http://www.orchardcreekfarmsite.com/
Please take a look and tell me what you think.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Teddy's Emergency - WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTO BELOW!
Yesterday evening I fed the horses. Teddy was tied to the hitching post to eat while I took Magnum down to the round pen. When I came back with Magnum, Teddy hadn't finished his food and was looking unhappy and making funny little whinny noises. I put him in a closed section of the field, and he promptly coughed up thick mucous mixed with grain, then lay down as if to roll, but got back up.
I watched him for a little while, and he coughed up more mucous and saliva mixed with food... he also had it dripping out his nose. So I took him up to the front field with Magnum and called the vet. She said it sounded like "choke", when they swallow food without properly chewing, or try to whinny with their mouth full and food gets stuck in the esophagus. She said to call her back if it hadn't cleared in another 30 minutes and she'd come out. As I waited, he kicked at his belly and lay down again. He let me sit on the ground with him and rub his ears, and he just looked miserable. He got back up, coughed some more, but I could see he was hurting. So I called the vet back, and out she came.
The remedy is to sedate the horse and put a tube down the esophagus, pumping water down to soften any lodged food until the tube can be passed all the way down to the stomach. Teddy was sedated, and she started to snake the tube down through his nostril. She did warn me that sometimes they get nosebleeds from this, and I'm glad she did, because he promptly started gushing blood from his nostrils. Thank God Lisa was at the farm at the time, and she offered to help, which I happily accepted since I was having a really hard time looking at the nasty food / mucous mix coming from the tube along with the growing pool of blood in the stall. I was starting to feel ill, and didn't want to look at everything coming from his nostrils... I'm usually not that queasy, but as the vet said, "It's different when it's your own horse".
It took over an hour to finally clear the blockage, and involved several removals and re-insertions of the tube. Lisa handled it like a pro.... after a little while, Teddy started to fight, and would back up, then rear and plunge and thrash around the stall. Lisa quickly developed a technique of holding his halter firmly and letting him plunge and spin around her while the vet and I cleared the stall. I was really impressed at how she stood firm and controlled him without letting him toss her around. Of course, after each of these episodes we'd have to remove the tube and start over. There was also blood everywhere from this.... as Greg put it, "Lisa looked like she just walked out of the ER."
So the blockage was finally cleared, and it seems the culprit was partly the brand new bag of alfalfa pellets I bought... since it hadn't been opened, the pellets hadn't absorbed any moisture from the air and were hard as rock. When Teddy gulped them down, (or possibly tried to whinny to Magnum with his mouth full) he couldn't produce sufficient saliva to moisten them enough to swallow. Unfortunately, the trials and tribulations of treating him left him with a horrible raspy breathing issue, partially due to inflammation from the irritation of the tube, and possibly because he could have inhaled some bloody goop during his thrashing. So now he is to be on a 10-day course of antibiotic injections twice a day to hopefully prevent any pneumonia developing, as well as Banamine paste for the pain and swelling in his throat.
Poor boy looks miserable! I put Magnum in the stall with him overnight to keep him company and console him a little bit. Hopefully his breathing will be improved by morning. Of course, this all totalled about a $600 vet bill, because what horse would ever have an emergency during business hours?! But I've very glad I did call, as I'm sure he couldn't have swallowed or coughed up the lump on his own. Just a note of caution to horse owners... it's always safer to soak hay pellets!
I watched him for a little while, and he coughed up more mucous and saliva mixed with food... he also had it dripping out his nose. So I took him up to the front field with Magnum and called the vet. She said it sounded like "choke", when they swallow food without properly chewing, or try to whinny with their mouth full and food gets stuck in the esophagus. She said to call her back if it hadn't cleared in another 30 minutes and she'd come out. As I waited, he kicked at his belly and lay down again. He let me sit on the ground with him and rub his ears, and he just looked miserable. He got back up, coughed some more, but I could see he was hurting. So I called the vet back, and out she came.
The remedy is to sedate the horse and put a tube down the esophagus, pumping water down to soften any lodged food until the tube can be passed all the way down to the stomach. Teddy was sedated, and she started to snake the tube down through his nostril. She did warn me that sometimes they get nosebleeds from this, and I'm glad she did, because he promptly started gushing blood from his nostrils. Thank God Lisa was at the farm at the time, and she offered to help, which I happily accepted since I was having a really hard time looking at the nasty food / mucous mix coming from the tube along with the growing pool of blood in the stall. I was starting to feel ill, and didn't want to look at everything coming from his nostrils... I'm usually not that queasy, but as the vet said, "It's different when it's your own horse".
