Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Frustration!

The wee boy had been feeling a little too well; hardly surprising as he was getting identical dinners to Willie who is in FULL work, and can tend to be a duller type of TB. So decided that as he had put on a lot of weight (cover belly straps had to be let out six inches) and it was more a case of muscling up now, that I would put him on a somewhat more boring diet.

I have also discovered that he tends to be a little cold backed if he has had a day off. He is far too polite to buck, but is just a little tight behind the saddle and odd behind for a few moments.

So, decided I would try him on meadow chaff. Having never used the stuff before, I was surprised to find when I opened the bag it smelled very strongly of penny royal (?). It was also very dusty and resembled dry lawn clippings (looks JUST like and smells like them too once soaked).

The result of which is that I now have a horse that is sneezing, snorting, wheezing and carrying on so much that he is virtually unrideable....also doing the whole throwing head up, out and around. Can't be absolutely sure that the meadow chaff is to blame, or if something so simple could have such an extreme reaction: he could I guess just as easily be allergic to some kind of pollen or other, but at this stage a temporal connection is enough for me.

Have now taken him off the 'lawn clippings' and it will be interesting to see if there is any improvement, although one day off them has not made the blindest bit of difference.

I will give it a few days, and if no improvement (or worsening) will look into hayfever / allergy treatments??

So am feeling very frustrated at the moment, and crossing fingers, toes, and everything inbetween that his snorting sneezing and wheezing will abate rapidly!

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