A bit of a bloody day in all senses of the word. Tracey and I felt very virtuous and organised as we waited to open various gates for our vet and had the horses lined up in the right order for their individual examinations. In an orange box in the shed we had already collected and labelled poo samples ready for their worm counts back at the surgery, and I'd even remembered the spare paint for Honour's plinth for Amy to take back. So far so good.
 |
| Credit: Russell Sach |
The main purpose of the visit was to follow-up on Petra's recent introspectiveness and rotundness by getting her tested for Cushing's Disease and any other metabolic problem. Since my Jack (cresty neck, peachy bottom but protruding ribs) and Théoden are of a similar age they were due to be tested too. In the meantime Bella was being checked to see why she might not be gaining weight on exactly the same grass.
 |
| Credit: Russell Sach |
When the other Jack started to chew on Amy's Landrover I chose to put him in another field, still next to the other horses, but this didn't find favour with him. He proceeded to break through two fences, which coupled with the howling wind, wound up all the other horses waiting their turn to see the vet. Chaos ensued and it was rather distracting when holding one horse while it was having its heart-rate monitored (inevitably racing!) while the other horses tore around the field wrecking the grass.
 |
| Credit: Tracey Parnell |
Still, Amy is always game for a laugh, and we ended the day with her retrieving the roundworms that Juma had expelled following his first wormer out of the poo-pile.
 |
| Credit: Tracey Parnell |
Sometimes I wonder why I like horses at all.
