November 12, 2024: Worried
It’s always something. That something now is horse related. Tyra has for some time had loose poop. Tonight, it appeared as though she has the splats, which is really loose poop. I often wish that the horses had more room to roam around. The advantage of an enclosure is that I feel obligated to pick up the poop. And both Pete and I are judicious about this. We do this every single day, at least twice a day and often more. In the process we see how the mares’ poop looks. Raudi’s poop is what I’d call textbook – evenly sized, brownish green road apples. Hrimmi’s are slightly larger, maybe a bit wetter. And Tyra’s poop has |
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always been on the loose side. In having a higher water content, it has been freezing to the ground and has been difficult to pick up. Pete’s been using a digging bar. I tried using this tool, but it’s so heavy that I can’t lift it or get any leverage. I also tried putting the shovel edge near the edge of the pile and kicking hard – this is too hard on my back. Lately, Tyra’s manure has had the consistency of not so mashed potatoes. Tonight it was splitty, extremely watery. Of course I am now worried. This degree of water loss can lead to dehydration. Tomorrow we’ll call Zach, our veterinarian. He will do a full exam, and of course look at her teeth. Sometimes, loose stools can be caused by a loose tooth. Or, she could have an ulcer. Now this would not surprise me. She lives with Raudi who is a very willful and controlling horse. Or she could have sand colic, although the snow has covered the gravel/sand base. Or she could have parasites although the last few times she’s been tested she’s been found to be negative for the types of parasites we have in this area. Or, or, or. Her rear end, under her tail, is now crusted. I will check it in the morning, and as well, check her vitals and see if she seems dehydrated. Lesson learned: I need right now to find a balance, one in which I spend more time with my horses. We had a BLBP board meeting tonight, and I got this sense that now the project has momentum. We have two new board members, this in addition to two other new board members, who signed on recently. This is going to mean that I’ll now be able to spend more time on the home front. I am going away next week; I hope it does not end up like the time I went to Fairbanks and Signy died. I fret more at night than I do in the daytime. Why is this? Could it be that being tired and fretting are synonymous terms? Why is this? Is it because in the absence of daytime distractions, that things to fret about rise to the surface? I don’t know. I may never know. |
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