And Then There’s Days Like This

The day after my last ride, I headed out to ride in Cuyamaca. I didn't get far. While still on the dirt road, I encountered another vehicle on a very narrow part of the road. The driver initially stopped her car in a good location, so I proceeded to get by her. Unfortunately, it evidently occurred to her I wouldn't be able to get by. She was wrong, but this didn't stop her. She started to back up, turning the front end of her truck right into my path! I was forced to pull further to the right. The result was, I hooked the front trailer tire on a rock or something, bending the rim beyond repair and ruining the tire. That was the end of that. I turned around and limped the trailer home.

It was the beginning of a rather busy week that did not include riding.

Having learned to make a new type of shoe, the fishtail bar shoe, I needed to get a pair made up for a client's horse. I spent most of Monday afternoon doing that, after having gone to physical therapy and run errands. I got the fishtails done, and a pair of regular bars for the front feet of the same horse started. Worked Tuesday, finished the bar shoes in the evening.

Wednesday was yet another work day, longer than usual due to the complications that came with the fishtail bar shoes/bar shoes horse and one getting another labor-intensive service. Got home with just enough time to go over the books real quick, feed the animals, and head out for choir rehearsal.

Thursday I had yet another physical therapy appointment, then went out to trim a few horses before going to see my surgeon in the afternoon. Surgeon sprung me from any further physical therapy, and said I should expect a return to full strength by September. I will take a moment from this otherwise fast-moving post to say YAAAAAY! Hallejuia! About time. Unfortunately, the surgeon was late, and I didn't make it home in time to do the planned dump run with my kids. We decided to do it in the morning, and I'd ride in the afternoon.

On Friday morning, the kids and I got the dump run done. On our way out, I received a call from my client whose horse I'd put the fishtail bar shoes on. Her horse had pulled one off. Not entirely unexpected, but not exactly great timing. I know there'll be a learning curve on these shoes, but this horse is smart. In fact, I talked to the owner just recently, and she noted he's learned to get up without stepping on them. Anyway, the result was, I needed to head up to put that shoe back on. I found it easily enough – the corral cleaning crew and found it and placed it right where I'd see it – and used the grinder to improve the odds that it'd stay on before I tacked it back on. This was when I discovered I didn't have my trimming tools, my chaps, my hoof jack, or my hoof stand! I'd put them in the Jeep for the previous day's trims, since parking at the surgeon's office is frequently nearly impossible with my truck. I failed to transfer them back before heading out to put the shoe back on! So I wound up nailing the shoe on and finishing without a hoof stand. This horse is elderly and can be rather heavy, so it was not easy, but I got it done.

Finally done with everything else, I hooked the truck up to the trailer – now equipped with two brand new tires – loaded Hoss and the dogs, and we were on our way for a nice, late afternoon ride. We went to Hollenbeck again. I got Hoss tacked up while the dogs ran around like maniacs. A week without exercise beyond the morning walks does that to them. Ash could not keep himself from barking while I mounted up.

We headed out on the trail. Mac was leaping through the grasses, intent on some small critter. Ash and Jazz were ahead, following the trail. Then Mac came back out of the grass, head tilted, in obvious discomfort. This has happened before. There was no question. He'd gotten a foxtail in his ear. He laid down in the trail and looked utterly miserable. With a sigh, I turned Hoss around and we headed back to the trailer. We hadn't gotten half a mile down the trail.

I called the vet on my way back to the trailer to let them know I was coming in with the dog. There wasn't enough gas in the truck to head home, drop off the horse and the other dogs, and make it back down to a gas station. Interesting thing about having the Jeep back, I don't get my truck near gas stations nearly so often as I used to. The result is, I end up with perilously low amounts of fuel before I'm forced to go out of my way to fill the tank. I had to take Hoss and the other dogs with me to the vet's office.

Mac was very unhappy and uncomfortable. I took him in, and he just laid on the floor in misery. The vet came in, examined him, and found foxtails in both ears. They were pretty deep. She tried to get them without sedating him, but it was just too painful for him. She sedated him, and pulled out the foxtails. Both eardrums were punctured. She cleaned his ears, then gave a reversal drug to get him out of sedation.

We sat there watching him and talking, waiting for him to come around. It had been quite some time when she clearly started to feel a little nervous. She checked his pulse, then said she wanted to get her stethoscope. Obviously she felt he should have been awake by that time. She opened the exam room door, and Mac's eyes popped open. He looked all around without moving, checking where I was and where the vet was. The vet laughed, and walked away to get her stethoscope. As soon as she'd closed the door to the back of the hospital, Mac rolled to his feet and wobbled out the exam room door! Talk about your sandbaggers!

Mac walked out to the truck under his own power, and slept all the way home in the front seat.

I didn't ride Saturday, with the dog with painful ears. I spent much of the day cleaning the house and doing laundry. Sunday, it rained, but Sundays are usually bad for riding anyway, due to my church obligations.

After all my lovely little mishaps, I finally did get to ride, but that's for another blog entry.