November 25, 2008 – Houdini?

So they stayed put in the stalls Sunday night.

Last night I went out and they were happily munching away in their stalls. Rory was standing straight instead of squished up at the front, and very relaxed. He had a couple of patches of hair missing, but nothing serious. So I gave him a scritch and a pat and went to look after the other two chestnuts.

While I was grooming the brat, the teen who does night feed came by and told me Rory had escaped already. He was tied in his stall when she grabbed a halter, and was standing in the aisle when she got back with the horse. She stuffed Rory back into the stall quickly then took the other horse into his stall. Rory was back in the aisle before she got the other horse snapped to his tie.

She put him back in the stall and tied him again. But that quick release snap lets go too easily when he drags it around the feed tub. The BO went and put a bull snap on Rory's tie so the Houdini tricks should be done.

Before I left I went and checked on him. Both foals were lying down. I went into Rory's stall and gave him a rub for a bit. He was lying down a little too far back in the stall and couldn't quite get his head down. I felt sorry for him, but he'll learn. It's only the third night.

November 24, 2008 – Weaning time

The boys were cautious around the mare.

Friday night the BO asked me if I wanted to wean my foal this weekend. Rory is four and a half months old now, eating well, and quite independent already so it's time. I was expecting to do it next weekend, but a week either way isn't going to make a difference. Since the plan was to bring the two foals into the barn and put them together for the first day or two I suggested bringing them in that night. I hoped that having a barn full of horses for company would reduce the panic and stress on the boys.

After the other horses were in, we walked out into the field, put the foals halters on and led them away and out the gate. Neither mare was particularly concerned. One whinnied when she heard the gate, but didn't leave the hay. Rory got a little excited going into the barn, but didn't give me any trouble. He whinnied a couple of times.

They went into the same box stall, and we gave them some hay (left the water bucket out at first in case they got rowdy). They circled a bit and shoved past each other, but there was remarkably little calling. Both watched the mare in the next stall intently. The other foal later got a bit free with his feet, kicking at Rory pretty seriously - fortunately not connecting much. I found them in separate stalls when I arrived on Saturday morning. It's funny. Before they went out all the time, they looked huge in the stalls, taking up most of the floor space when they were lying down. They are bigger now than they were then, but they look tiny and lost in the stalls.

Saturday night they went into the standing stalls (which is where they will winter). The other foal took it calmly and was quite relaxed. He ate his dinner and nibbled on his hay. Rory wanted to turn around and check everything out. He got himself right up to the front of the stall trying to turn around. I did shorten his tie a bit so he couldn't get quite so far round. He didn't fight the tie at all, but he wasn't happy either. He did settle after a bit and snooze, still tucked right up at the front of the stall. They were fine when we left them for the night.

Sunday morning is my chore morning. So I went into the standing stall barn with my stack of feed buckets, shut the door and turned around to find the other foal looking at me over the bum rope from inside Rory's stall, and Rory looking at me from the other side of my stack of buckets saying "Got my breakfast?" They'd obviously been out for a bit as the aisle was covered in evidence. Fortunately foals don't make as big a mess as horses - they didn't trash the hay stack.

I moved them back to the box stalls for the morning so they'd have more room. Rory again looked tiny as he lay tucked up in the corner. In the afternoon they went out with another mare. I put the other foal out and went back for Rory - both were upset at being separated, but okay to handle. Outside their mothers could hear them calling and there was a good bit of whinnying back and forth - most of it from the other foal and his mum. Rory and his mum called a bit, but gave it up more quickly. The horses in the surrounding turnouts all came to see what the excitement was. Neither foal tried to bother the mare, I think in part because they could hear their mothers. She warned them off when they got too close to her hay, and they carefully went around her.

They were on their own for a bit over an hour when the mare got ridden. They settled enough to eat a bit of hay, but really didn't stop moving around.

Little lost weanlings

November 17, 2008 - Healed up

I chased them again on Friday, and the other mare would not walk a full lap of the field. I did the best I could and they were all fine when I went to check on them before I headed home.

