Wednesday, January 28, 2009

The Word is "'Tude!"


Well, does THIS look like a mare who has foundered? ;-)

Here are a few pics of Trudy playing in the back yard today. I wouldn't say she is 100%, yet, but.... Well, just look at her!



Her feet x rayed between five and eight. That means the rotation is mild to moderate. She had her feet trimmed on Friday. That day, she started going back outside. She is still barefoot. I stopped soaking her hay, since it has been cold and she steals Clifford's hay anyway. The hay I am feeding is a late cutting, rough and straw-like, all grass.

I started her on StemEquine on the day she was x rayed, January 19th. She'll be x rayed again in a few weeks.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Today's Walk


A beautiful snowy evening...


Trudy is waiting for her x ray results.


Clifford had a great time playing in the snow!



Sunday, January 18, 2009

Morgans: Good for the Soul

It's a bleak and snowy day here in Southeast Michigan. Trudy still hasn't had her x rays, but even after several days off the bute, she seems a little more comfortable than she was. She's still not her flexible self, but much better. Dr. Cawley had said she could go outside if she was better off the bute, but I decided not to do that since x rays are tomorrow. I just want to find out how bad it is before I do anything.

But I did take her out for a walk in the snow. Everything is grey, with light flakes falling gently. Trudy was so happy and grateful! She arched her neck and purred softly, looking eagerly around and smelling the air.

I turned Clifford loose and he followed us down the driveway, shadowed closely by Ms. Rip. He curled his tail up over his back, snorted and took off, cavorting and bucking his way through the knee-high drifts. I wished I had my camera!

We paused and I said, "Clifford!" But he was too wrapped up in his antics to notice. I took my glove off and held it up. "Do you want to fetch my glove?"

That was all he needed to hear. He turned and came trotting over and assumed the position: Head down, ears forward, waiting for the pitch! I threw the glove and he leaped in the air, ran to it and picked it up. He came trotting back with that glove flapping in his mouth, rolling his eyes and swinging his head so the fingers waved at me.

No matter what happens, the Morgans always somehow manage to make my day. What a couple of wonderful friends.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Saturday, January 10, 2009

No Matter How Bad Things Get...



...certain people can be counted on to make you laugh.

Trudy Has Foundered!



Well -- to top off what is amounting to one of the worst weeks of my life, now Trudy has foundered.

I have never experienced this before. She hasn't had any change in diet. She's had pretty much free access to hay all winter and she eats a couple of varieties of Equine Senior. She's pretty fat but has never had any problems in the past. A friend told me that if her feet weren't hot, then it isn't founder. Well, her feet felt normal. But she didn't want to pick up any of them, or go anywhere. She seemed very painful. I thought maybe she had fallen down on the ice or twisted something but she is not getting any better since two days ago when I noticed a problem.

Trudy is 17 this year.

Dr. Cawley came out yesterday, and sure enough, it's founder. We wrapped her feet and put her in a stall. I am soaking hay to feed her. She had a shot of banamine and is now on bute twice a day. Just overnight, her attitude has improved and she is walking a little better too. She's much more bright-eyed than yesterday and thought she should have some candy!

She is due to have x rays on Monday. Here's a pic from today.

Friday, January 9, 2009

A Karma Cocker Story

A bad day was made a little brighter when I received this email, reprinted with permission:

Hello and good morning, Nancy. My name is Mary and even though my maiden name was Bailey, I don't think we're related. I promised myself before Christmas that I'd write and tell you about my story with a piece of your art.

October, three years ago my beloved cocker spaniel died at eighteen years of age. At Christmas I still put all her ornaments on the tree and was sad I didn't have a new one. My son had a set of twins that were almost two that year. I put unbreakable ornaments on the lower half of the tree. Since they were very fond of my dog, I put some of the unbreakable ones down low for them to look at. As I was putting the ornaments away, I realized one was missing. It was never found, our house was scrubbed and searched up and down and it never showed up. A little heartsick, I decided to look for a replacement on ebay. My search resulted in buying a beautiful cocker spaniel painted on a ceramic oval from you. The portrait did not look like my dog at all, but I really loved it and was very pleased when I recieved it. I was very touched to see that you had my same last name and that you love Northern Michigan as I do. My daughter lived in SSM for several years and my husband and I took our favorite vacations all over the north.

Even though it's never really a "convenient" time to get a dog, the time finally came. On my birthday in August, I found a cocker spaniel (the details are quite magical and I truly believe I had spiritual help). I love this little girl, but she is VERY different looking than my old cocker. My grown children were a little dissapointed at this, but imagine our delight when I pulled out the ornament this year and realized - you had painted her! That's right, my new dog looks like the dog on the ornament I bought three years ago. I love miracles and I feel that this was a little sign that yes, I have the right dog and the universe would never let me make a mistake.

Thank you for using your beautiful gift of art to enhance this wonderful world and bring joy to people like me. Thank you also for being part of my happy little message from heaven.

All the best, Mary Bailey Fitzgerald