For Better Or For Worse

     Like marriage, when we take on an animal, we should commit to its care even at times when it may not be doing too well, and requires extra time and attention.  I had a chicken concern last week.....the two hens hadn't laid for 2 days and one looked kind of sick.....thought maybe she had a cold
                                                     too. Even the dog seemed mopey and

Abbey was having eye and ear issues. I guess because my cold had gotten me so down and lasted over a week, I was thinking every one was getting it.  Wednesday evening, the chicken was standing in the fountain water, drinking and looking like she was falling asleep. I could pick her right up, which I did... and while I was holding and petting her, a shell-less egg came out, down my pants and onto my shoe.  I was concerned about her being egg bound.

One treatment I found on several sites was: "A warm water bath can also be of great help (shallow water, of course, you don't want to drown the hen).  Often the hen will pass the egg into the water. Make the water as warm as you would like to take a long soak in."
     It is interesting that when I put the hen back down, she got back in the fountain and I decided to add warm water to it for her, and she stayed in there awhile. This was after the egg had already come out on my leg, but before I read about this as a treatment.  I just thought she looked cold and that warm water would help.

       There were two eggs laid Friday... so I was hopeful that the red hens were back into the swing of things.  All our chickens spend a lot of time in the barn during the day.  They love picking through horse manure... really make a mess of it in the stalls if I don't get them cleaned out first thing in the morning. They also dig through the manure pile regularly.  I find them resting in the horse stalls on the clean bedding and sitting around the feed bins sometimes.  I never should have given handouts of sweet feed to them while there in the barn. The red hens are not as pushy/mean to the Plymouth Rocks and they are all about the same size now. The roosters may be larger than the red ones at this point.

     The horses are settling in more and more each day. The vet (Emily) came out Thursday to check Onyx's eye, teeth and do a base line blood work up. Onyx's teeth are good.....we will decide on floating in the Spring.  I am having the full blood work up done at the U of I in Champaign.  Emily thought Onyx's weight looked good. (I think she has filled out these past several weeks.)  So hopefully the issue of keeping on weight is not a problem. The one bad piece of info is the white spot in the right eye. Emily says it is a cataract that could have been there since birth. She also doesn't think Onyx has any vision in that eye.  The occasional blinking is from touching the eyelashes. She did say it might be possible that Onyx sees some (shadows) when her pupils are dilated.  So....I guess I bought a horse that is blind in 1 eye. I know.....buyer be ware at those auctions.  But, for better or for worse... I will do the best I can for this horse.  I don't think it is going to make a huge difference with her trail riding. I just need to keep it in mind while working with her and riding her.
    
     Britney came for the weekend, and neither of us had a huge amount of school work to do, so we walked, hung out, and she got to meet the new horses and cow.






     We even got a bunch more work done around here. We had a busy, productive weekend. We moved some more bales of hay around, transplanted some more trees and bushes and worked on moving the 13 tons of dirt that arrived Friday afternoon.  We are filling in some around the corner of the garage where the drive curves, raising the ground level behind the barn where the horses have to step up to get into the stall, adding dirt to the garden area to raise it up some, and filling in the multitude of holes + dips in the yard, round pen, and pastures. 

     Courtney and I (with help of Mike, Dan, Britney and Joe) got Zorro loaded in 42 min. on Sat. It took 2 hours the first time with our trainer's help.  Once Zorro was loaded Sat. we went down to Marj's and unloaded both of them.



This is where we tie the horses to groom and tack them.

    

      




Courtney leads Zorro into the arena.





Marj shows Courtney several ground exercises.












Then Courtney works on her own.

 

Marj does some desensitizing.

Then it is on with the saddle.







 And Courtney is off and riding.


After getting pictures of Courtney's lesson, I went ahead and worked Onyx at the end of the big riding arena. I needed some help at one point, which I got from Marj while Courtney was  practicing.


     A little later Richard (Marj's husband) who is a no nonsense kind of guy, stepped in to help me.  Wow....did he ever have a way with Onyx. Britney said he reminded her of "The Horse Whisper".  He was really tough on Onyx, but in no time had her complete attention, submission, and respect.  After our 1 1/2 hour lesson(s) it took 30 min to load Zorro.  This time Richard stepped in after about 15 min when we weren't getting anywhere.  In 15 min he had Zorro walking on to the trailer. Amazing.

     This week has gone pretty fast.  I still have this daw gone cold.  Joe has been super busy at work.  I rode Onyx Monday at my lesson and my trainer is letting me barrow a saddle and bridle until I buy one.

       I won my flight (C group-which is made up of the worst golfers) in the golf tournament Tuesday.  That's the first I have golfed in 3 or 4 weeks.  I hit my drives farther than ever before.  It must be all that horse wrangling I have been doing, built up some arm muscle.

     Onyx is finally lunging quite well, and very responsive to the bit I am using.  Actually , there is no bit, just a nose and chin strap (called a hackamore)  I rode her around the big pasture Wednesday.  She was tentative but willing, although pushed the speed of her walk when we were
headed back towards the barn.  I did
several loops of the figure 8 which I had mowed a while ago. Onyx jumped once when a morning dove flew up from the grass right in front of her, and was concerned along the front with the traffic near by. But it was fun, felt good, and seemed safe. 

     Courtney arrived just after I put the saddle back. I showed her how to drive Zorro away when he cuts in during the lunging.  We also lunged him with the saddle on and then Courtney rode him.  Zorro kept grabbing the lower chain of the hackamore in his mouth. He is such an ornery little punk. He did not respond too well to the turning with the hackamore, but did respect it when pulling back for stopping. He needs a bit. Courtney also needs to get a saddle.  

     Chuck is doing well and appears happy here on our farm.