Rory looked good Sunday morning (no more compresses). I rode past their field in the afternoon and the mares took off expecting me to chase them. The third mare (without the foal) was standing there looking at them go and back at me thinking "What?" Then they all had an attack of high spirits and went bucking and cavorting across the field.

November 13, 2008 – Healing nicely

Another super cute show pic!

Well the chasing prescription worked. I went out last night and took out my hot compress gear with the night feeds. I checked Rory after he stuck his nose in the bucket and the lump is much smaller and breaking up. And he was a bit gooey - drainage! I hot compressed and then took all the buckets and the foalless mare back to the barn.

Tonight I rode the brat and pushed the mares and foals around. The brat was much more relaxed about the whole deal than I'd expected. It took very little effort to get them moving this time, but a lot of experimenting when it came time to bring them back to a walk. The other mare kept trotting part of the circuit. Rory's mum walked more and stopped a few times. It was another night with a full moon and little cloud. I did get the brat to do a bit of lateral work as we kept the herd moving, but it wasn't really a schooling ride for him, just a leg stretch.

I went out to check them over before I left again. The other mare wasn't as sweaty tonight and both Rory and his mum showed no signs of exertion.

Today's forecast is for rain and freezing rain, so if I don't get out I won't be too concerned about Rory.

November 12, 2008 – Prescription: Run!

Another show pic - just because he was so cute!

The vet was at the farm yesterday and checked Rory. He said the incisions are closing a bit fast, but the swelling is mostly because Rory isn't moving enough. Prescription - chase him around.

So I went out, fed the mares and compressed Rory while he had his nose in his bucket. Then I went and got my QH. The field Rory is in is far too big for me to be able to run around and keep the horses moving. Plus I'm hoping that if I chase from horseback Rory won't be expecting me to chase him around when I go out on foot.

My intention was to keep Rory and his mum moving, but I ended up having to get all four going because mum just kept dodging around us back to the other mare. At first they stayed near the hay, but after a bit they were using the whole field and I backed off to try and get them to trot instead of canter. Then after half an hour I backed off more and kept them walking for a few laps to cool out. Rory's mum was the most laid back of the bunch. The other mare felt she had to scoot past us the odd time.

Remember all of this happened after dark. Well after sunset. Fortunately for me the sky was pretty clear with only some thin clouds scattered about, and the moon was near full. I could see the mares and foals running and judge the pressure applied better than if it had been really dark. I caught a flash of Rory's stocking and white blaze at times. My QH was really good about it all.

I went out and checked them later before going home. The other mare was worst off - she'd sweated the most but was dry enough and warm (cooled out but not cold). The other foal still had a bit of sweat condensation on the tips of his haircoat, but was also cooled out and warm. Rory's mum had a little bit of dried sweat on her, and was a good temperature. Rory wasn't showing the least signs of any exertion. No condensation, no dry sweat patches, nothing.

That's my boy!

November 11, 2008 – Recovery

Rory is recovering nicely. He is rather more swollen than I'd like, but with frequent hot compresses it is going down. He's being really good about it all and hasn't yet tried to kick me. Walk away, yes, but not kick.

I scooted out first thing before work yesterday and today to do the hot compress. I took morning grain out for the mares when I went to look after Rory, and it's amazing how the comfort of a bucket of grain makes everything better!

Last night I drove out to the barn during a freak snow squall (I'd have turned back to home if Rory hadn't needed me), and was out there in the blowing snow hot compressing him. Brrr! Naturally it had stopped completely an hour later.

I am discovering just how well he ties too. I took him outside the field on Saturday for the first hot compress. After a bit he'd had enough and started moving to see how he could escape me. At one point he went right up to the fence and put his nose up over the top rail... onto the hotwire... Yes, he got zapped. And went backwards. But he didn't fight the rope. He leaned on it for a minute, then settled and took a step forward (but not too close to the fence!) when I encouraged him to do so. Sunday he got his head under the rope and didn't like it over his neck. After a bit of struggling he managed to turn himself around completely under the rope so that it was no longer crossing his neck, and then he was perfectly fine again.

November 7, 2008 – Gelding time

And the deed is done. Mum was distinctly uninterested and in fact left the scene shortly after Rory started wobbling as the first sedative took effect. She was on the far side of the field right up until I took Rory back to her after it was all over. The foaless mare actually spent more time at the gate whickering reassurance than mum did.

