Red is improving every day

I went out to the barn this evening. It has been raining and was very cool outside - 77 degrees. That must be a record for Texas in July. I took Red some alfalfa. I noticed that, even though he was full of sand from rolling, that he looked pretty darn terrific. His coat has shine to it...the hair he had lost has grown back in and he looks like he has put on weight.

Overall better picture. He stood there munching his alfalfa, snorting some, and flinging out hay as he deemed necessary.

Red is looking and smelling better!

Anhydrosis seems to involve the oil glands too! Red's coat has been looking like dammit. I have really worked hard at keeping his coat shiny, clean and healthy. Since he stopped sweating his coat looked coarse and rough and did some time just before he stopped sweating.

Sarge, on the other hand, is shiny as a new copper penny. His coat looks great. Sigh....

Yesterday I went out to see Red and he is sweating appropriately in the right spots considering he is in a stall with two fans running on him. Damp under his mane, under his front legs and deep between his back legs. Yay for Red. I hugged him, wrapping my arms around his neck and breathing in his scent....and he actually had a scent this time. He hasn't smelled like anything lately and he smelled like his wonderful horsey self. He is getting corn oil in his grain so hopefully with all he is taking right now his coat will return to its former glory. His tail is growing out nicely and should continue to add to the fullness.

I did notice a little rain rot just above his hock yesterday that I need to get after - I will be buying Orbis shampoo today to start giving him a bath everyday. I know the farriers say it isn't good but darn...he looks like dammit. I don't like him looking less than wonderful!

Sargent San Peppy - Foundation Quarter Horse!!

I received the following email today from the Foundation Quarter Horse Association:

Dear Denise,

Your request for a foundation Quarter Horse percentage calculation has been received and completed. The results are below:

SARGENT SAN PEPPY ~ 93.359375% Foundation Quarter Horse

Sire: RIGHT THIS MINNICK   (90.625% FQH)

Dam: NICKY SAN PEPPY   (96.09375% FQH)

Congratulations on your horse qualifying for FQHA Registration!

To proceed with the FQHA Registration of this horse please click on the following link:. 

FQHA Registration and Membership Form

Sincerely,

Ann Charles

FQHA Secretary

So, our little Sargent San Peppy is 93.3 percent Foundation.  I was not surprised.  I thought he would be.  He certainly looks like it!

Red in a Purple Dream

I was playing with Photo Shop Elements to learn to use the different filters to crystalize and use the little tools to drag the fragments around.

I love these colors so I plopped Red down in it, feathered the edges and enjoyed!

Red was unhappy that his salad was ruined

I went out to the barn today and got Red a flake of alfalfa.  I had a bottle of corn oil to add to his feed.  He came to the end of the barn and was stretching his neck out to get some alfalfa.  I put his halter and lead rope on and picked up the alfalfa and corn oil and led him to his stall.  He was so excited about his alfalfa I had to pull him up a couple of times.

We got into the stall and I added some corn oil to his alfalfa and then the trouble began.  He kept snorting and sorting through the hay and snorted on me several times.  He flipped the hay over and generally was looking at me like "what the heck did you do to my hay?"

I walked out of the stall and he followed me and went out to eat grass!  OMG Red walked away from alfalfa.  I walked up to the front of his paddock and he followed me.  I put his halter and on and we walked down to Sarge's paddock.  Barry was playing with Sarge and Red started eating his grass.  

Barry and I walked Red back to his paddock and Red just stood there looking at me with "you messed up my alfalfa" look.   LOL  I walked to his stall and called him.  He just stood there with Barry.  He came with Barry and finally entered the stall and started eating the alfalfa and snorting.  Barry and I walked out and he followed us!  LOL  He was not too interested in dressing on his salad!!!  

I hugged him up.   There was some alfalfa on the hallway floor and I crossed the gate and picked it up.   I held it out to him and he came over to scarf it up and looked at me like "yeah...that is what I am talking about - salad with NO dressing!"

I am going to go out to the barn in the morning and check on his alfalfa.  If he hasn't ate any of it I will remove it.  I think he will eat it though.  He is just a picky boy!!

Anhydrosis on the RUN!!!

Barry and I hauled the trailer out to take the boys for a ride.  we wanted to rider later if possible but that didn't happen.

Barry went down to get Sarge and I called out to Serve to give me Sarge's feed so we could feed him in the trailer.  I then went to Red's paddock to get him.  I was so excited to see this:

Crystal Sweat!!!!!!!!  Red has big salt crystals on his face.  I was thrilled!!  Anhydrosis is a horrible condition that has caused me much grief and has cost a pretty penny.  I had to put him back up in a stall which costs way more than pasture board and purchased electrolytes and One AC plus Red's daily beer.  I haven't been able to ride him either and he has suffered, poor darling.  

I took him out to the trailer and asked him to load up...he went off the side.  Sigh...I backed him up quickly and popped him with the leadrope and fussed loudly at him.  I said he would think I was Margaret in a few minutes if he didn't load up.  I opened the center divider up and told him to load up.  He went up into the trailer and I gave him a bite of alfalfa.  

