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Post by schwung on Sept 14, 2008 18:49:55 GMT -5
Poor Scotti was sounding bad again yesterday, and thankfully Hannah happened to be out and checked in on him. He is back on the antibiotics for another week. He seems like he feels ok, but his breathing sounds like Darth Vader. If he doesn't improve after another round of antibiotics he will need to be scoped.
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shekaberry
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Post by shekaberry on Sept 14, 2008 22:34:38 GMT -5
Scotti taking a nap in the afternoon sun, until Auntie Allison shows up to take his picture:
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shekaberry
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Post by shekaberry on Sept 18, 2008 10:41:04 GMT -5
How is he doing with this new round of antibiotics?? Is he still sounding like Darth Vader?
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Post by schwung on Sept 18, 2008 11:51:36 GMT -5
He is sounding a lot better but NOT being a good boy for them. He's making me chase him for 15 minutes before he will allow himself to be caught, and getting it down his throat isn't fun either.
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Post by schwung on Oct 13, 2008 14:16:43 GMT -5
Scotti is just fine from his choke incident a while back, and yesterday was the big day - he was weaned. We weaned him and the Arab filly we have from Sno County (Ariel) at the same time and also brought Kayo, Julie's colt, here as well, so they could all be weaning buddies together.
I really thought Scotti would be the easiest because he is so confident and Hope really doesn't have much interest in him, but we put all three babies in the paddock with the 12x24 shelter and he flipped out as soon as Hope was on the other side of the fence from him and went through the hot tape. We fixed it, put him back, and he went through it again, breaking it in several places the second time. We finally had to put him in a stall after Julie loaded hope and Kayo's dam up (Hope was completely calm, never called once to Scotti, Cricket on the other hand was trying to tear apart the trailer). He was pretty frantic for about a half hour but then he settled. Kayo was really very laid back and only called a couple of times, and Ariel had the easiest separation since her dam was just in the adjacent paddock and she could still touch noses with her. Within an hour it was all calm and Scotti was back with the two other babies.
It was interesting because immediately the babies started establishing dominance. My two had been together for months and knew each other but without their dams suddenly they were being nasty to each other and both vying for top position (and both chasing poor Kayo around). They worked it out though and soon all was quiet, until dark fell. Then Scotti saw the cow in my neighbors pasture and was convinced that she was his mother and started calling at her, that went on for about a half hour. At this point it was getting dark and I was bringing in the rest of the horses. All of a sudden, Kayo, who had been so quiet, went crazy and ran through the fence. I caught him, fixed the fence, put him back in and fed them, and he settled down, but this morning he was out and had actually broken through a couple fences and was in one of the far pastures with Benny, whom he had taken with him through one of the fences. The rest of the horses had stayed put though even with part of their fence down. Hot tape is great because it is safe, but it sucks because it breaks easy! Anyway, I repaired the fences, put him back in with the other two and all is calm again. Hopefully it will stay that way. They'll get some turnout today at least in the arena and that will hopefully let them burn off some steam!
Next up: gelding surgery for Scotti and Kayo. We will probably wait a few weeks to a month before we hit them with that.
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Post by ecaitlynn on Oct 13, 2008 15:43:33 GMT -5
Awwww! Weaning sounds like such a tough time for baby horses! Hope they continue to do well.
Beth Thompson
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Post by schwung on Oct 13, 2008 15:50:32 GMT -5
Well when I went out to check on them a little while ago Kayo was out again and had gone under the hot tape and was in Little Miss's paddock. She can be kind of not so nice to other horses so I was really surprised to see her totally calm just letting him hang out with her. If this doesn't work out with the two other babies she may end up being his new babysitter.
But for now the three of them are in the pasture area eating grass outside their paddock and are behaving themselves, although both Kayo and Scotti have contemplated breaking out a couple of times. They have horses all around them, so I am not sure why they think the grass is greener on the other side!
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Post by coconut on Oct 13, 2008 17:20:03 GMT -5
I got to witness some of the fun yesterday and kind of 'babysat' Biscotti while he was cooling off after his little fit and fence destruction...I might add that he has some amazing jumping skills!! He nearly got his head as high as the side walls of stall he was in trying to see if anyone (probably MOM) was in the next stall. He kept calling and calling and NO ONE called back. I'm sure he thought he was the last horse on earth there for a little while. But he got through it and seemed a whole lot calmer when he got to rejoin his fellow weanlings.
I know they all have to go through it but it does pull at your heartstrings just a bit!
Perhaps he has a talent for jumping?!?!
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horsecrazy
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Post by horsecrazy on Oct 13, 2008 18:08:00 GMT -5
Does it make more sense to have the babies hang with an adult "babysitter"? I thought they would be happy together but maybe they want to be with an adult. I have heard of people putting babies in with a "maiden aunt" during the weaning process....maybe even an "uncle"
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Post by cat67 on Oct 13, 2008 22:35:53 GMT -5
Does it make more sense to have the babies hang with an adult "babysitter"? I thought they would be happy together but maybe they want to be with an adult. I have heard of people putting babies in with a "maiden aunt" during the weaning process....maybe even an "uncle" We weaned mine and put him in with two 30+ year old geldings and they did a GREAT job of raising him. He never acted sad or lonely, either, and is very well-adjusted!
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Post by lbanimals on Oct 13, 2008 22:48:33 GMT -5
I think it depends on the horse you put them in with! My mare was used as a babysitter for a little TWH being weaned.....for about 5 minutes.....she did not appreciate that job, thank you very much. And made it very clear to the poor thing.....Whoops..... Sometimes I think an adult horse gives them the security of a big horse, even though its not quite "mom". Of course, I really have no idea
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Post by schwung on Oct 13, 2008 23:05:48 GMT -5
As soon as we have a dry day I'll try them out with one or two mares on pasture. As long as it is raining though I don't have a single paddock/shelter big enough to hold the babies and a mare. They do have Amber (Ariel's dam) on one side of them, and Jasmine on the other side of that.
Kayo had another breakout tonight, but when I went out to feed he was trying to figure out how to break back in to the paddock with the other two and get back into the shelter as it was raining pretty hard. I am hoping he's getting tired of this game.
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Post by Whitewolf821 on Oct 13, 2008 23:51:57 GMT -5
Hopefully the babies figure out life will go on and quit giving you a hard time!
This does bring up one question. If Hope went to Julie's, does this mean we're going to be seeing pictures of Hope under saddle soon??
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Post by schwung on Oct 14, 2008 0:50:35 GMT -5
I think Julie's limit will be three horses - so officially Hope will get just some groundwork while Julie focuses still on Annie, Whiskey and Willow. But she'll be next in line when one of those three go to their new homes!
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lisam
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Post by lisam on Oct 14, 2008 10:16:15 GMT -5
Just a word of caution about the hot tape--I had a baby go through one once and get tangled. He was trapped for quite awhile before I noticed, and he went into shock and colicked. Fortunately he was fine after a vet visit.
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