As for the specifics, he went down quite gently and stayed quiet throughout the procedure. The vet had us put a folded towel over his head, and stay very quiet - he said they stay down longer that way. I couldn't see much of the gory details given that I was kneeling on his neck (half kneeling). Rory being Rory, he got up earlier than he should which kept us pushing him back and forth until he could balance on his own. Then I stood with him and kept him relatively still for twenty minutes or so until most of the sedative wore off. At that point we started walking back and forth along the fence and he got more stable and secure as he moved.

The vet checked that he wasn't bleeding too much (just a few drips) and then I escorted him back to mum. I had visions of him trying to gallop to her and taking a header so I decided safe was best and didn't let him go until after he'd bumped into her bum.

I rode past his field much later (after dark) and he was alert and whinnied at us as I rode the brat past. I fed the mares and foals after finishing with the brat and Rory followed me about as I dumped the grain in each tub, and then happily munched on his own. I took a peek at his sheath as he ate and things look good. A tiny bit swollen as expected, but nice and clean.

A good day.

Oh yes, one more thing. His extra bits were picked up by another vet (who teaches at the local college) to be preserved for next year's students to dissect!

November 3, 2008 - Big changes ahead

I was out playing with Rory on the weekend. He got groomed and a little leading practice. Yesterday he took a little nip at me (without connecting) when I insisted he walk beside me and not crowd or rush past. I growled and threatened him for a few seconds and he didn't try it again.

He's so dusty that I took my spray bottle of water out to help keep the static electricity down and get the dust onto the brush. He was perfectly fine with being sprayed when I was braiding his mane for the shows that it didn't occur to me that it might bother him. But we all know horses. He decided that it was scary and tried to walk away from me. Good thing it's just water and I could keep spritzing until he settled. He stood still and just rolled his eyes at it after a minute or so. He looked so good with the dust off. Of course I couldn't get all the ground in dust out of his coat so as soon as I scritched him for being good I brought up a new layer.

He's getting the feeding thing figured out. I go out and dump the other mom's feed first, then Rory's mom, then the other mare's, and then hang Rory's bucket on the fence. He follows me around from tub to tub and then back to the fence to get his feed. I've been hanging out with him at a gradually increasing distance, just staying close enough to warn off any of the mares (mostly the foaless one - she always finishes first as she doesn't get that much feed) if they try to bother him. Rory doesn't get very much so he's usually done before the two moms are.

The other foal came to see what we were doing during yesterday's leading lesson, and stuck around after I'd slipped the halter off Rory. So he got a little leading practice too.

We're getting close to weaning time soon. The BO's are working out turnout plans for the winter. We're looking at another 3-4 weeks before weaning day. Rory's up for gelding on Friday (if all is well) so he'll be healed up by weaning time.  The other foal's scheduled for later. Which is actually a good thing. That way the healthy foal/weanling will be able to chase the recovering one around and help keep things draining. At least that's the plan.

I was afraid we'd be getting rained on tomorrow, but the forecast looks good with no precipitation expected.  I'm actually looking forward to the weaning. Once he's weaned it will be easier for me to take him out and around by himself and do more with him. Right now I have to bring mom in too and she's rather herdbound just now and calls for the other mare the whole time she's in. So I don't bring them in very often because I don't want Rory learning that anxious behaviour from her. When he's weaned we can start going for walks and learning how to pony off my QH. My QH helped me with the brat, and now he'll get to help with Rory.

October 27, 2008 – His own feed bucket

If you look on page one when we were discussing names I did mention Rotkonig is german for Red King. I know - that was a long time ago.

I don't have to (except for breed shows) but I think I will use his registered name for competitions (let the butchery begin). It was my second choice, not some random thing they came up with. But I was really wanting Red King.

I went shopping on Saturday (pouring rain, and helping a friend find a saddle) and among my purchases picked up a Schleigh model foal. I chose this model because it looked most like Rory in face and body shape. Sitting in the van afterwards I looked at my receipt and it said 'hannoverian foal'.  Made me laugh! I'm going to get some white paint and paint his markings on it.

