Thursday, March 31, 2016

Daphne's tough week

Here is my beautiful Daphne last fall, in a picture taken by my friend Christina.


On the 19th, Daphne lost her twins and had to have a C-section. She seemed to be healing up reasonably well from that, but on Tuesday evening, I called in the emergency vet. She wasn't eating and didn't want to get up, and was clearly in pain.

Turns out she was bleeding internally! The vet now thinks it was some kind of burst/broken blood vessel, a post-surgical issue. He gave her a shot of vitamin K for clotting, plus B12 and red cells. Her gums and inner eyelids were white. :( She has been dewormed yet again.

Neither of us were too sure she would make it through Tuesday night, but she did. He came back yesterday to give her more shots, and thought her gums looked a bit pinker.

Her appetite was a bit better yesterday and today, although I thought she was weak tonight. Her stitches are supposed to come out shortly so I am going to get the vet back tomorrow to do that and check her over again. I took her outside for a bit and just sat with her under the roofed part of our  outdoor bird run while she munched hay. I think she was glad to lean against me as she ate. I'm relieved that she is interested in food, although I would like to see her eating more. Still she has been going at it steadily all day today, downing an apple and a carrot along with her hay and grain. She even ate part of a horse cookie!

I took her some pine and spruce boughs this afternoon and she was happily munching away on them.
I don't think she is out of the woods yet but I am hopeful. She has been wearing the dog coat my friend Jackie gave me, and it keeps her warm and comfy in her box stall. It is hard for her being separated from the herd, even when they are in the next stall or within earshot, but I don't want to put her back with everybody until I am sure they won't further injure her by butting her or poking at her. 



  Please think good thoughts for Daphne. We love her and want her to get better! We've been through a lot with her the past two weeks (I believe I am up to 5 or 6 vet visits!) and I don't want to lose her now. As I type this, I have the barn cam on and am pleased to see that she is chowing down on hay.

Speaking of goats, meet Lance!



Lance belongs to my friend Jackie. When we went for our riding lessons yesterday, he was there, waiting to see the vet who was there gelding horses.

I found something out yesterday...



My horse Roo (you know, the one who I won all the ribbons with last Saturday?) is terrified of GOATS. Yes, goats. Yes, we now have 13 goats. Yes, Roo is supposed to come home to the farm this summer. The farm with 13 goats. God only knows what he thinks of pigs!


So I had a veeeeeery interesting riding lesson yesterday! Roo was so freaked out that my instructor got on him first and worked with him to calm him down enough not to bolt the minute I got on.


He was huffing and puffing and showing the white of his eyes, flaring his nostrils and sweating like a hog! This, the horse who has done a bazillion peaceful trail rides. The unflappable Roo.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA. All it took was a goat.

My teacher eventually made Roo go right up to Lance, who was not at all fazed by the horse. Roo, however, was freaked. It was a great riding lesson for me, if terrifying, because I got to practice my various safety skills, and desensitizing him to the goat. But even after Lance finally left the ring, Roo was still on high alert.

But hey, I didn't get thrown off or anything close to that, I did my spook circles, and by the end of the lesson, Gordon and I were practicing pairs riding with Sandy and Roo.  

I have to tell ya, when I saw Roo going batsh*t crazy over the goat, I did not want to get on him. But I trust my instructor Linda and I know she would never put me in a situation she didn't think I could handle. So I got up there and rode it out! Didn't even lose bladder control! :D

Horses... just when you think maybe you're making some progress in your riding, BOOM! Along comes a goat. Well, really I do feel like I made a ton of progress yesterday, just by sticking with it even though my horse was jumpy and I was scared. 

And back at home...


...little Pierre was being a stealth goat between his mama Bambi and a big rock!


27 comments:

  1. You have enough going on to keep you busy 24 hours a day. I hope your goat recovers quickly.

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    1. THings are better now that i have some great helpers!!

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  2. Someone should tell Pierre to tone down the blaze on his noggin if he plans on a career in espionage.
    I do hope Roo can be convinced that goats are not out to get him.
    Good thoughts to Daphne.

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  3. poor Daphne - hope she heals up soon. and poor Roo - terrorized by a goat :)

    that last picture is adorable

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    1. And a really sweet, calm goat too. Amazing what gets horses going!

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  4. Sending lots of good thought to Daphne. she is the prettiest goat I've ever seen.

    and, hey, at least you found out about the Roo/goat business before you got him home, and you can work on it with your trainer.

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    1. My goatkeeper friend says it's always the pretty ones that have the problems! SIgh... relieved she's improving at last!

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  5. Anonymous11:04 am

    Many prayers for Daphne - She is a beautiful girl. The expression on Roo's face (first picture of him seeing Lance) was priceless. Keep up the stellar work (medicinal and otherwise).

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    1. Thank you very much. Daphne is doing a lot better so the prayers and good thoughts are working!

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  6. I just love your goats and your riding adventures. Special thoughts for Daphne!

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  7. Awww, poor Daphne. Hope she pulls through.

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    1. She has turned the corner, I think!

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  8. Thinking healing thoughts for Daphne. She's has such lovely colors.

    It's funny what will spook an animal. I do think you're going to have your work cut out with Roo, though.

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    1. I still have so much to learn about horses! But I'm getting there.

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  9. Goodness you have so much going on! Sending lots of good thoughts for Daphne.

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  10. Good for you sticking to your guns with Roo and the goat if he feels and knows your not scared then that will help him less for him to have to worry about . I do hope your Daphne gets better fingers crossed for her . Lovely photos ,thanks for sharing Have a good weekend !

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    1. It was scary but I learned a lot. I always learn the most in the scariest lessons. :) Daphne is doing much better now, thank you.

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  11. Prayers for Daphne, the poor little girl has been through hell. Lots of loving and companionship to help her feel confident and secure. Just like humans who recover better when they feel secure in their healing enviornment.

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    1. THank you Kari! She has improved a lot this week. Also, we seem to have bonded through this ordeal. She's not as scared of me as she used to be. Amazing that I held her uterus in my hands...

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  12. sending POTP to Daphne the poor sweetheart. Praying she is better with each day. Wonder if she is grieving the loss of her little ones? (((hugs))) catchatwithcarenandcody

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    1. I think she is. The other day, someone tried to tell me animals don't have emotions.. bullsh*t!!

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  13. I'm surprised that Roo is terrified of the goat. They usually put a goat in with race horses to help calm them. But I guess since she's not a race horse, she doesn't know any better. Thinking good thoughts for Daphne hope she keeps doing much better in the coming days.

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    1. Roo will be sharing pasture with goats for awhile once he moves home from the stable he's boarding at. THat should cure him, LOL. But how he feels about pigs could be another matter!

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  14. Purrs to Daphne. I loved seeing Emerson bonking the goats. When do you get any sleep??!!

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Thank you for all your comments, which I love to read!