Large Animals

The whole large animal thing is just not for everyone. This week has been one of those "would rather not have them times." I very rarely feel that way.

Tuesday Jack was putting the cows across the road and they decided to wander. I was working at my computer and saw him running around trying to get them back in. So, I grabbed my crocs and went to help. Three quarters of an hour later, soaked to my thighs we got those babies in. Grrrr!!

Thursday night I came home late, which is now the norm in our house. It was about 8:00 I would guess and dark already. I went out to feed the horses and wolf called them up and got nothing. I whistled and whistled but could feel the heaviness in the air and knew the sound wasn't carrying.

I debated what to do because I really wanted to go in for supper, but I had 5 pails of grain and no horses. I decided to go and find them in case they had got out. I walked to the very far end of the property and was starting to panic that they were gone when I finally got their attention. I could almost read their minds as they each came up to smell and greet me. They were confused what I was doing in their field at that time of night. Knowing they were safe put my mind at ease and I turned to head back to the house. They decided to follow me, Classy the leader right on my heels. As we got into the swamp they turned and ran, snorting and stomping spooked by something. When they settled they were on my heels again, but this time Dixie would stop at each clump of grass and snort. I guess they weren't used to all the mud, we have gotten quite a bit of rain this last week.

When we finally got up to the sheds I started passing out the grain and somehow in the darkness little Emmett got in with Dixie. I knew this was a recipe for disaster, but before I could prevent her from charging Emmett she was after him. He has gotten pretty good at evading her so he was fine. I on the other hand got a blow to the head as Gunner turned and fled out of his portion of the shed. I'm not sure what part of his head got mine, but I think it involved his teeth as I have a pretty good sore spot that isn't going away very fast.


Yesterday (Saturday) it rained most of the day, but it was time to sort cattle, so sort cattle we did. Calves needed to be weaned, cows given shots or blood drawn etc etc. It was at least a four hour ordeal, and my hips ached afterwards like I had been on a long walk. I was soaked to the bone and NOT in a good mood.

After recuperating, I went out to pick tomatoes for salsa and heard pawing from one of the horse sheds. Pawing is not a good sound to be coming from a shed. Especially mid day when I could see all the horses but Dixie out on the pond bank grazing. As I peeked around the shed wall, up came Classy in a show of support. Dixie was hanging her head low obviously upset.

I knew immediately what the problem was. I had administered Quest Plus that very morning as it was on my fall schedule of de-wormers and it can lead to upset stomachs. A call and forty minutes later she had a tube down her and was receiving mineral oil to help work things through her system. Of course it couldn't be done without the use of a twitch. Thankfully she is back grazing as normal today, although she still didn't eat much grain this morning. It might have to do with the sand-clear I added to her grain. But, who knows? Trust me I will keep an eye on her actions as the next few days progress.

Classy? Why that little mare must have had an upset stomach also. While not to the extreme of Dixie's, she did paw slightly and hung on top of me the entire time I was trying to take care of Dixie. I had the vet check her and everything sounded normal, but she let me know in her own way she wasn't quite feeling the best.

I must also note that a donkey's upset braying is much louder inside a shed while a vet is twitching a horse, than it is in the dark when he sees someone in the yard.

So, although I love them to death, these large animals are wearing me out. I am hoping the next few weeks are less eventful as September continues to be a very busy month for us with Tennis and Volleyball and someone trying for her drivers licence and turning 16! I'll just enjoy my small animals more, they are less dramatic. Except when they get locked in the new garage (we have doors!) or come home with a swollen eye!