The Equus Ink

Ink Coming Down from one of His Massive Bucks

As I’m sure you can see Ink was feeling pretty good yesterday! 

It was very warm, in the high 90’s.  I checked Ink’s leg and the swelling has gone down a lot since yesterday and is almost gone.  The heat too, is almost gone.  Still a little warm in the spot where it looks like he was stung.  I’m going to give him the rest of the week off, maybe start back up with the usual-ish lunging routine on Sunday.  Besides it being very warm, I didn’t want to do much, but it didn’t phase Ink from being a show-off and flirting with the mares..  I lunged Errika for about 10 minutes and then had Matt lunge Ink for a little bit to see how he was moving. 

Afterwards we took the horses to the wash rack to get a cool hosing.  For the rest of the time we let them dry, relax, groomed them, braided their tails and then gave them their grain.  Errika is looking a little plump lately so we’re taking her off the beet pulp that we had her on during the winter to maintain and gain some more weight since the surgery.  Don’t need it anymore, little chubby mare. 

Ink gets turn-out gear during the summer.  He gets sores on the front of his his lower leg so the BO told us to put the soft bell boots on upside down to protect that area.  Then I put his hind sport boots on because he keeps knicking himself with his shoes.  The flies are coming out more and more, so I’m bringing over the fly masks and then we have to order the ubber fly sheets.  They come complete with belly band, generous tail over and neck cover. 

Pictures of Errika from yesterday’s bath :).  It’s un-like her to want to play and drink the water during her bath.  Did I mention I LOVE the new camera?  Well here are the pictures for your viewing pleasure!  Enjoy!

I also considered it my bad day too.  Did I end up getting the camera?  Yes I did!  I’m in love with it, but again when something good happens, three bad things always do.  Number one; Mother’s Day.  On Sunday we took my mom to this nice beach town, had lunch and the weather was beautiful.  On the beach it was a bit windy and chilly, but still very nice out!  I spent nearly the WHOLE time getting awesome photos of my mom, dad, brothers..you know the family just doing their thing.  On Saturday I got pictures of the races, some really cool ones..  My first two days of owning this camera was spent taking some truly great pictures and everyone was proud of me for what I took.  I was too!  Sunday night I go over to Matt’s house to wish his mom and Happy Mother’s day and brought my cord to plug the camera into the TV for them to see.  I was so so so excited about the photos and couldn’t wait to show my mom.  Well we were going to put the photos on Matts’ parents desktop so I could put them all on disk’s and something horrible just HAD to happen.  I lost ALL, every single last picture I took that was on that memory card.  I should have spoken up because I knew that could happen.  All 425 pictures gone just like that.  Most importantly all the memories of a GREAT Mother’s Day, is now gone. 

The next day I was just having a bad day altogether.  Mostly because I was still upset about the pictures.  I was going to the linen closest and Klint was hiding in it to scare me.  Well he did.  I ended up like kicking at the door while I slammed it shut and caught my toe and now half of my toe nail is bruised, bleeding and stinging.  I walk with my foot sideways so my toe doesn’t take the brunt of the walk and in the shower I had to hold the blasted thing up so soap wouldn’t get in it and nearly fell over from my hip killing me.  Gah, anyway……

Number three, I was having a horrible day yesterday that I just needed to get out.  So I left alone to be with the horses.  Took my camera and was planning on just hanging out and taking pictures.  Wrong!  That was the opposite that happened.  I got there, Errika came and greeted me at the gate and I proceed to take her sheet off.  Then here comes Ink, I give kisses and began removing his sheet.  Well to my complete horror I find his right leg completely swollen up.  His knee is huge all the way down to his pastern.  On further inspection I find his right side of his jaw also swollen.  By this time I’m freaking out and crying, very worried and call Matt and then my mom.  Matt rushes over and looks him over too.  I began taking pictures of the problem areas just in-case.  We take the big guy up to the barn and I cold hose him and then take him to the round pen to see if he’s lame.  Well he looks fine, except a little uncomfortable.  He doesn’t want to have the area’s touched.  Besides that he’s acting normal and eating.  My mom get’s over and brings ice.  So I wrap and ice the leg, first the bottom section, then the top.  After discussing it we are pretty sure it’s bee or wasp stings.  The BO says that she didn’t notice any of this yesterday morning so I am assuming it happened between the time I got there yesterday and the morning.  Today I get over there and the swelling has gone down.  All vital signs are good, he’s drinking normally, eating and acting pretty normal.  I can only remember the feeling of getting a bee sting and how tight the area feels when it puffs up.  Not comfortable!  We’re keeping our eyes on him and will call the vet if things don’t improve.  After nearly having a complete melt-down, I think everything will be fine. 

