On Saturday (the 18th of June - I'm a bit behind with writing this up) I finally got a nice stretch of time to spend with BG whilst my daughter slept. I tried to use the time to get a bit of exercise into her with a lunging session. It was a little windy but she was actually very good with that aspect, only looking scared a couple of times when the lunge rope got caught by the wind. She did refuse to lunge on the left-rein to begin with so we had to go back to basics with that, she would turn on the spot to face the other way and snort. Luckily it didn't take long to have her lunging on that rein again, although I had to use the tyre and pole obstacles set in a square to get her to do so.
Sunday wasn't as successful. I went to put her head collar on and, as she has done several times recently, she dipped her nose in and then pulled back several times. Unfortunately one of the times I had let the nose part rest on her nose whilst I went to reach up and pass the other strap over her neck. BG pulled back, the head collar resting on her nose, she threw her head up causing the head collar to fly off and hit the back of the shelter, scaring her so she spun round and fled out the shelter. It is a good job BG doesn't kick as I was in the perfect position to be double-barrelled had she wanted to. The big fear in my head was that the timing of this was not good, the vet was due on Tuesday giving me only one day to get BG's confidence back to have her head collar on easily.
As I suspected (despite getting the head collar on BG on Monday with only a few attempts) BG did not want her head collar on before the vets visit. I tried and she just turned her bottom on me and hid in the back of the shelter. I tried several times, and tried the usual trick of leaving her for a few minutes before approaching her again with the food. She wasn't having any of it, in the end I had to get her to pick her near-fore up and get my husband to hold it whilst I put a lead rein around her neck. She was quite calm with this so, rather than holding the lead rope to block her movements, I went straight to putting the head collar on whilst my husband kept hold of the hoof. Phew - I was glad to catch her.
The vet gave BG a basic check and then her jab, the flu and tetanus combined one this year, followed by a sedative. I asked for her to be sedated for her dental check, I don't really fancy attempting one without as I can see BG getting more and more stressed if we were to try that. The vet asked how old BG was (she was 17 in May) and he said she looked in great condition for a 17 year old. I know it is because she hasn't had a hard life (not been ridden etc.) but it is still lovely to hear. Her teeth needed some rasping but again he said they were in great condition for a 17 year old. It seemed like he needed to do more work than the previous year though. I am glad BG was sedated though as, even with the sedative, she tried to pull her head away when they started to do her teeth. I wonder if the sedative was lighter than last year as she seemed to put up a little more of a fight (only slight) and recover again quicker afterwards.
The vet also said 'from her condition I can tell she obviously doesn't have trouble eating'. Not sure what I should make of that! Does that mean she is tubby (she is tubbier than I would like) or her gleaming coat shows she is well in herself.
The only other note from last week is that BG scratched her nose on the Wednesday leaving a tiny raised lump. I wasn't sure if this was a splinter in her nose or just dried on blood as it just felt small and hard, luckily it proved to just be blood and the following day you wouldn't have known anything had been there.
Thursday 23 June 2011
Monday 13 June 2011
Getting away with a quiet life
Things have been a little different around here for a couple of weeks. Finally my daughter made an appearance in the world so we have all, including BG, started to learn to adapt to a new routine that fits us all in. At the moment though it means there is very little time to do much work with BG, so she is getting away with an easy life which I think suits her down to the ground, except her tummy is getting a little big.
I have continued to visit her every day, but not always twice a day, so my husband has been doing the trips I have been unable to. She is being mucked out, water cleaned, poo-picking done, grooming, fly spray, food and all the basics, but not a lot more. I have managed to lunge her once since the birth, but only a quick lunge. I did think it would be easier than this. 'Babies sleep, so I could do BG whilst the little one slept' I thought. This is great in theory, but the problem is you don't know when the little one is going to sleep, and she normally seems to wake just as we get up the field and I don't want to leave my husband with a screaming baby for too long.
Other than being a bit on the podgy side BG is doing well. Last night we had rain! It was also very windy and the wind had blown the door shut on the field shelter and wound BG up. She came galloping across for her tea and I didn't think I stood a chance of getting the head collar on her so I left it off. I thought she'd stay in in the dry but after eating she left to prowl up and down the electric fence line looking for more grass. This resulted in her tossing her head and running up and down as the wind caught the tape. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the electric fence was down today. Before I left I put up some hay in her shelter, hoping it would encourage her to stay out of the rain for a little bit. I made sure the door was tied securely open first though, so she won't be trapped in.
Other than last night with the head collar I have got it on at every visit, although on Thursday and Friday she was a bit of a pain and it took several attempts to get it over her nose and I had her swinging her bottom round to face me a few times.
My husband hasn't been having quite so much luck. BG missed her breakfast the morning she wouldn't let him get the head collar on, so my husband hasn't tried again since. She also missed her breakfast on Thursday. Overnight she had escaped through the electric tape (first time since we fenced her off at the end of January, and the fence was getting a little slack in places so our mistake) onto all the long grass, so had no doubt been stuffing her face all night which I think has contributed to her larger belly. Luckily my husband had no trouble getting her back on the correct side of the fence and putting it up, although BG wouldn't go anywhere near him and legged it down the field, he was impressed with how fast she can run!
So that is the brief update on the last two weeks. Oh, except we also got ten bales of hay ready for the winter too, thanks to the lady who used to have P1 and P2 sharing with BG. Next week BG has her annual vaccinations and teeth check, so that could be interesting.
I have continued to visit her every day, but not always twice a day, so my husband has been doing the trips I have been unable to. She is being mucked out, water cleaned, poo-picking done, grooming, fly spray, food and all the basics, but not a lot more. I have managed to lunge her once since the birth, but only a quick lunge. I did think it would be easier than this. 'Babies sleep, so I could do BG whilst the little one slept' I thought. This is great in theory, but the problem is you don't know when the little one is going to sleep, and she normally seems to wake just as we get up the field and I don't want to leave my husband with a screaming baby for too long.
Other than being a bit on the podgy side BG is doing well. Last night we had rain! It was also very windy and the wind had blown the door shut on the field shelter and wound BG up. She came galloping across for her tea and I didn't think I stood a chance of getting the head collar on her so I left it off. I thought she'd stay in in the dry but after eating she left to prowl up and down the electric fence line looking for more grass. This resulted in her tossing her head and running up and down as the wind caught the tape. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the electric fence was down today. Before I left I put up some hay in her shelter, hoping it would encourage her to stay out of the rain for a little bit. I made sure the door was tied securely open first though, so she won't be trapped in.
Other than last night with the head collar I have got it on at every visit, although on Thursday and Friday she was a bit of a pain and it took several attempts to get it over her nose and I had her swinging her bottom round to face me a few times.
My husband hasn't been having quite so much luck. BG missed her breakfast the morning she wouldn't let him get the head collar on, so my husband hasn't tried again since. She also missed her breakfast on Thursday. Overnight she had escaped through the electric tape (first time since we fenced her off at the end of January, and the fence was getting a little slack in places so our mistake) onto all the long grass, so had no doubt been stuffing her face all night which I think has contributed to her larger belly. Luckily my husband had no trouble getting her back on the correct side of the fence and putting it up, although BG wouldn't go anywhere near him and legged it down the field, he was impressed with how fast she can run!
So that is the brief update on the last two weeks. Oh, except we also got ten bales of hay ready for the winter too, thanks to the lady who used to have P1 and P2 sharing with BG. Next week BG has her annual vaccinations and teeth check, so that could be interesting.
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