We tried to load Sarge but he was not too excited about it.  I told Barry that we should unload Red and open up the center so we backed Red out and tied him to the side of the trailer.  I had to go to the bathroom and when I came out Sarge was on the ramp and went up!!!  Good boy!!!

I came up behind him and put my hand on his hip and moved him over with the center bar and closed the butt bar.  Barry was giving him his grain and Red was sticking his head in the side door trying to get a bite too!!!  We got Red and I backed him up  and said "load up" and walked up the ramp and so did Red.  I think he just wanted a treat but what ever.  I gave him a bucket of alfalfa and Sarge kept dipping into Red's stash and skipping his bahaia hay!!!  

We pulled the trailer to our house and Barry put air in the tires and checked the pressure.  I checked the boys and glory hallaluia  - Red was sweating on his chest, neck and shoulders!!!  I was thrilled!!  

We pulled the boys back to the stables and we unloaded Sarge first and he was sweaty as could be.  I never thought I would be thrilled to see a sweaty horse but sweaty horses look good to me.  I wouldn't wish anhydrosis on anyone's horse.  

Red's butt was soaking wet - both sides of his tail was wet with sweat so that was a good thing.  I forgot to reattach Sarge's butt bar when Barry started backing Red out and I had to go up the ramp and pull the middle divider out of his way.

I told Barry I was going to wash Red off but changed my mind.  Sweating is good for him and I didn't want to change anything that was going on at that time.  

I am going to keep Red on electrolytes and One AC during the hot months and hopefully be able to put him out in the pasture in the cooler months.  

I will keep researching anhydrosis and see if I can head this off before it starts next year.  

Washing the Brenderup

I finally got out to clean the Brenderup at the car wash today.  OMGosh it was filthy and there were a few maggots under the mat - I think from the grain and urine combination.  UGH.  

I hit the pile of poo with the water spray and wow wee what a mess.  I got in the side door spraying down to push the mess out.  

I cleaned the interior of the trailer and cleaned off Red's snorting all over the front!  I pulled out the mats that weigh 9000 lbs and cleaned those too.  I had to power wash the walls of the car wash when I got through.  LOL Horse poopee was EVERYWHERE.  We pulled out and headed for the barn to take the boys for a ride.  

Is Sarge a Foundation Quarter Horse?

I looked on the Foundation Quarter Horse site today and I think Sarge may qualify for registry in the Foundation Quarter Horse Association. I entered his number and registered name and paid $15 to find out. If he is I will have him registered as a FQHA.

Red isn't foundation. He has too much Thoroughbred up close!!! I should know in 4 or 5 days.

Red's Hot Scrubby Bath

I have done some research on anhydrosis and one report said to open up the pores like in a sauna. I was going to give it a whirl....so I got Red out and tried to regulate the hot water flow and it was either way too hot or not hot enough!! I got it warm and started soaking him down and then got the shampoo and scrubbed him with the little red scrubber.

Barry had walked down and brought Sarge up. He said he was fresh as can be. LOL Sarge has loads of spunk.

Yesterday we went out to the barn and drove down to see Sarge. LOL I left the car running and the lights on. Sarge would only come 1/2 way up and then he took off across his pasture - tail flagging - and spun to a stop and was blowing and snorting hard. I walked down to him and he let me come up to him and give him a peppermint. I did go turn off the car and lights. I think he thought it was a fire breathing dragon. He put on a show several times for us. He is full of personality and we just think he is darling.

Barry said he put on a show today too. I had Red in the center lawn while Barry groomed Sarge. We took the boys down to the arena area and tied them by the tack room. Barry wanted me to saddle Sarge so I did. Sarge has some rainrot on his face so we got the MTG and I was going to put it on his face. He was lifting up his face away from me so I pulled on his halter and growled at him. He stopped his foolishness and listened. I put some of the MTG on Red's back right leg where the sorrel hair meets the white.

I took Sarge's saddle off and put it up. Barry took Sarge down to his pasture and Sadda was giving Barry trash when he went by. Barry stopped and was fussing at him and Sarge was right up in his Kool Aide. He seems to like it when someone gets onto Sadda!! You can almost see him sticking his tongue at at him!

I took Red back to his paddock and picked up his alfalfa going through the main barn. He wanted to crowd a little and I stopped that. I gave him his alfalfa in the paddock and took some into his stall to mix with the little crumbs he left in his feeder. I want him to eat that in particular...that is where the electrolytes are!

I took the leftovers off of the counter and took them out to Red...no since wasting expensive alfalfa!!

Trip to A & M

I went to the barn Monday evening and Red is sweating just a little. I licked his neck LOL and he was a little salty. I called Margaret because I was so excited. I just want him to get better!

I went home and hooked up the trailer and put it on the driveway. I got up at 5:30 to get ready to go. I go out and the trailer lights don't work. Margaret said it sounded like the ground want making a connection so to pull it to the barn and it should connect and make a ground. I did..wasn't working when I stopped for gas. Started working when I was at the barn. Sigh!!!