Today is very warm.  Tomorrow worse, continuing throughout the week, goody.  I gave both horses a bath and Errika thanked me by rolling ;).   

All of the pics above were taken yesterday, after finding the boy.  You can see the swelling on his jaw in some of the photos.  Photos are compliment, Matt and the new camera.

Yesterday Matt, my mom and I went to the dreaded mall.  Matt had to go to the phone store and my mom and I trailed along and then we were planning to go to see the horses after.  After the phone store Matt said he wanted to see if the place where he bought his old sunglasses, had a pair that he wanted.  It just so happens that next door is a camera store and after the sunglass place we stopped in to look at the Canon Rebel that I’ve had my eyes on for some time now.  The guy who worked there was very helpful and gave me LOADS of information on the Rebel Xti and also other brands similar to it.  But the Rebel is on a super sale right now and you can get an extra 75mm-300mm lens for it for an additional $99.  The lens it comes with in the sale plus the extra one is even cheaper than the camera itself not on sale.  Matt is really pushing me to get it since it’s been my dream to persue photography and the price is right.  The sale ends today and I haven’t decided yet if I want to get it or not..  It’s a lot of money, but I’d be missing out on a great deal if I don’t take it up. 

Later on we went and gave grain and Ink was a frisky man.  Not being out two days brings out the fire in him ;).  Even though he is turned out 24/7, he doesn’t really get all his extra energy out.   

Errika looks over at me with her calm, quiet eyes.  She’s a gentle soul while the world moves around her.  She has the wise, contentment of an old Cowboy.  I ask her if things will end up all right and she moves closer to me while I’m standing in the middle of the round pen.  Her head low, she seems to let out a light sigh as I move my hand underneath her long mane.  My mind goes back to the day of the surgery, the weakness I felt in my legs during the ride up and while I sat holding the tears, trying to be tough, while I kept rubbing her forehead.  I am reminded that in the end, when you are honest, things do work themselves out.  We went through a lot during those weeks, but came out with a greater understanding of life and yes, love.  Just months after that surgery and a long haul in the ICU, someone took Errika out of her stall and into the rain, to leave her in the back pasture.  A blanket, that was not waterproof, was placed on her.  I was mortified to see my horse in the rain, soaking wet.  My mom and I brought Errika up, took the wet blanket off and began trying to dry her.  It was after that day that I lost respect for the owner, barn owner.  It’s not so much that it was my horse, but that they took Errika, an innocent animal and placed her out like that, not long after her surgery while we were trying to put weight on her.  This person was supposdily our friend who cared about horses and Errika.  What was even more frustrating is that she was not accomidated to like some of the the trainer’s clients’ horses, after he was there for a few months and we had been there for five years.  Errika was later given a temporary shelter after the owner came across a very distraught and angry mom.  After spending a lot of money and time to get Errika through the whole or-deal and on recovery, it was a little disconcerting to have that happen by a fellow horse ‘lover’. 

The whole situation right now is a little bit more complicated than that.  One thing however, is that there is one problem that I was confused about.  With respect to my mom I’ll leave it private.  But things have never been really clear.  I’m very thankful for the kindness of the owner throughout the years of being allowed to keep Errika and eventually Ink at the property.  During the beginning Errika was invited to stay board free.  The last year, however, has been interesting, weird and a little upsetting.  I’ve had incidents which have happened that have made me want to leave.  Sometimes for the respect of the owner because I felt I was burdening him/her and other times because I’ve felt like I didn’t want to be there anymore.  I’ve been there since I was 14 and after graduating this past year, it was as if I was expected to now pay the board bill by people outside of my family, as that ignorant trainer told me I should.  It became un-clear to me weather I was to attend to that based on what others suggested.  My parents, actually my mom, told me that she would continue.  Both my parents support both my brothers’ racing hobby/career, they do the same with my horses.  My family works a little different and we are actually not spoiled brats running around with our heads cut off.  My parents “make it work” despite not being rich and supporting two expensive hobbies/lifestyles.  Granted I didn’t like the fashion in which it was done, but the owner never brought up concerns or desires to us, comminication has been, not so good. 

