This Is Really Bad. . .

On Thursday, Gus was worse. He would not walk. He looked miserable. And, he tried to eat my daughter's face. Not at all his loving, sweet, energetic self. So I called the vet to let them know, as we weren't scheduled to see her until the following Tuesday. We both agreed he should be seen immediately and she quickly made room for us in her super busy schedule.

My daughter was there to meet her for the exam. The news was devastating. Gus has laminitis  in both  feet. The vet took a few X-rays just to confirm it. The good news is that the condition is mild.  The right side is not as bad as the left. The bad news is that this poor horse has been suffering from this for who knows how long. It started before we got him. However, it all makes sense now. . . The temper tantrums during riding, the tender foot walking on hard surfaces, the stiffness in his back legs.  I feel like a complete ass for not knowing the symptoms and getting him help earlier!

The amazing news is that the vet feels, with aggressive treatment, he will make a full recovery. And Gus is loving it. He is locked up in his box stall (16x16. . . And he isn't so happy about that) with a dozen bags of Pro Pick Mini shavings. The first thing he did was start digging and then rolled like a puppy in a pile of leaves. He is also on Acepromazine and Bute twice daily. So his ability to see rainbow butterflies and leprechauns has greatly increased. My daughter also gets to ice his hooves twice a day, which he does not mind at all. It must feel good. He also likes to eat the ice while he's getting iced. As if this wasn't entertaining enough. . . He is also getting a lovely pair of Soft Ride Boots with the gel inserts for laminitis. Really!?!?  Gel inserts!??! Yes!!! It's his very own set of LA Gear Hightops and Dr Scholls!! When he is better, he will be getting shoes with pads, too. He is not going to be happy about that, as he is barefoot now. However, he has really thin soles and no real foot, so it is a necessity and he will have to suck it up.

Total recovery time. . . 9-12 months. During that time, he will be able to take modified lessons and can be lightly ridden as long as he has his boots on.

We are so grateful the vet could see us sooner, and that we now know what is wrong with our boy. Some people look at me like I am nuts for keeping him. It could reoccur. It could get worse. It's going to be expensive. Yes. . . I know. But, like I have stated before. . . He is a beloved family member and you wouldn't put down grandpa because he hurt his leg. . . Would you??

Really Scared Now. . .

I took my daughter to see Gus this afternoon. She loved on him for a few minutes, put on his rope halter, and headed out for a hand walk. She came back about 10 minutes later looking very upset. When I asked her what was wrong, she pointed out he was now walking quite gingerly on his rear legs. It's not huge, but you can clearly see the stiffness in his legs.

I fired off a text to her trainer to let him know. Obviously, there will be no further lessons for Gus until he is checked by the vet and we find out what's going on. Well, crap! If I wasn't worried enough before, I am now! We have no idea what this could be and are anxiously awaiting a call from the vet tomorrow. Crossing our fingers for a good outcome!

The Things Nightmares Are Made Of. . .

I realize I have missed talking about so many things that have gone on between the time we bought Gus home and now.  However, this is weighing heavy on my mind. We had another amazing lesson with my daughter's trainer yesterday. I was super proud of both of them, as they did their best. Towards the end of the lesson, Indya's trainer voiced a concern he noticed during the last two lessons. Gus seems to be lame when being ridden. It's not that he is noticeably lame, it is just something that is off when he tracks to the left when being ridden. He feels off and he (for lack of a better word) jerks around a bit.

We thought that perhaps his discomfort may have been from saddle fit, so we put a shim pad on him and it leveled out his saddle very nicely. There were no indications of poorly fitted saddle on him. No uneven sweat patterns, no crushed or broken hair, no rubbed spots, etc. And, it's only when he goes to the left! Without a rider, he has nice smooth gaits in both directions. Both my daughter and her trainer rode him, and it was the same each time. Without a rider, he was fine. With a rider, something is just not right.

So, we are going to call the vet back out to do a lameness test and see if we can find out what's going on. I am so worried that there is some type of permanent damage that will render him completely not able to be ridden. He had a really rough and abusive life before we found him and we will never know the extent of abuse he has gone through. I know, I know, why didn't we get a vet check before we bought him? Well, we were told, because he was so inexpensive, not to worry about it because it would cost more for the exam than he cost to purchase.

None the less, if it is the worse case and he is no longer usable, Gus will not be sold or pawned off to a rescue. Gus will continue to have a home with us until he is ready to cross the rainbow bridge. He is family and we love him.

Feeling Dirty. . .

