Posts Tagged ‘Isis’

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All kitties to the vet tomorrow

March 5th, 2010, posted in Cats, Horses

All of the kitties are going to the vet tomorrow morning. Ambush and Stella are having fluids. Kiesha is going to be tested to see if she has a UTI like the other two, and if so, she will needs meds.

The farrier is also coming out tomorrow morning for Isis and Kasane. He’ll check Prize’s feet to find the best way to get her on the same schedule as the other girls. (Her feet look great.) Chris at the barn is going to keep an eye on the girls and let me know how they are for the farrier.

After finishing with the kitties, I’m going to head to the barn and spend the day with the girls. It’s supposed to be really pretty. I can’t wait!

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Two peas in a pod

March 2nd, 2010, posted in Horses

Prize arrived on Saturday. It’s hard to describe what it is like to having a horse come back after so many years. I couldn’t stop smiling all day at work on Friday. Saturday I was bouncing off of the walls and wanting to make everything perfect. I had Prize’s halter, photos of her as a yearling/weanling, and her old tack box with her name on it with a backwards Z (from when I was in high school).

Prize arrives

Prize backed off of the trailer like a champ and looked around. Gena walked Prize over to Isis so they could meet. Isis arched her neck. Prize didn’t look impressed. They both squealed and struck with their front legs.

Isis and Prize

Isis and Prize meet for the first time

What I wasn’t expecting was how much they looked alike: same build, same rumps, and two back white stockings. It says volumes considering their ages: Isis is 17 and Prize will be 25 in May.

Prize’s first night was spent in a paddock with Isis in an adjoining area. They went nose to nose again, turned and kicked at the same time — and both hit a board in the fence in the same location (at a knot of course) and split it. No damage to either horse (just impressive noises). I spent most of the remaining daylight helping fix the fence. Silly girls.

Before I left on Saturday, I helped Chris, the barn manager, throw hay. We were walking through Isis’ paddock to give the horses hay in the field next door. Chris gave me some flakes to toss to Prize. I called to Prize and Isis immediately walked over with her “you are my Mommy why are you near HER?” look. She squealed at Prize (20 feet away on the other side of the fence) and Prize squealed at Isis (20 feet away on the other side of the fence).

By Sunday afternoon, the two of them were walking the fence with each other and acting like a little herd.

On Sunday, Prize walked along the fence when I free lunged Isis. Not trotting or
upset, just staying with us while we worked. When I took Prize to the round pen
to play with her, she hollered and carried on for Isis. Isis hollered back. Prize ripped around the round pen like a mare half of her age. I caught her and we did some walk and whoa and basic ground work. She remembered so many things that we used to do (including standing up in halter). I couldn’t stop grinning.

You can always tell if a horse is happy: their eyes, their demeanor, and their body language tell you volumes. Prize looked fabulous and happy. It is so obvious how much she has been loved and cared for. Prize gives Gena kisses. :)

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Wet weekend

February 8th, 2010, posted in Horses

It was a very wet weekend at the barn. Isis played on Saturday and apparently enjoyed herself so much that her front right tendon was swollen. She wasn’t lame and the swelling wasn’t warm, so I put some liniment on her and put her back out.

Kasane’s cut looks much better. I went out to the field to check on the cut and it was a little goopy. (Amazing what mud + scab makes.) She followed me back to the barn without the halter or lead rope. I opened the gate and let her into the holding paddock. She stayed there quietly, across the fence from Isis while I made preparations to bring her in. It was a treat to see both of them hanging out without Isis squealing or carrying on.

Overall a quiet evening at the barn. Mud city from the rain but not suck-your-boots-off mud at least.

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Isis as a yearling

February 4th, 2010, posted in Horses

Here is a video of Isis (bay) and her sister Asiirah (chestnut) when they were yearlings. Hard to believe Isis will be 17 this year. Funny how her blaze took up her entire face as a youngster and how she grew into it.

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Bay Wonder Mares

January 28th, 2010, posted in Horses

It was gorgeous today. No clouds in the sky. Amazing warm weather (60F) and a light breeze. I weighed in at Weight Watchers today and then wanted to skip out of work. Instead, I went back, finished up some projects, and got out of work early. I was itching to ride Isis and work both girls. I didn’t care if I was in my work clothes. I wanted to be out with the girls on a gorgeous day before the snow hits this weekend. (Supposedly we could get up to 10 inches. Arg.)

