a one legged invalid, the house and the horses. If my dad hadn't found Rudy in the stall when he did, the situation could have easily gotten a lot worse.

I love this picture of my mom and dad, having a beer in Nova Scotia in the summer of 2010.

Welcome to my world. Here is where I spend most of my time now. My butt is so sore!

The studio has been made more handicap accessible. I have a couple of tables that Jerry modified so I can fit the wheelchair under them. (This table has origami projects on it. :-))

More and more hummingbirds are arriving here everyday. I really don't know the numbers, but we have six feeders out now!

If you want to find out how to attract your own hummingbirds, go here.

Again, many many thanks to you, my friends! Your comments, emails and get well wishes really brighten my days!

Rudy Is Doing Much Better

Just a short update on my guy, Rudy. He's eating well and looks great. Everything indicates that he feels good too. I've been lunging him about twenty minutes each day and he really seems to enjoy it. Yesterday when I asked him to walk after trotting for a couple of minutes, he just kept going at a relaxed rhythmic jog. I said, "OK, then Rudy, trot on". He then picked up his pace in a very accommodating manner, eager to show me his sound flowing gait. My vet called when they got his blood work results back and said for a 29 year old horse with Cushings Disease, everything looks amazingly good. I know he's not going to be around forever, but I strongly feel we've got a few good years together ahead. Thanks to everyone for your concern. It is really appreciated.

A Close Call With A Dear Friend

I grew up with my horse, Rembrandt, aka: Rudy and have owned him since he was a yearling. Yesterday he had colic. Colic is probably the number one killer of horses. I have never had the vet out for colic before. For a 29 year old horse, Rudy is amazingly healthy and quite nicely well preserved. I spent over five hours yesterday and last night lunging and walking him. I pleaded with him not to leave me now. "We still have lots of good years ahead", I told him. At midnight I called my vet because Rembrandt seemed in pretty bad pain. There wasn't much more they could do for him except surgery, Dan Keenan said. "Just keep walking him and hopefully he'll pull through." I walked him until his pain seemed lessened. At 2:00 am I went inside, mentally and physically exhausted. I dozed for an hour. I went out and checked on him three times during the early morning hours. He was down more than he was up, but he seemed to be resting quietly. By 6:30, he had regained his interest in food when he quickly went to check out his feed bucket when I fed Rita. "Sorry, no food until later, vet's orders", I said. By 8:00 am he seemed more like his old self and has been eating small quantities of timothy hay that I soaked in water and drained before feeding. Knock on wood, so far so good. We have to be very careful with his diet over the next couple of weeks so he can have a full recovery from the ordeal. Here is a photo I took of him tonight. Sometimes we don't realize how much somebody means to us until they might be lost.