It seemed that everytime that the owner was mad about something, instead of talking directly to my mom and I, she would go to my dad (who had nothing to do with the situation) and complain to him.  We would end up hearing concerns through him and decided that if the owner was not going to come to us, we wouldn’t honor it, I guess you would say.  My dad would tell the person to come to us.  The owner was usually mad about money.  Things would happen during those times.  One incident would be that I had my dog over one rainy afternoon, while I was there alone.  I was grooming Errika in the barn and I had Sophie sitting by the tack room.  The owner came back to feed and had taken the four dogs out of their pens from up front, to come with him/her during feed time.  When the owner opened the barn door, one of the dogs came in and starting lunging at my dog.  Not just trying to nip at Sophie and barking, straight on trying to attack it.  Somehow I managed to get inbetween and grab Sophie in my arms and held her against the door.  The owner was right there but wasn’t trying to do anything to interven, he/she just yelled at the dog to stop, but that obviously wasn’t going to do anything one bit.  Sophie’s leash was hanging from my arms and the dog was pulling at that, jumping up at my arms, teeth beared and trying to get to my dog.  Finally the owner got the dog and threw it outside.  That was that.  The owner didn’t apologize or anything, just went about his/her business without another word.  I guess I shouldn’t have brought Sophie, even though I’d done it before with the owner being fine with it.  But I thought that the owner would be more…apologetic?  Maybe even ask if my dog or I was OK.  But nothing.  After the owner got done feeding and left I called my mom up and began crying as I told her what happened.  

One other incident happend not too long ago, again with Sophie.  My mom, Matt and I got to the barn waiting for M* to get there to clip Ink.  The owner was furious about this happening and for days before the appointment he/she called my dad to complain about it.  Stating it was a horrible idea and he would suffer throughout the winter.  Again the owner never came to me to discuss this, as I would have been open to hearing his/her concerns for the sake of my horse’s well-being.  But after talking about it with trainer and clipper, M* told me that Ink would be totally fine as long as he was blanketed appropriately.  I ended up double blanketing him throughout the winter, according to the weather.  M* left his face and leg hair beings as he was turned out.  Well anyway the owner didn’t come out.  I thought that if the owner was having such a problem with it and was really concerned he/she would have come out when M* got there to talk about it and see what M* had to say about it.  But he/she didn’t.  The owner ended up contacting my dad while we were waiting for M*, again, stating his/her furious concern, but still didn’t come out to talk with me when I was at the barn and he/she was about a 20 second walk from the barn to the house up front.  My dad ended up calling my mom to let us know what the owner said and was like “what is going on?”  and it was stirring a whole drama pot, which it wouldn’t have been anything near that big of a deal if he/she just came out and talked with all of us.  That day was long and rediculous.  Well apparently the owner thought about coming out and finally did, before M* arrived.  I was sitting on the floor of the barn with my dog, next to Matt.  Without looking at me, he/she looked right at Matt and said “He’ll die if you clip him.  He won’t survive the winter.”  In a very rude, oppinated tone.  Again I’m absolutlely willing to talk and discuss concerns with, concerned horse people, of course, but he/she I guess wasn’t into talking directly to the horse OWNER in a rational way of that of a middle aged adult.  But ok, life goes on.  I didn’t say a word after she said that, I refuse to talk with someone who acts like that and besides I knew that I was going ahead with clipping.  However, like I said if he/she did come to me with real concerns in a respectful manner I would be more than willing to hear he/she out.  The owner walked back up to the house and wasn’t seen during the time when M* was there.   Knowing Sophie was there, the owner did something odd.  When we were sitting around after Ink’s clipping we heard a door shut up front.  My mom looked and saw the owner walking away from the dog kennels.  It was the kennel door that we heard.  Then we saw a dog running around up front and eventually made it’s way to the back.  This was one of the dogs that was there that day Sophie was almost attacked.  The dogs never ever got let out without supervision the whole five years I had been there.  They never even came out during those years unless to come out to run along while the owner fed.  Now all of a sudden a dog was let out to roam the yard?  The owner knowing Sophie was there and the way the dogs will attack any other dog?  Of course we put Sophie in the car and Matt ended up putting the dog away.  It was a very dangerous move on the owners part because if that dog would have gotten out off the property and killed or hurt another dog, it wouldn’t have been pretty.  But I just let that whole situation go, even though it did hurt my feelings that the owner had stated that I was going to kill my horse.  Not too long after Ink’s clipping, all the owners horses were full body clipped by the ignorant trainer that was based there.  Despite some being turned out, they were completed body clipped, head and legs. ?? I never got an apology for what he/she said so rudely either once he/she realized it wasn’t soo horrible after all, I guess considering he/she did the same with his/her horses.

I think the reason why I continued to stay is because I had a super great deal.  Unsurpassed and I think I just delt with whatever happened because I wasn’t in a position to stand up for myself.  It’s not so much that I didn’t want to ‘ruin’ the situation I had, but that I just was appreciative and thankful I had the oppurtunity I had, so I felt as if I should just be lucky and deal with things.  The great oppurtunity to have horses, be invited so nicely there and be allowed to stay for a great price was more than enough to roll with whatever was shoveled my way.  But now I think about it and even if I had the option to spend $600 a month on board somewhere else for the horses or stay for the rock bottom price at that place, I’d choose to pay the $600.