I got out to the barn and no one was there. Because of Isis’ history of tripping, I never ride if I’m at the barn by myself. So, I went out to the pasture to get Kasane. She looked up at me when I entered the pasture and didn’t object when I put on the halter. She walked slowly and carefully towards the gate with me. Too slowly. Something was wrong.

She had a cut on her forearm between her knee and her chest about 1.5 inches long and about .25 – .5 inch wide. The skin above the cut was swollen. Whatever she did to cut herself was recent: the blood hadn’t dried but it had clotted. She was sore on it but not lame. I wasn’t sure if the cut would need sutures or not.

I brought her back to the barn and called the vet. Better to be safe than sorry. I was told to use cold water therapy on Kasane’s leg for 15 minutes and then the vet would call me back. Good thing it was warm: freezing water with freezing temperatures would not have been pleasant (that will be tomorrow when the weather turns cold and I still have to hose her leg).

We have a new boarder at the barn who is also my small animal vet. She came to the barn just as I was finishing hosing Kasane’s leg. She checked the cut and said she didn’t think it would need stitches. My large animal vet called back and I let him talk to my other vet. Consensus was no wrapping, use an antibacterial ointment on it (Nolvasan) and hose it once a day until the cut starts healing (maybe a week).

I walked out through the field and didn’t find anything Kasane might have cut herself on. Her pasture mate didn’t have any cuts on her either. Who knows what she cut herself on. I put Kasane into a paddock by the barn and gave her some hay.

I still had some daylight after caring for Kasane so I pulled Isis into the big ring and free lunged her. At first she was quiet and did what I asked quietly. And then she glanced at me, tossed her head, shifted on her haunches, and reversed directions and started strutting. One of the other mares in a pasture ran back and forth, excited over something in the woods or looking for her pasture-mate. Isis snorted once, and then cut the back end of the ring. Tail came up and she took one of the jumps and landed at a full gallop. She ripped around the ring with her tail up at a gallop. (That mare can move when she wants to!)

I stopped, held the lunge whip in front of me and waited. Isis trotted slowly over to me, tail up, snorting, and lots of hang time. Tickles me whenever she does that. I didn’t want her to run too much so I put the lead line on her. And she bounced instead of walking as we walked the length of the ring to cool her off.

She was so good and fun to work. I wish we could have ridden but she still made my day.

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Who you asking to pivot?

January 9th, 2010, posted in Horses

Barn was awesome. I missed the girls so much. It was cold and getting late when I arrived. Isis knickered at me when I came in and every time she saw me. (happy sigh) I love it when she does that.

I had about 20 minutes before it got dark. We free lunged in the big ring and did walk, trot, canter. We also worked on the ground cues for pivot on the haunches and forehand, as well as back. She knows back perfectly, but when you teach something new you start with something they have a lot of confidence in. She is so smart. Third time working on pivot on the haunches on her right side and she did it perfectly second time. Amazing girl.

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Saddle fitting for the Courbette Bernina

December 8th, 2009, posted in Horses

When the chiropractor came out in early November, she pointed out that Isis’ spine near her withers had sore points. The sore spots were most likely caused by a saddle that didn’t fit properly.

I knew my old all purpose saddle (the Zaldi in the image gallery below, first picture) did not fit properly. When Isis first came here last year, I rode her in it a lot during jumping and lessons. When I focused more on riding dressage, I bought a new saddle, Courbette Magic. The saddle, and its special expanding tree, fit Isis perfectly.

When I looked for a new all purpose saddle, I wanted to find a Courbette Magic All Purpose. Instead, I found a Courbette Bernina: an all purpose saddle built on the same tree as the Magic but with wool flocking instead of foam. And comfy. So comfy. The Bernina was 1/3 the price it normally costs. It was “used,” allegedly, but the saddle looked brand new to me. No girth marks on the billets.

Here are the pictures from the saddle fitting, both before and after the first ride in it. Isis is modeling the saddle. I also tried it on Kasane, and it fits her. (However, she hasn’t been ridden yet so no pictures of me on her.)

Mom used to say that you knew a saddle fit properly if your “tush says aaahh!” when you sit in the saddle. This saddle is definitely a keeper.

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Post-vet visit

November 28th, 2009, posted in Horses

Yesterday, as I was driving out to the barn, I was afraid that Isis was having another EPM episode that was causing her to lose control over the muscles in charge of swallowing. I had no idea how bad she would be or what the vet might say.

