Horse trauma

It was another early morning at the ranch, shrouded in heavy smoke, with temperatures at a mere 17 degrees and windy conditions. After a cup of coffee, S went to test the hay, but the dampness thwarted his plans, so he returned the trencher to Calgary. I tended to Har and the cats, harvested fresh herbs, and prepared a roast in the Instant Pot's slow cooker setting before setting off for Calgary for my Renn day. En route, I picked up a muffin and an iced coffee while passing through town.

Renn and Nathan were both napping when I arrived just before 11. I brought in two fans for their use, the life jacket I found for Renn, and Lexi's leash that was left behind. I was finishing up a library book when Renn woke up at 11:40, always so cheerful, hugging her lamb. We were playing when Kaylin returned home around noon for a break. She made herself grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch. Nathan took a croissant from the earlier grocery delivery and went down to work. Kaylin kindly sugared my legs with Renn's help, for which I say THANK YOU!

She returned to work before 1:30, leaving Renn and me to continue our playdate. Her latest achievement is counting 1, 2, 3, and I regret not capturing her singing "Skinamarinky Dink," which is adorable as she attempts to sign along. The rain began at 3. We read four books before tucking her in at 3:30, and once she quickly fell asleep, I departed for home.

The rain eased on the east side of the city, but as I entered the garage, the wind intensified and rain started to spatter here. The days high was only 18 a far cry from the last weeks for sure. I fed Harley and Cooper, although Cooper hadn't eaten by the time I dashed out to harvest fingerling potatoes for the roast. A wild, brief rainstorm struck just as I returned inside. S had managed to bale 7 1/2 bales in total on the north half of the hay field, and he was now in the shop. He joined me at 6 for the exceptionally tender roast, accompanied by delicious fresh potatoes and gravy and fresh veggies.

He went back outside to distribute the leftover gravel around the shop and the horse watering station. After I completed cleaning up the food and kitchen and had watered my indoor plants, I went outside to check on my outdoor plants and gardens, enjoying some fresh peas. Britt and Dave got here before 8 to manage their horse-related tasks. Dave is roughly a week from moving his barn closer to the local track he will be renting.

My 2 blooming orchids and first sunflower bloom

A person messaged me about purchasing some surplus chairs I had listed, so I moved them from storage to the house. Dave and Sheldon worked together to unload 50 small square bales onto six pallets in the shop—much appreciated! I saw Britt with Suzi, who was choking on her food. After trying to help her, Dave decided to fetch his tube from town just in case. As he was leaving, the chair buyer arrived. The buyer quickly took the chairs, and by then, Suzi had managed to clear the blockage and was feeling better, so Britt texted Dave to come back. While checking the rest of the herd, Britt discovered that Switch had entangled her leg in the hot wire. What a day!

not in a good spot at all, most damage to front of back left and more on back of back right 

ouch

after cold hosed

This girls education has paid off ten fold and her dedication to equine wellness is hands down the best.

I caught her and applied cold hosing to her leg, then brought her into the barn for Dr. B to work her magic. She applied Dermagel after a Betadine wash, followed by layers of padding and a wrap to cover and somewhat immobilize the leg. This caused a bit of concern for Switch when she tried to walk back to the pen with her leg not bending. We considered putting her in the barn paddock, but concerns about her using the waterer that the mares and foals use took precedence. We closed the far paddock gate to minimize herd movement.

While we were tending to her leg, S fixed the fence where the wire had come loose and replaced three rails, and Dave cleared out the house paddock. B, D, and I returned to the fence with a magnet to search for the staples, but unfortunately, we had no luck. We're hoping none of them cause a puncture wound. Afterward, they loaded Cooper and left for home before 10. A big THANK YOU to B for your excellent horse care skills!

S relaxed in the hot tub while I began watching 'McLeod's Daughters', but then I noticed Switch was still ground-tied in the middle of the field. She had backed up after trying to lift her stiff leg over the shelter beam, frightening herself in the process. I attempted to coax her forward and eventually used my coat as a makeshift halter. Harley also lent a hand, and finally, Switch trusted her leg and me enough to move forward to the dirt area in front of the shelter, where there were fewer bugs. Once back at the house, S had finished showering, and we settled in to watch more 'House of the Dragon', capping off a rather eventful evening.