It Takes A Long Time Sometimes To Make A Friend

Who Is Alpha?

Well, Scout and I have been on one heck of a journey.  He seems to like his corner stall that he has been in for nearly five years.  He has a lake and park view.  And we are at an intersection that other riders with their horses stop often.

Two years ago I was "lunging" Scout in a rectangular "turn out," when on his last run he fell down on the sand.  It seemed like time stood still.  He got up without hesitation and looked over at me as twenty "boarders" came to his rescue.  We walked him gingerly over to the first "cross ties," and checked him out.  Nothing seemed broken.  He had a small cut.  

I called his vet

who came out and took x-rays.  It seems that Scout has bone on bone in his right knee.  Like some of us with a similiar situation doctors would have options from a series of injections over several months to total replacement surgery.  These options are not available to horses.  Although, there are some options to help equine joints stay lubricated there is nothing to guarantee regrowth of cartilage.

Scout was initially placed on stall rest.  So this big old horse had to stay in his stall and rest his knee.

Although I told him that he was like a three year old kid that wanted to go out and play.  Eventually, we started we started lessons again and concluded that he was good for 20 miniutes after that he would go lame. 

My ferrier was wonderful and has been treating him for the past four years but has really tried to keep Scout's hoofs and legs comfortable.  It's been my job to get him the correct meds and food.  I think we have done a pretty good job.  Because Scout finally seems happy.

He takes previcox everyday, legend once a month and adequain twice monthly.  Plus an assortment of supplements that we mix with timothy pellets and a few other items to get him to eat his vitamins.

He is definitely a foodie and is always looking for the next meal.

Tuesdays are his favorite day because that is the first vendor delivery down our asile after a three days.  The delivery man often parks his huge truck loaded with various hays next to Scout's stall and does Scout have a time.  Every hay in the universe is in front of him and he is like a kid at a candy counter.  Not sure which one to take a bite of and how much can he get before the truck moves.  I should take a video because it is pretty funny to watch.  But what he likes even better is walk the aisles.  It's like a equine cafeteria to Scout.  He sees all the bales of hays and doesn't understand why I am yanking his halter and don't want him to eat other horses food.  And so begins our tug a war march through the barn.  When we finally get home I am relived that we are both in one piece and we have not stolen too much hay.

Last Friday I put him into a round pen in the back of the barn area.  He does not like them. I have not figured out why but he starts to pace and winnie.   A friend suggested I walk around the pen with him and he followed me closely.  We were separated by a pipe rail.  I started to run and he started to run.  Then I would stop and turn and go the other direction.  This is the first time either of us had run in two years.  He was so happy.  We were playing a make believe game of tag.  Sometimes I would go side to side and he sort of figured that out but the double time standing still he never got.  It was the walking, running, stopping and going another direction that I saw my horse thrive for the first time in a long time.  He bucked and snorted and played the drama king to the top.  He loves an audience and he got one.  And I was exhausted and a sweaty mess.  But what fun.

Sometimes, now at 64 I think I am too old but I look at my girlfriend who is 72 and say stop complaining.  It's a wonderful experience.  Except for each and everyday from the moment I arrive it is an on going decision who is "Alpha," for the day.  We are still working on that.

Still learning how use the blog tools will post some great photos of Scout and me from last year soon.

Cheers,

Pam