It took over an hour to finally clear the blockage, and involved several removals and re-insertions of the tube. Lisa handled it like a pro.... after a little while, Teddy started to fight, and would back up, then rear and plunge and thrash around the stall. Lisa quickly developed a technique of holding his halter firmly and letting him plunge and spin around her while the vet and I cleared the stall. I was really impressed at how she stood firm and controlled him without letting him toss her around. Of course, after each of these episodes we'd have to remove the tube and start over. There was also blood everywhere from this.... as Greg put it, "Lisa looked like she just walked out of the ER."
So the blockage was finally cleared, and it seems the culprit was partly the brand new bag of alfalfa pellets I bought... since it hadn't been opened, the pellets hadn't absorbed any moisture from the air and were hard as rock. When Teddy gulped them down, (or possibly tried to whinny to Magnum with his mouth full) he couldn't produce sufficient saliva to moisten them enough to swallow. Unfortunately, the trials and tribulations of treating him left him with a horrible raspy breathing issue, partially due to inflammation from the irritation of the tube, and possibly because he could have inhaled some bloody goop during his thrashing. So now he is to be on a 10-day course of antibiotic injections twice a day to hopefully prevent any pneumonia developing, as well as Banamine paste for the pain and swelling in his throat.
Poor boy looks miserable! I put Magnum in the stall with him overnight to keep him company and console him a little bit. Hopefully his breathing will be improved by morning. Of course, this all totalled about a $600 vet bill, because what horse would ever have an emergency during business hours?! But I've very glad I did call, as I'm sure he couldn't have swallowed or coughed up the lump on his own. Just a note of caution to horse owners... it's always safer to soak hay pellets!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Teddy on a Pedestal
This was when I went to pick him up from the trainers… it was the first time he got up on it with both feet. He doesn't seem too concerned.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Anna & Teddy Riding for the first time
Yippee!! I'm so excited to have him back and ready to go! He is such a good boy, and they did a FABULOUS job with him! Many many thanks to Lorrie and her daughter Natasha!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Teddy's First time under saddle
To back up a little, this was his first time under saddle ridden free. You can really see his annoyance at having someone telling him what to do and where to go!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Teddy started under saddle
Teddy's third time under saddle. He's been sent away for training, and we'll have lots of riding to do when he gets back. I'm so excited! Click the link for the trainer's web page: http://www.happynaturalhorse.com/
Friday, February 12, 2010
Cowboy Greg
A photo from last summer of the cowboy in my kitchen... wondering why those pants fit so tight!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Paddock Paradise
I think this is a great concept, and I have been experimenting with it in one of my
groups of horses. (I have 2 separate pastures / groups - one with 3 horses, and one
with 4 horses). "Paddock Paradise" is a book by Jaime Jackson that describes a
new "natural horsekeeping" method. To paraphrase from the back cover of the book
(my notes are in red):
"...Paddock Paradise is a revolutionary model for safe, natural horsekeeping, hoof
care, and the healing and rehabilitation of lame horses. The premise of Paddock
Paradise is to stimulate horses to behave and move naturally according to their
instincts... This unique and unprecedented model is adaptable to virtually all size
horse properties, regardless of climate, and fits all equine breeds regardless of how
they are used.
Consider some of the following benefits for creating a Paddock Paradise for your
horses:
- Encourages constant movement, as nature intended
- Greater movement means natural hoof wear with fewer bills (If you provide gravel or other proper footing)
- Protects horses from dangerous founder-prone pastures (I've never had this problem, but I suppse it makes sense)
- Minimizes the need for warm-up exercise time before riding (keeping my horses at field 24/7 seems to do the same thing)
- Helps address neurotic behavior by providing natural outlets (again, see above... full time out at pasture means no neurotic behavior.)
- Provides an effective means for diet and weight management
groups of horses. (I have 2 separate pastures / groups - one with 3 horses, and one
with 4 horses). "Paddock Paradise" is a book by Jaime Jackson that describes a
new "natural horsekeeping" method. To paraphrase from the back cover of the book
(my notes are in red):
"...Paddock Paradise is a revolutionary model for safe, natural horsekeeping, hoof
care, and the healing and rehabilitation of lame horses. The premise of Paddock
Paradise is to stimulate horses to behave and move naturally according to their
instincts... This unique and unprecedented model is adaptable to virtually all size
horse properties, regardless of climate, and fits all equine breeds regardless of how
they are used.
Consider some of the following benefits for creating a Paddock Paradise for your
horses:
- Encourages constant movement, as nature intended
- Greater movement means natural hoof wear with fewer bills (If you provide gravel or other proper footing)
- Protects horses from dangerous founder-prone pastures (I've never had this problem, but I suppse it makes sense)
- Minimizes the need for warm-up exercise time before riding (keeping my horses at field 24/7 seems to do the same thing)
- Helps address neurotic behavior by providing natural outlets (again, see above... full time out at pasture means no neurotic behavior.)
