First rides, awaiting new puppies and other stuff

Since we lost Lexi I have been ever vigilant in caring for my pets.  With the sheep gone I have more time to focus on dogs and horses which is nice.  I didn't realize they were taking up so much of my time but they were not to mention their expense.  I miss them but life goes on. 

Something I realized a long time ago is I'm a glorified human pooper scooper.  No matter what, every day I have poop to pick up somewhere on this property.  If I want to mow, I have to pick up first.  Give the horse a bath, definitely want to pick that stall before I put him away.  It doesn't really bother me.  It's a given.  It just takes a lot of time away from other things I want to do.  So I have to come up with something I can do while I'm cleaning up besides singing along with the radio.  I'll work on that one.

I had my first ride on Handsome Stranger.  He's like and old baby horse.  He didn't know the foundation lessons so I have to start there.  He seems to fit me well enough.  I can't wait to ride him again at home.

We took the boys to OSU to get their teeth floated in preparation for the spring riding season.  This means the sharp edges of the grain and grass grinding surface are ground down so they don't pinch the inside of the mouth or get bumped by the bit.  Sterling is 8ish and new mustang Handsome is 15ish so it was definitely time for a tooth floating.

Now this is quite the procedure compared to what I remember our farrier doing in the old days.  Now a vet has to do it and farriers have moved on to fancy foot work and trying to save all the foundered horses feet out there. Founder was a rarity when I was younger.  Now horses are spoiled with grains and such and turned out to pasture to get fat and sick and their hooves fall off......literally.  This of course is a death sentence for any horse.

To float the teeth they first lightly sedate the horse, they place the chin on a sling and then put a huge speculum in their mouth to hold it open.  Then they use a modified saws all drill with a long file on it to grind down the sharp edges.  They have several files with lighter grates on them to grind, sand and polish.

While relaxed I thought it was a good time to have their sheaths cleaned (you probably don't want to know about that process and if you do google it) and get a rabies shot since I don't know when they got a rabies shot last and update their other vaccines since it costs about the same at the teaching hospital.

Why haven't the horse people challenged how often horses get shots like we dog people did?  Shouldn't there be the same issues of over vaccination in horses?  I asked the vet to write down where he gave each horse their vaccines and he said that was an excellent idea.  I guess many horses, especially gray horses like Sterling, would be sensitive to where those vaccines went year after year.  Horses are routinely given shots in spring AND again in fall so it should really be noted.

So Fuyu is due next week.

Tomorrow she gets an ultrasound to see how many pups.  I can't wait but guess I'll have to. I bred her to a great dog who's a top 10 show dog. His name is Oso Handsome.  Funny because we used to have a Rottweiler named Oso and I have a new horse named Handsome!

The Lexi orphan pups are ready to move on.  Monkey is about normal 9 week old puppy size so a couple who are next on the list will come over next weekend and check him out and see if they want to adopt him.  I am holding onto the girl for a bit longer.  I call her Darla.  She is pretty sweet.  Can't wait to see what she is like when Mr. Personality leaves.  I suppose she will blossom.

More to come!