Thursday, June 1st 2006

8:24 AM

I grew a brain...

I have lamented to the list about Doc (most recent feet photos found at http://bylsma.spiritofequus.com/docsfeet.html) and how since he had his shoes pulled in January, he has been gimping around...I haven't known if it was a particularly rough transition or due to his other issues (such as arthritis throughout his rather young body) or what. I am new to all of this, having had two of my four barefoot before, but not with a natural trimmer. My hope is to trim all my own while learning from an AANHCP trimmer.

I have moaned to the list about how Doc continues, when given a chance, to go down into the forest and stand in a spot where he poops and pees and that I have had to lock him in the corral to try to get his feet dried out and to get him walking on the dried sand.

I have been concerned about feeding him on sand (sand colic) and I don't like him not getting any social contact with the others as it is interacting with the other three that keeps him moving as well.

Today I realized that all my problems might be solved (I think anyhow) if I stopped feeding the horses in the feeders which are down in the forest....duh. Today's lunch, I laid out 5 piles for the four horses and tonight's dinner I actually had 10 piles for the four horses...stretched all across the forest hillside. Yes, it means I have to gimp around more (I have a foot that got stomped on last week that is aching quite a bit), but the bottom line is, the horses, eager to eat as much as they can, will ALL move more. DUH!

Not only that, but I have emptied the water trough that has been in the forest. Doc's favorite place to stand in his own wastes has been between his favorite place to eat at the feeder and the water trough. Now that he won't be getting fed there and there is no water there, I imagine the spot will be less appealing. Or here's hoping.

So now, to get all the food this rather large horse needs to not feel hungry, he will have to traverse the hillside some and maybe climb it a bit. It is soft dirt, but not mushy.

Then, to drink water, he will need to climb the hill to go into the corral where there is flatland that has a thin sand footing.

This evening, when he was standing at *his* spot at the *feeder*, I climbed up near him and he saw the other horses down below eating at the piles of hay. He wasted little time having a bucking fit on his way down to go eat from a pile of hay, chasing off horse #3 in the pecking order (Doc is #2) with a good buck and a kick thrown in for good measure. I have never understood how one second he could act like he is on death's door, immobilized and miserable, and the next, he can have a bucking fit (which seems strangely like a temper tantrum!). No matter how we get the movement (when he is motivated enough to offer it on his own) I think I will take it!

Here's hoping that between the movement, the time on the sand due to having to get his water there *and* getting out of his own poop he will find a way to speed this transition.

The modified boots (turned into sandals) weren't working...and I need to take him to UC Davis for a COMPLETE thorough going over. But without him being half way comfortable on his feet, there was no way a lameness exam would be as helpful as it could be. I think (hope and pray!) we are on the right road now!

Heidi

PS The kilo of J-herb leaves I bought from Taiwan for Doc's joints (VBG!!!) are supposed to be here any day now! So I am hoping that he will feel SO good after having that added to his supplements that he will be rip roaring around. Gosh, I guess if nothing else, he is moving when he bucks and runs away from the nasty horse flies that use his dorsal stripe as a landing strip runway....