Horses

Arabians and Numidians

Arabian horse owners often talk about the Arabian horse as being one of the oldest breeds. And they are, thanks in large park to the work of the Bedouin tribes preserving this lovely breed and recording the pedigrees. What if we turned the clock back two thousand years? Would someone like Caesar or Hannibal recognize the modern Arabian? I think they both would, because the ancestor of the Arabian horse, the Numidian or...

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Thoughts on Riding

Isis and I had a mixed ride today. I think it was more my fault than hers. I’ve been thinking about this a lot. She might have been reluctant because I wasn’t clear in what I was asking (probably because I’m still learning and figuring it out). She didn’t want to whoa when asked — instead she would walk for 6-8 additional steps before coming to a stop. She knows whoa. It’s the...

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Riding Lesson!

I know I should be taking it easy with my knee and evrything, but some times you can’t keep a girl down. I had a riding lesson today on Isis. I was out at the barn by about 10:00 AM and met the other two ladies who were also riding. (Two sisters who own two Belgian/Thoroughbred horses who are brothers by the same sire.) They went first, so I had about two hours...

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Rajiyyah’s leg looking better

Last night after work, I went out to the barn to worm the girls and check on how they are doing. Rajiyyah’s leg looks so much better! The girls are day on turnout so I finally got to see Rajiyyah’s leg after she was out for a while. Swelling was minimal, which is a great improvement. She was also moving with out her usual limp! Wonderful news. The only thing different is that...

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Baby Pictures!

This is just too cool! Mom emailed me today and said that she has pictures of my foal, who is still in utero. You know how doctors can take pictures of babies using ultrasound? Well apparently her vet did the same type of thing with Sabbath, the mare who is in foal to Sirdar. Mom is going to send me the pictures. Baby pictures! I’ll scan them and post them here when I...

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Rajiyyah Update

The Grey Wonder Mare™ is really doing well. The swelling has continued to go down. The cut is now about the size of my thumbnail. It looks great! She is still a little lame on it — means she probably has some tendon damage to get over. We’ll keep working on things now that the skin is closing up. Overall, very good progress. (Except I got the vet bill. Ouch. Yay equine medical...

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Vet visit, part the next

Even though Rajiyyah’s leg has been healing well, she has been doing something to it every night. Finding dried blood that has dripped half-way down a leg isn’t normal. It’s not oozing or seepage, it’s like she is re-damaging the leg every time she is in her stall. I don’t know what she is doing. One of the vet students suggested that maybe she has something still stuck in the cut that is...

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Additional Roman Saddle Info

I emailed Deepeeka about their saddle. They are incredibly cheap (for a saddle, at least) — under $200 US. However, you have to order at least two. So very tempted! My coauthor suggested doing more research and sent me some good links to consider. I could end up with an expensive display piece. (Although I suppose that is what my side saddle is — it doesn’t fit my mare but it sure is...

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Update on the Grey Wonder Mare

Rajiyyah’s leg is looking much better! We stopped wrapping it on Sunday evening. Monday night it was still swollen and the cut looked kinda nasty — caked with blood and pieces of shavings. However, after 20 minutes of hosing to reduce swelling and get the gunk off of it, there was a pleasant surprise: the wound has made major progress in healing. The sides are coming together and it’s healing really well. Almost...

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Rajiyyah’s Leg Lookin’ Good!

Vet came out and had some good news: The cut is healing well. Swelling continues to go down, infection appears to be going away, and Rajiyyah didn’t have an infection. We’re going to keep her on antibioitics for another five days with continued hydrotheraphy (hosing for 20 minutes) and wrapping while the wound is still open. So very good news. I’ve included a picture of her leg. It’s not great and it’s turned...

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Rajiyyah’s leg looking a little better

Her leg looked better tonight. Less swelling, and even a scab over the wound for the first time. Cleaning it out was pretty easy — she is always good. The wound washed up clean, even though she had pulled the bandage all the way down around her fetlock. Hopefully it will stay up better tonight (so long as she doesn’t pull it down with her teeth again). She is apparently eating all of...

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Vet Visit with Rajiyyah

Some days I really feel jinxed. I get a mare going well and then something happens… Not something minor. No, it has to be something major: laminitis, pulled tendon, colic surgery, deep cut near tendons with possible infection… (I know, no relation to anything I’ve done. If I wrote out the list of medical issues Isis has had anyone would be suspicious.) Last night, when I unbandaged Rajiyyah’s leg, it looked red and...

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Farrier and Rajiyyah’s lovely leg

Farrier came tonight. She was very pleased with how Isis’ feet looked, and Rajiyyah’s front feet — until we spotted the cut on Rajiyyah’s back leg. The cut is in a location that is hard to stitch due to the tension on the location. Rajiyyah was not lame (a good thing) — which means that no tendon damage occurred. At least that’s what I hope that means. So, I made a judgment called...

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Rode the Grey Wonder Mare™

I rode the Grey Wonder Mare today, for the first time in several weeks. She was amazing. The best trick I’ve learned with Rajiyyah is to let her warm herself up doing free lunging. Her concentration is much better after she exercises herself for a little while. So much improved overall. I wasn’t going to ride, but she did so well… We rode any way. She did very well: walk, trot, leg yields...

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Riding Finally!

Yesterday I went out to the barn after a yoga class and before evening dance practise. It was really nice to see the girls. I’ve missed being around them while all of the house stuff was going on. There is nothing quite as nice as having your horses nicker for you when you walk into the barn. It was very hot out at the barn — mid-90s and high humidity. I only worked...

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