I’m just going on here, you didn’t or don’t have to read this.  I’m just letting some welled up things out. 

I like that name.  My mom told me today that there was a horse by the name of “Big Brown” running in the Kentucky Derby.  She said he looked just like Ink and was absolutely gorgeous.  I wasn’t the least bit interested, I even forgot that today was the running.  It’s not such a hoot for me considering that behind the running is usually thousands of those horses that were bred for the dream of being in that race, failed and then were tossed out like Monday’s garbage.  It makes the Kentucky Derby something to look forward to.  Being the owner of the racing industries “Monday Garbage” doesn’t really make me say “oh goody the Derby is here!”  I love my horse and I have to be blunt here, screw all of you people who treat horses like $$ commodities.  

It was sad, however, to hear that the filly Eight Belles broke down and was later euthanized on the track.  Tragedy yes, but to all those people who felt for her, her owners, trainer, her staff, think about all the ones that die in slaughter houses inhumanely everyday.  Yes she was in the public’s eye at the biggest horse race, but lets not put a price tag on the pricless lives of those who didn’t make it to the “big” races. 

I’m down ranting on about that.  It just frustrates me.

I’m sorry everyone for not posting a lot lately and reading your blogs.  I’ve been having some troubles with finding a new place to keep the horses. 

The barn of our own hunt, rather keeping our ears and eyes open, has been put on hold to manage what needs to be taken care of right now. 

The horses are doing well and exercise is still being continued as usual.  I rode Errika bareback yesterday and hung out with her.  It’s days like yesterday that I am reminded how special she is and lucky I am to have her in my life. 

I didn’t think I would write a second post of this so soon.  But guess what, fate just stepped in, or has it? 

Our family friend is working on a house through a Realtor, that was foreclosed and needs to be fixed up to be up to code I guess?  This house has 1.5 acres and has a nice sized newly built shop, a smaller, older 3 bedroom house.  There is not a barn, no horse amenities once-so-ever and is very in need of TLC.  It would be a fixer upper most definitely.  When I saw the property, I in-visioned the perfect area for a Dressage arena and a shed-row of 4 stalls or so.  It’s not a big piece of property, but for my brothers and dad the selling point is the nice new shop, with a studio on the second level.  The property is very over-grown, but my mom and I could take care of that.  I already have a green, cost-effective way of building an arena.  It could be a nice place once we fixed it up.  But this is all up in the air for now!  Did I mention it is like 1 minute from the current barn we keep the horses at?  Interesting, I would have never thought this place would be where it is.  Downside to the property, there would be no turn out space for horses if we built a small barn.

This evening we went over to the horses and gave grain.  It was chilly and windy, worse than yesterday.  To think just the other night we were outside enjoying the night with our shorts on.

I get a wee bit excited when I read over that title.  It would be an absolute dream come true.  My mom told my dad that we need to move somewhere with some property, room for the race cars and horses.  It’s a buyers market, but not a sellers.  This idea is up in the air right now, but mom wants to “keep her ears open” for a place. 

I haven’t blogged since Friday, the weekend was just ‘blah’ and nothing too interesting happend.  Saturday was very warm, in the high eighties and I knew I should have taken up on that to give Errika a bath.  Tonight was much cooler and I ended up putting the horse’s sheets on.  We were at the store today and bought some bath things for the horses.  More shampoo, conditioner, combs and some of those scrubbing, loofa type gloves.  The horses are going to love those! 

The new farrier came to shoe Ink today.  He was really nice and even early to the appointment!  He brought along his dog, who cleaned up most of the hoof trimmings.  Ink’s hooves look fantastic.  When the farrier was trying to do his back hooves however, Ink was having a hard time or just felt like giving the guy a hard time.  The man said that he couldn’t tell if Ink was just stiff or if he was just acting up.  It does sound like something Ink would do, but it’s hard to tell. 

I lunged Ink afterwards in the round pen and he looked great.  He didn’t look lame at all.  I was really excited to see him moving so well.  After lunging I decided to ride and worked on getting Ink to go low and deep.  We also worked on bending his body because he kept pushing to go to the center of the roundpen where Errika was standing.  It was a successful day.

The next thing on the list is to have a Chiropractor/Equine Massage Therapist come and do some body work on the big guy.  I think it would really benefit him.  When I thought more about what the farrier said about him being stiff in the hind end and looking how Ink is moving, I do really think that there might be something causing problems, that a visit from the chiro/masseuse would be helpful and then we can go from there.