- Provides an effective means for diet and weight management
Saturday, January 02, 2010
How an Electric Fence Works (or, as I prefer to call it, "Fun with Fools")
Brainiac - Electric fence
This is a great video explaining exactly how an electric fence works. Many people don't really understand.... hence, why they may leave the electric gate laying on the ground, or allow objects to touch the fence (such as haning halters, rakes, etc).
This is a great video explaining exactly how an electric fence works. Many people don't really understand.... hence, why they may leave the electric gate laying on the ground, or allow objects to touch the fence (such as haning halters, rakes, etc).
Baseball Hay Nets - Paddock Paradise Wiki
Baseball Hay Nets - Paddock Paradise Wiki
This is an interesting idea to set up hay nets for horses that they can't destroy. It makes for less wasted hay (they can't pull out huge gobs which then get strewn around), and you can set up a few around the paddock to keep the horses busy and entertained.
This is an interesting idea to set up hay nets for horses that they can't destroy. It makes for less wasted hay (they can't pull out huge gobs which then get strewn around), and you can set up a few around the paddock to keep the horses busy and entertained.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Let's take the cow for a car ride....
New Year's Resolutions - Horses
What are your new years resolutions? Or does anyone even bother to make them anymore, since it seems that most are forgotten about come Groundhog's Day! I challenge everyone to make a list of things they'd like to accomplish in the coming year involving horses. (I figure narrowing down the category will make it a little easier!) Here are some things I'd like to do:
1. Go camping again at Assateague in the fall.
(For those who aren't familiar, Assateague Island in Maryland allows camping with your horse on the ocean side of the beach from around September to April every year. It's great fun to gallop on the beach!)
2. Compete in at least one Horse Trial this year.
3. Do a hunter pace with friends. I'll throw in here - go foxhunting at least once this year.
4. Get Teddy (my young Tennessee Walker) started under saddle this summer.
For other ideas of horsey / riding New Year's Resolutions, check out "A Rider's Bucket List".
1. Go camping again at Assateague in the fall.
(For those who aren't familiar, Assateague Island in Maryland allows camping with your horse on the ocean side of the beach from around September to April every year. It's great fun to gallop on the beach!)
2. Compete in at least one Horse Trial this year.
3. Do a hunter pace with friends. I'll throw in here - go foxhunting at least once this year.
4. Get Teddy (my young Tennessee Walker) started under saddle this summer.
For other ideas of horsey / riding New Year's Resolutions, check out "A Rider's Bucket List".
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Life on a Southern Farm: Cold Baby Goat Video
Life on a Southern Farm: Cold Baby Goat Video
Awww, this is just the cutest thing ever! As annoying as they can be when adults, I must admit that there is still nothing cuter than a newborn baby goat!
Awww, this is just the cutest thing ever! As annoying as they can be when adults, I must admit that there is still nothing cuter than a newborn baby goat!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Snow, snow, and more snow!
Zoey just loves the snow!I must say, fresh snow is charming and fun for the first day or so, but when you have a farm, it gets old quickly. I again thank my lucky stars for my 4 wheel drive tractor, and the bucket that works quite nicely as a snow plow when needed.
Saturday was mostly fun, plowing the driveway and the neighbor's drive before the snow got very deep, admiring the clean blanket of white over everything. Before bed Saturday night, I noticed with a bit of surprise that it was still snowing, but not until Sunday did I realize how much! It took me quite a while to get hay to the horses, as the snow was deep enough that the tractor frequently got stuck and the wheels would just spin. So I'd have to get down and dig out by hand for a bit, before traveling another 5 feet or so.... it took me much more time and muscle power than I had anticipated! Perhaps I should have kept ahead of the snow more on Saturday....
Monday, June 29, 2009
Wow, it's been quite a while since I've posted. Things have been going well on the farm, and I am most grateful to have Greg to keep up with the mowing... when it was strictly up to me, things quickly got out of control. A couple of weeks ago, my friend Amy's sister and her kids came to visit... Greg rode them around on Magnum a bit, and they loved it!
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These are my various home-made concoctions that I have found very useful to use around the farm. For the Coat Fly Spray : I find the very b... -
Here is my latest kitchen crafty venture... Making a thickening gel from various seeds and spices. I first came across the idea on a beauty...
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I prefer an overhead tie, or what is known as a "highline" in the world of horse packing and camping. There is something else tha...