There were some men working in Red's paddock when I got there. I called Red and he started trotting fast towards me...stopped and darted into his stall. I know him...he thought there was food in there. I was calling him and all of a sudden he exploded out of his stall like a starting gate and bucked across his paddock. LOL he came to me then and I put his halter on. I took him into the wash rack and wet him down.

He gave me trash getting into the trailer. I waved his alfalfa and up he went to his grain waiting in his bucket and off we went. Picked up Margaret 4 minutes later than we had wanted to leave so that was good. We left at 7:48 am. We stopped on Reins Road to get a coke and use the restroom. We drove to A & M and got there just after 11:00.

Jason came out and he had a vet student with him. He examined Red's feet and thought they had grown well. We went back to the farrier's station and he started working on Red's feet. He said Red's little right foot is pretty funky...almost a club foot. He and Margaret talked about his foot from the time he was a baby. He worked with it and said he thought it was the best he could get it. He is still a hi/low footed guy though. I will probably always have to keep him shod.

I went into pay and Margaret took Red to the trailer. He gave her trash about getting in too. She jacked him up. LOL he was more than happy to get into the trailer. We took off - and stopped at Starbucks. We gave Red his lunch with a Shiner Bock and trotted in for a cool frappachino and a donut for me and zucchini bread for Margaret. We stopped a little later at Burger King...heck it was nearly 2:00 and we were starving. Red got a bag of hay and we left the side doors open so he'd be cool.

We stopped in Conroe for gas. I looked at one of the tires and thought it was low. Margaret got some flat fixit just in case at the store there. Judy Kay came over to see him at the station and we chit chatted. Before she got there I went in and bought 2 gallons of cold water for Red. I dumped one gallon into his bucket and he drank 2/3's of it. He pee'd in his trailer...a bunch....poor thing...I guess he held it as long as he could. He has poop and pee making a disgusting little brew in the trailer!

We went down the road and pulled over to look at the tire. Not as low looking. We went to an O'Reilly's to get a tire gauge and they all had 34 lbs of air. Hummm....I am going to inflate them to 42 lbs. They hold 50. The trailer did feel a little swayyeee...moreso than before.

We got back to Beaumont and I dropped Margaret off at her car and Red and I hauled it to the barn. He came out pretty as you please and Sergio had his food ready. I asked Sergio to get his alfalfa and he did.

I was TIRED when I got home but had to get ready to go to Houston. Stuffed what I needed in a bag and off Barry and I went to Houston for his procedure. I am now sitting in the hospital room and they are releasing him NOW!! WOO HOO... I am going home to see my boys!

Missed my Boys!

I missed Red and Sarge while I was in California!!! I talked to Lee Ann one day and she said they were fine - Sarge did have a discharge from his eye that she put some salve in. She told me Red was doing fine.

Barry didn't get there everyday as he wasn't feeling well.

First thing I did Friday morning was go see my boys! Red looked ok..his hair is dull though. I rinsed him off and spent about 2 hours with hik and then back to the grind stone.

Barry said he threw his right shoe on Monday. His hoof was curling so I made an appointment while I was in California for his farrier trip.

Red understands English perfectly

My horse is brilliant. LOL I sound like a proud mother "look what my baby can do!!!" Barry and I went out to the barn. Edgar was in the main barn with the food bin feeding the horses. I took Red's and went into his stall. He was cool as a cucumber. I dumped his feed, opened his Guiness, which bubbled all over me, and poured it over his feed. I stood there quiet a while and went to give Edgar more of his Once AC's so that he would have them while I am gone. I went back to Red's paddock and he was outside grazing. I went into his stall and about 3/4 cup of crumbes were in the bottom...but I WANT him to eat the crumbs...there is still beer in that!!!

I went outside and sarted talking to my boy " why didn't you finish your dinner? You left a bunch of crumbs...you need to finish yhour food." He kept grazing for few minutes and stopped suddenly and walked into his stall and licked up the last of his food. His tongue was going to town.

I told Barry my boy was BRILLIANT and he is. I love my boy.

One AC arrived and Sarge is trimmed

The One AC arrived yesterday in its own Sterlite container and each little packet stating that it was for Dashing Big Red!

I went to the barn and mixed a little grain with it and Red scarfed it up and was licking the bottom of the bucket. I gave 5 of them to Edgar to give him every morning and I will give him more in 5 days. It was raining a little yesterday so I know Red was comfortable.

Today I went to the barn to check on Red. It was overcast and Red was still out. It was 11:00 AM. Lee Ann hollared that he had been out since 9:00 and I said I was putting him back up because the sun was coming out. He followed me into his stall and he is comfy with his 2 fans that Lee Ann set up for him.

Craig the farrier was there and I talked to him about Red's feet and he is going to take over Red's feet after one more trip to A & M. I asked him about Sarge's feet and said Sarge had been trimmed exactly 4 weeks ago. He only comes to PNR every 6 weeks so we decided to do Sarge's feet today. He knew Ray Langley and he had actually trimmed Sarge several years ago!!! I brought up Sarge and he did a little trim on his feet and it was $30. Now Sarge will be on Craig's rotation. He is a nice young man.