We did it! Five days of bute and she doesn't run when she sees me coming with the halter. Of course it's sickly-sweet bute - I made applesauce and sugar bute for a couple days, then last night I found molasses in the cupboard. I can't remember if I bought it for Dixie or for gingerbread cookies, but it's hers now. Today's molasses Bute went down quite well.
She is still quiet. Part of it is that she knows her leg is not right - she stands bearing weight on it, but she's reluctant to walk around for no good reason. Part of it, I think, is that she just usually stands / lays around and sleeps all day normally.
With that in mind, I don't go out there every hour asking her to interact with me. I pay her more attention, and if she's watching the house or watching me in the yard, I'll bring some carrots and do clicker stuff, but if she's just napping in the shade of the run-in, I let her nap.
Cold hosing is going well. I hose while she eats her normal grain at night, and while she eats a handful of oats in the morning. She's used to this strange new routine and doesn't even need haltering anymore.
I spent two days getting the swamp cooler set up, correctly, for summer. Mainly it took so long because I had to go under the house a bunch of times, and I found Shelob the world's biggest black widow had set up a lair two feet from where I really needed to be. This discovery threatened to set off a panic attack and I put off dealing with the spider til the next day. I survived my confrontation, my swamp cooler works perfectly, and I'll try to get it written up for the Other Blog today.
Glad to hear that Dixie has adjusted well to the new routine, especially now that it involves Delicious Bute!
ReplyDeleteAs for Shellob, I recommend a large shoe. Shudder.
We have some creepy and strange looking spiders here. I just don't tackle any of them, except moving the fantasy movie floating seed-like Daddy Long Legs outside.
ReplyDeleteWhen we got here a year ago (a year in just another 11 days anyways), we had a black widow residing in the mail box. Ick!
I should practice de-worming on Casey with molasses. He loves it best.
Man I HATE HATE HATE spiders !!!
ReplyDeleteI've used your applesauce in a syringe trick to get Rosie to be happy about shoving stuff in her mouth. Great idea!
Glad that Dixie is handling everything well so far.
ReplyDeleteI just had to say that it isn't everyone who knows of Toad Suck State Part or Bucksnort. I went to college in Memphis and used to drive past Bucksnort all the time, in fact I still drive past it whenever we go to Memphis to visit family or friends. One time when I was in college I stopped at the BP station there and bought myself a koozie that said Bucksnort on it. I loved that thing!
Glad to hear you survived the bute. Some horses are so difficult to give that stuff too. Sounds like Dixie has accepted she's in jail, that's a good thing. I have a couple here that would demolish the place if they got locked up like that.
ReplyDeleteI can just see Dixie hoping the next try of carrot slices will be better. Poor girl, that bute is bitter stuff.
Sounds like things are looking up!
ReplyDeleteFingers still tightly crossed.
ReplyDelete