I know I haven't written anything in a while. Things have been really busy here. Anyway, this will be a quicky! I realized today how much about life you can learn from a horse. For example, a horse poops (A LOT!) and ours usually manages to step backwards, right into it. This could teach us several things. One, we have the ability to create our own messes and sometimes we put ourselves in something we don't belong in. Two, like Forest Gump insinuated, sh*t happens. Get over it and move on.

Gus also really loves the mud, as you can see by the picture. This could teach us that sometimes life gets messy. Problems can be plentiful. But, sometimes, you just gotta roll with it and enjoy the rest of your world. Eventually, the problems will resolve on their own (the mud will fall off. . . I hope), or you may have to work at getting the resolutions (grab that curry comb and start brushing!), but things do get better. Ultimately, Gus will be obsessively groomed, and will once again Look sleek and shiny. This proves that all things pass and will eventually become a memory. It's up to you whether those memories are hard (frustrated and annoyed because Gus needs groomed) or happy (just have fun and enjoy the time spent bonding during the grooming). You decide!!

Anyway, what I have written may make absolutely zero sense. Unless you have a warped mind like me! If you do, then you will totally get what I'm saying! Carry on!!

Squirmy Wormies!!!

So. . . Super quick post. The amazing Gus Gus had his first official vet check today. Yes, we have had him coming up to 7 months now, and no. . . We did not have him vet checked at purchase. He is totally and completely healthy! His weight is good and he was such a good boy through the whole thing. No fussing, no resistance, nothing! He just stood there and did what was asked of him, including letting the vet pull his tongue out! It turns out he is actually 7-9 years old, according to his teeth. He even stood perfectly still for his vaccines and temperature to be taken. Yeah, I know. Other horses stand proper, too. However, for Gus, this is a first! Now here is where I found my interest drawn. The vet is running a fecal test to see if worming is necessary. In the beginning, I was told to worm him every 3-4 months, and to use a different wormer every time. Apparently this is wrong. The vet said that worming was only to be done yearly. She said the worms are starting to become immune to the dewormers and surviving. Wtf!?!?! Has anyone else heard this yet???

Rider. . . On The Storm

Completely random. . . But that's just me! The other day I was plenty ticked off about some trash talkers, but yesterday took the cake!

Soooooo. . . . I know I always say I am so amazed at the progress my daughter is making with Gus, but today I gotta say I am super proud of her! I was fortunate enough to watch her lesson yesterday. I watched her practice his groundwork AND then she got on and practiced the one rein emergency stop. Why am I proud of her?? Well, I will tell you. Not just because of all the time and work she has put in so far, but because she got back on him. Some may say "what's so amazing about that?"  Let me tell you. I have seen kids take falls before and some of them just give up and don't ride again, or they are afraid of their horse.  Even though I know she was nervous and probably a little scared, she did it and did it well. Many thanks to Her amaze-balls trainer for sharing his knowledge, and all his positivity and encouragement. He has made a huge difference in my kid's and Gus's lives! This is one grateful mom looking forward to the future!

Ticked Off Momma Bear!

i know I gave been driving everyone insane with my boring recounts of how our life with Gus has been. However, I am going to flash forward to the present for a hot minute. I always try not to be a complete and total b***h, but when adults talk crap about my kid to other children, and then those kids come harass her, I get a little pissed off. My amazing daughter stood up for herself, stood her ground, and was perfectly fine with what went on. I, on the other hand, did the immature move and took it to social media. Many people agreed with me and had such positive comments, even her trainer! Anyway, this us what I posted. Btw. . . The words of wisdom were said to my daughter by the guy who owned the last facility she trained at, and he is one of the trash talkers. What do you think??? Do you do groundwork with your horse??

"It amazes me just how many people share the "doing groundwork is not necessary with a horse" point of view. After watching ***** put in so much time and effort with Gus, and seeing their amazing progress together, I have to say those people are dead wrong and ill informed. I cannot even begin to tell you how many times over the last few months she has been ridiculed for not riding her horse "right now", or my favorite "you should be able to ride any horse at any time". Guess what people! She CAN do both of those things, but you are missing the point! Groundwork is the foundation that Gus (or any other horse) needs to bond with his girl, to find his feet, to get his head in the game, to be sensitive to her body cues and to be able to respond appropriately, and so much more. If you choose to not do groundwork with your horse, then that is your choice. I guess you can just keep relying on stud chains, crops, and a few random punches or kicks for "misbehavior". My daughter is going to do it the way she feels is best for both of them. In the meantime. . . Stop discussing my kid and her horse! I leave you with these words of "wisdom" that were spoken to my daughter not to long after she got Gus. "If you fall off your horse and get hurt, don't be mad at your horse."