I'm starting to feed Rory out of his own bucket (and hang it on the fence) and he's getting the idea nicely. The mares are fed in descending order, and he follows me around as I dump each bucket into each feeder. Then we go back to the fence and I hang his bucket up. I've been stepping further away, but stay close enough to warn off the third mare should she get any ideas. Rory is happily munching away. His mum won't share with him. She does the pinned ears and snaked head thing and all!

I was looking at him on the weekend and he's almost as big as the other foal. Better put together just now (TOF is growing bum high at the moment) but I'm sure he'll go through the ugly duckling phases too. He is so personable. He's the first one to look up and the first to come and visit, but he'll get out of the mares' ways if they come behind him. I balanced a bigger bucket on his bum (those small round ones) and he didn't mind until it started to topple. I shot my hand out to catch it and that might have startled him too, but he didn't go anywhere, just moved a step sideways.

October 20, 2008 – More leading practice

Red King must have been taken. I did check the database for both CSH and CWB before I sent in the form - neither had a Red King. I looked up TBs too and there was one way back in the early 1900s.

We had a little leading practice on the weekend after he'd eaten his lunch. At first all was good, then the other horses finished eating and wandered off to the hay at the other end of the field. Rory wanted to go too and started off a couple of times. He did stop when he hit the end of the leadrope. We started walking after them and he got a little too excited so I circled him, stopped, backed a couple of steps and walked on again. After doing that twice he behaved for the rest of the walk over. Mum nickered at him as we walked by. I led him this way and that, and did some yielding ie. move bum sideways away from a touch. He was very good and I slipped the halter off after a few minutes. He stayed for a scritch and then wandered over to his mum.

October 14, 2008 – Bucket broke?

Rory taking the bucket over to his mum

Got some bad news the other day. Rory's papers arrived and he didn't get Red King as his registered name.  He got Rotkonig (the o after the k is pronounced like the u in burn - it has the two dots over top, but I can't type that with this keyboard). I'm a bit disappointed - I really wanted Red King.

Rory is still a delight. I was out feeding them on the weekend and had a silly moment. I sat his little white feed bucket on his hindquarters. It didn't bother him a bit. Not even when he wandered away from me to where his mum was having a drink. She lifted her head and looked at him with a "WHAT do you have on your bum?" expression. He wandered back to me and she followed, trying to get a look at the thing. It fell off and Rory didn't even flinch.

The other foal bucked it off, twice! He was okay with it until he moved, then he wanted it OFF!

I did get a series of pictures. It's going to make a great page in his scrapbook!

The other foal bucked it off!

October 8, 2008 – Monster towel

Last week we had a rainy afternoon and Rory was shivering when I brought him in for the night. I was a little concerned so I grabbed a big towel to dry him off. He wasn't too sure about it and walked around mum to escape after I draped it over his back. I stopped him when he came round and he decided it was okay - until I started rubbing and the towel flapped against him.  That scared him and he backed into the corner of the stall. I kept rubbing and he settled without trying too hard to escape. Rory didn't really like his neck disappearing under the towel. After he was dried off as best as I could do, and he'd stopped shivering I dragged the towel over him and let him figure out that it was okay.

He's almost completely dark now, except for his face above his eyes, up to the base of his ears and forelock (and his baby fuzz legs). And the very base of his mane. His mane is going lighter again - there is a dark stripe on the mane hairs. It's only visible if I separate the mane at his neck and look in good light, otherwise it's not obvious. Against the browning fall trees he almost disappears, until he looks at me with that white face.

September 30, 2008 – Second show

Rory was pretty good at the show. Didn't do as well as I'd hoped, but at this point there is a big size discrepency between him and the others. All but one were weaned, and the one that wasn't is older than Rory too.

Despite that he placed fourth in the CSH Foal (out of six foals) and fourth in the Open Foal (out of eight foals). In the CSH National Foal Championship he received Second Premium status with a score of 73. He tied points-wise with the fifth place foal, but the judge put Rory last. She did make a point of thanking me (twice!) for bringing out such a young foal, and commented that it is difficult to show the young foals as the older ones do have the advantage.

