Tootsie trouble

Kate came to do hooves this morning. I was so hoping things would go smoothly. Sparkler first. After Thursday's vet incident, I had a dreadful feeling, but after a few minutes of stewing around, she settled down and let Kate do her job.

Would Gilly continue to hold out on his hind feet as he has the last 2 times? Would I need to twitch him? Nothing of the sort! He was an angel. I guess the few times I've worked on this has paid off.

But Banjo. Good for the vet -- could you be good for Kate? No. That would be asking too much. Kate went round and round up one side of the shed and down the other. It was like watching a gymnast. She had to hold the lead rope, tilt his head toward her, pick up and hold the foot while he danced around in circles on three legs, then get the foot between her legs all the while keeping the rope taut and not tripping on it. After a half hour, she had trimmed the front left hoof.

The rest was a lost cause. However, we had to say he has improved. Last trimming, Kate could not hold a foot up for a second. Now, she can hold the foot but can't use the pick. The little work I've done is helping -- I just need to do more. Especially since there's still some thrush.

Vet call

I scheduled the vet to come vaccinate the horses, pull the blood for the Coggins test (so they can legally travel) and give our cats their rabies and feline leukemia shots. I took the day off and went out an hour ahead of time to clean up the barn and the horses. I corralled all three in the loafing shed.

I spent some more time with Gilly's back feet, since the farrier is coming on Saturday, and they've been trouble for her. I did the same with Banjo, although I can only barely pick them up. The vet was an hour late, so I had plenty of time to mess around.

Gilly was first and he was pretty good. Banjo was the greatest. He stood stock still for pulling the blood and getting a shot on the right. Two more shots on the left. Then Sparkler...

She had a bad encounter with a vet two years ago and I think she remembers. We had the devil of a time. She pawed, circled, backed and tried to body slam us. We put her in the trailer thinking that would hold her still, but that was no better. We did get the vaccinations in but gave up on the Coggins. I'll have to take her to the Osseo vet in a few weeks and try again.

On the bright side, Sparkler has no problems getting in and out of the trailer.

When will it end?

This has been the loooooongest winter. We had 3 inches of snow night before last and the ground was covered once again. The sun was out today, and it melted most of it. We've had a couple vacations in warm weather - Hawaii in February and Missouri in March - and each time we return to the cold it gets harder to tolerate.

Work, cold weather and a broken toe (yes, another broken toe on the same foot) has made it impossible for me to do anything with the horses until last weekend.

Now its a muddy mess, but I managed to brush Sparkler and Gilly and spent some time picking up Gilly's back feet, which has been difficult for the farrier. I couldn't catch Banjo, so he'll have to wait.