When the vet arrived, she sedated Isis and then tubed her. (Tubing goes up the nose and down the throat. It’s used for worming, seeing what a horse might have in their stomach, and in this case, pushing water down to help clear the blockage.) It only took a minute to clear. The vet was very pleased.

Here’s the run down: The vet said that Isis was not having another episode of EPM. The stress from the choke had triggered swelling or agitation or something around the nerves that had been damaged during her June EPM episode. The nerves haven’t healed yet so any stress could trigger the same type of symptoms she exhibited in June. (Because nerves can take 1-5 years to heal, no shows or clinics until a full year goes by. And then only gradually taking her places and seeing how she responds.) If new symptoms appear, that could mean she has a new case of EPM.

The vet said to continue Isis’ regular work as soon as the neurological symptoms go away (12-24 hours).

Right now, we’ll see what happens tomorrow. The symptoms had not abated when I left the barn. Isis was still wobbly but her vision was back and she was a lot more coordinated than she had been.

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Isis this morning

November 28th, 2009, posted in Horses

The barn just called. Isis may be having another episode of EPM (neurological disorder), like she did back in June. She isn’t as bad as she was then, but she still isn’t “right.”

I’ll write more when I know more. I’m on my way out to the barn now.

Update: It’s not EPM. It’s choking.

Update 2: After the vet visit, Isis turned out to be okay. The mild choke was cleared within a minute or two of tubing Isis. I’ll write more later. Been a very long day.

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Why did Ceffyl disappear again?

July 31st, 2009, posted in Cats, General, Horses, Job Search

Ceffyl has been stressed:

  • Three sick cats: two have recovered from a UTI, third might have one (or she has a behavioral issue).
  • My mare, Isis, was diagnosed with EPM (serious neurological disease) and just finished the first month of treatment. All of this started in May. If you know me, then you know this is my kid and anything that happens to her gets me Seriously Upset.
  • Unsure about my job.

I’ve had plenty of times when my horses and cats were sick. Ambush is my second diabetic cat. Isis has insulin resistance (equine metabolic disorder) which is rather like a pre-diabetic condition in a horse. She was diagnosed about five years ago, so I’m used to dealing with her special requirements. EPM is a whole second level…

However, when you’ve just spent half of your savings on your horse and cats, and suddenly the income source (with which savings can be replenished) might be gone…It’s nerve wracking.

I love my job: fun technology, gaming nights on Wednesdays, and a bunch of great people. What’s not to like? Of course, there is no official news and nothing that says I’m in danger. However, the under currents have a similar feel to other times when I’ve been laid off.

My concern about the job is not an extension of my emotional reaction to Isis’ EPM or the cats’ illnesses/misbehaving. There are specific reasons I’m concerned and they are not related to my job performance.

I know, theoretically, that there is nothing I can do about being laid off and I shouldn’t worry about it. It will either happen or it won’t.

I am being proactive, both at work and outside of work. At work, I’m making suggestions to help sales and reduce costs. Long hours, being seen, and all that. Outside of work, I’m getting my freelancing going again, I’m out networking, and I’m sending off resumes. I’ve applied for 15+ positions over the past three weeks. (Of these, two have sent rejection letters and the rest have been silent.) I’ve drummed up business leads for freelancing through networking, but no real paid gigs.

From what I’ve read on the tech writing lists, it’s very hard getting an interview much less landing a position. Employers have their pick of candidates. As a candidate, I have to be extra aggressive to make sure and contact people about my resume if I don’t hear back. I haven’t done that. Maybe I’m only half-heartedly searching because I don’t want to admit that there might be Something Bad coming.

Any way you slice it, I’m wired and stressed. I’ve used some of my stress management techniques and am carefully trying to pick my way through to juggle everything and build savings.

The barn has been my sanity and also a mixed blessing. Everything is right in the world when I’m with Isis–and then I think about Isis’ battle with EPM. Watching Isis walk around dragging her back foot has been hard — but her movement has also gotten better. She’s not dragging it as much as she was. She’s able to step underneath herself cleanly, where as in June she could barely step to the side. (Next Tuesday her blood will be tested for EPM again — and we will know if one month treatment is enough or if another month of Oh-My-God-Expensive-Stuff is needed.)

Ten weeks since I’ve ridden Isis and counting. (Although we’re getting ready to break Kasane, so I’ll be riding before Isis has fully recovered.)

Thanks for listening to the rambling vent. I could use a break but I don’t have the funds to do it. Everything is focused on freelancing, job hunting, and Isis. There comes a point when you just have to write everything out.

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