In the first class as we were starting our jog Rory jumped up and kicked out at me catching me across my thigh. But he connected with his tendon, not hoof and it hurt him more than me.  He limped a few steps afterwards and didn't try it again. He did nip at me a few times. I'm going to have to get him to do that at home so I can scare the idea out of him.

He didn't lie down this time, but only because I wouldn't let him. When he finally decided he wanted to lie down we only had a minute or so before the next class and I didn't want to have to drag him back up again.

September 25, 2008 – More practice



Checking out the empty feed buckets



Rory got wormed again this week, and then promptly dumped his grain bucket all over the place.  He's just not that into grain yet.

I went out and groomed him last night and then did some walking and trotting in hand. Mum and the other mare and foal followed us around which made for some interesting action when we turned around. He does jump and canter and try to run off, but is very good about stopping when he reaches the end of the lead. I gave him lots of scritches as well, even after he dumped his grain bucket again.

He's still growing quickly. The crown on his halter is now out to the third hole without being huge (maybe my leather halter will fit him now).

I faxed in his entry into the breeder's show this weekend, and the CSH National Foal Championship. We'll see if he looks like a premium foal this weekend. I think he's still looking good, but I admit to being a lot biased. Everyone hope for a rain-free day for us on Sunday.

September 22, 2008 – A royal scare

The Red King gave me a Royal scare yesterday - little so-and-so.

I was putting the horses out in the morning and I took him out with his mum, and then brought out the other foal and mare. The two foals went bouncing about and got to running. Rory was clearly avoiding getting too close to the other foal (I think TOF has figured out how to use his greater weight and Rory wanted to run rather than wrestle) and was jinking and changing directions often.

He slipped. It didn't look like much of a slip but he cantered out of it on three legs.

I stood and watched. He hopped to a stop and held the leg up slightly to the side (hind). He limped, held the leg up, cantered a few steps when TOF got too close, hopped and stopped again. I went out to see how bad it was and brought the halters in case I needed to bring him back in.

He was standing on it again by the time I reached him. I couldn't see anything or feel anything, and was checking his stifle against the healthy side when he reached around and nipped the back of my leg so I whacked his bum with TOF's halter.  He jumped away and I gave him a minute to think about it before going and resuming the examination. He behaved himself, I decided I couldn't find anything obvious and he was starting to use the leg again.

It was most likely just one of those things where it hurts a lot initially, but is forgotten 15 minutes later. He was perfectly fine at lunch (I fed him and gave him lots of scritches).

September 19, 2008 – More baby steps

I tried something new last night. I took Rory out of the stall and 'tied' him for grooming. He got a little worried a couple of times. Mum was nickering in concern which set Rory off a bit, but they settled when I pushed his bum over so mum could touch him when she hung her head out. He didn't want to hold his right front foot up again (that's the hard one) but of course I persisted and he had to accept it. He's really good with both hind feet now.

Rory did his usual trick of eating all but the last dozen pellets. I grabbed a bit extra out of mum's bowl and Rory happily ate all that down to the last dozen pellets. I think he has trouble getting them out of the corner of the bucket - I'll have to get him a better feed bucket. He's not super interested in "grain" yet. When left alone he hangs his head out the head gate while mum eats. The other foal is right in there with his mum, pushing for his share.

I don't mind really. I started the brat on a little bit of grain early too, and he's never been one to get pushy or worried about his "grain". For quite a while I had to stand over the brat to make sure he kept his nose in his feed bowl. If I left him for five seconds he'd leave it and go off nosing around anything interesting.

September 15, 2008 – Growing up!

Saturday morning I had to give the other foal his syringe of stuff before he went out. The two doors to the mares' stalls latch to each other and I unlatched them to get in to deal with the other foal. While I was busy, Rory's mum slid their door open about 12". Rory spotted the gap and headed out to do some exploring.

Fortunately I was close and saw him squeezing out and was out quick enough to catch him with an arm round his chest just as his bum cleared the stall. He was disappointed, but backed into the stall (I pushed the door wider so he had room) obediently enough. Then I closed the door and the head gate so mum couldn't open it up again.

Last night I was scritching his neck (both sides) and I realized he was getting his chin up above my shoulder level without any effort at all. He'd put his chin on my shoulder before, but had to stretch to reach. His bum is about 1 1/2" below the top of the solid part of the stall wall - withers too, but it was his bum I noticed. He used to have to lift his head right up so he could see over the wall. He can look out the head gate without choking himself now too.

My little boy is growing up!

September 10, 2008 – Bribery

I resorted to bribery to get Rory to eat his pellets last night.  He took a mouthful and I curried his itches. Then I'd stop and he'd have to take another bite before I'd curry again. He didn't finish the small handful, but he did eat most of them. I finished grooming and picked out his feet - he's getting good at that. I didn't need to have anyone hold him or even halter him.

September 9, 2008 – A work in progress

No excitments in Rory's life in the past few days. He's out in the big field with the other mare and foal and being a typical bratty foal pestering the other one to play, and bouncing of his mum. He is getting better at letting me pick up his feet and pick them out. Still pulls a bit as he tests to see if I'll let go today.

I stayed home on Thursday night and on Friday was astonished to see just how black his bum was as his foal coat sheds.  He's getting more dark specks in all the little scuffs and nicks from playing too. Saturday was rainy here, and when I went out to feed lunch I discovered a half coronet white marking on the inside of his left hind foot. It looks like it goes round the heel on that side. The wet leg combined with the darker hair growth coming through made the white visible. I'd noticed the hoof had a white stripe in the new growth a few weeks ago so it wasn't a complete surprise. I tried to get some pics of his colour changes, but with the rain it wasn't a good weekend for photos. By next weekend he'll be even blacker.

He enjoys being groomed and comes to me for scritches when he sees me - naturally I oblige.  I think he's grown a bit again. I was looking at his halter fit last night and thinking it's about time to make the noseband a hole larger.

He'll now eat a small handful of Developer pellets if I catch him at feeding time. If the others aren't chowing down on their grain he's not as interested in eating pellets.

This week is the week before Championships so my focus is on the brat and the mare. I'll admit that I'm looking forward to the end of show season so I'll have a bit more time to play with Rory. I want to take him for more tours around and get the leading thing more refined - he's very good, but very good for a foal is not the same as very good for my adult horses. It's a work in progress, and I am greatly enjoying the progression again - just as I did with the brat.

September 2, 2008 – First injury, first treatment

Rory learned about tying this weekend. And wound cleaning...

The one came from the other. He banged a front fetlock on something and cut the front of the fetlock. It was a little swollen on Sunday which was how I noticed it. It had scabbed over by then, so I decided to hot compress to get the scab off and the blood circulating.

I didn't have anyone around to help, so I looped the lead over a fence board and had the wash mitt on my other hand to wrap around his fetlock. Rory was less than thrilled about the deal and he wiggled and went forwards and backwards to try and escape the compress. He sat back and pulled a couple of times, but gave it up as pointless very quickly each time (less than 30s) and tried going forwards instead. He found that didn't work either as he ran into the rope from fence to me.

Anyway, I got the scab off and could feel that the cut wasn't deep so I let him go. Monday it was oozing a bit, so I brought him and mum up to the wash rack to give it a proper cleaning. I got someone to hold him for me to I could use two hands and scrub it out properly with betadine scrub. He was very good. He tried to pull his foot away, tried to back up, and tried to jump forwards once. Nothing worked and he stood quietly while I finished. I got a good look at the injury, and it was a nice healthy pink after scrubbing, so I just put a bit of hibitane on.

His new coat is showing through the foal fuzz and it's making him look sooty dirty. His ears have completely shed their baby fuzz on the backs and are a lovely dark chocolate brown colour. It's kind of like unwrapping a present - wondering what's underneath?  He's really cute with the dark ears and eye rings on his bright chestnut head. Makes his eyes look huge.

He invited me to play when I was in his paddock on Sunday. Unfortunately he clipped my hip with a hoof when he did his trademark stop, half rear and fling front feet out forward. I had to reprimand him and send him away so he'd learn that people are not playmates. He was back shortly afterwards, respectfully stopping a couple of steps away and waiting for me to close the gap and give him lots of scritches.