An update on Copper and Sophie

I feel like Copper and my dog Sophie don’t get much attention on this blog. The cats and big horses tend to hog the spotlight. 

Copper is doing great and continues to be such a good boy. He is the barn favorite and everyone that visits falls in love with him. He has the temperament of a Labrador retriever, which certainly helps!

A friend who is nervous of big horses loves Copper

He has an old shoulder injury that has slowly affected the rest of his body over the years.  He is pasture sound only but that doesn't slow really him down at all.  That being said, I have my vet and chiro check him regularly and no one really has any tips to improve his lameness.  They have assessed that he isn't in much pain, but his injuries have forced his body to just not work properly, if that makes any sense. He has been on previcox as well with no real improvement. 

This winter I met a new equine body worker that really helped Fred, so I thought I’d have her out to check Copper.  She did a complete check and was able to help him unlock some stiffness. I’m not sure what kind of magic she worked, but he was walking better after a 30 minute treatment. He had a lot of stiffness in his SI joint and his spine. He will need more treatments and some exercises to build up strength, but I feel confident that this therapy can help him move more comfortably over time!

Copper - chief cookie tester. These homemade gingerbread cookies passed his inspection.  :-)

And on to Sophie... this poor dog is only six and she has a host of medical issues. It is a bit of a heartbreaker situation for sure. She has seizures and is on two different meds to keep that at bay. The meds work so that is good. They do affect her energy level and to top that off, she has also been limping on her front leg for about a year. I’ve had her to the vet, the chiro and a dog physio. None have been able to pinpoint the issue. 

A chicken collar and tootsie roll toy: one of the many perks of having a friend that owns a pet store!

On a whim, I asked the equine body worker if she happened to work on dogs as well. She said that she did, so I added Sophie to the list for treatment. 

Sad face expert

She found some soreness in her hind end and treated it with massage and then cold laser. I’m never sure if some of these therapies work or not, but within 24 hrs, Sophie’s limp was almost gone. Now, this treatment will need to be repeated to help with the pain and I may need to do a xray or something to help identify what might be causing the pain.  An old injury? Hip displaysia?  Hard to say...

It is now 72hrs later and Sophie is still not limping and has more energy than I’ve seen in a few months. I’m hopeful that this type of therapy helps her longer term and I can get my dog back to a more normal state!  

Needless to say, whatever treatments this lady is using have been making visible differences in the horses and the dog, so I'll keep going down this road for now.  

Vet and chiro visits

I normally try to do my routine horse maintenance - vaccinations, coggins (if needed) and dentals in late March, so I'm ready for the upcoming year of shows, riding or whatever might be going on.

This year, covid changed that a bit, which worked out ok in the end.  I had the vet out in April for Copper and Fred's vaccines and check up, but she wasn't doing dental work at that time.

Waiting for the vet

When Ivy came here last month, she needed some TLC. She hadn't had her feet done professionally in a while and hadn't seen the vet for anything maintenance related in quite some time.  No vaccines/dental work is pretty common in broodmares, as there is a small window during a pregnancy where it is thought to be safe to sedate.  Some people won't sedate a broodmare at all, but my vet said it is possible at certain times mid-pregnancy to do it safely.  All that being said, Ivy was long overdue for a dental check and her vaccines. 

Teefs done? Check.

All three horses were booked in for dentals last week, so it is great to have that done and all set until next year.  In the end, splitting up the bill helped my finances a bit as well.  Fred and Ivy were good patients and both had some dental issues that needed to be addressed. 

The mare still manages side-eye while sedated.  lol

Copper also needs routine dental and I feel like I've been pretty lucky with the vets that I deal with - all are more than willing to sit on the floor and do Copper's teeth.   With Ivy's arrival, Copper got booted from his stall.  I tied him up in the aisle and he waited patiently for his turn with the vet.

Waiting. And waiting

Minis have such small mouths and often have major dental issues.  Copper's teeth aren't bad overall, but he has two teeth way in the back that are rotated inwards and can get sharp.  I ended up hanging in the barn answering some work emails as the horses came out of sedation.  Copper was super cute (as usual) and wanted to rest his head in my lap while the meds wore off. 

I feel woozy and need snuggles. Copper, probably.

Fred got to see the chiro as well last week. We all love this chiro - she is super friendly and super knowledgeable.  I haven't been working Fred much lately, as it has been disgustingly hot and well, with no shows, he can just hang out and be a horse...  I had been noticing though, that he was stepping a bit short on his front left, so after the farrier confirmed his hoof was fine, I thought I'd try the chiro before the vet was due to come out. 

Hitting some good spots?

She didn't feel there were any soft tissue injuries, but since he has been growing non-stop, his muscles, especially in the shoulders were extremely tight.  She gave me a few rehab/massage exercises and I do those a few time a week to help relieve the muscle tension.  Luckily Fred loves any and all attention, so he is good for his stretches and massage.  :-)

Happy Fred

She didn't think Fred needed to be seen regularly, as long as I was able to keep up the exercises and see some improvement (I have!).  She also thinks he will maybe start filling out width wise instead of up now, so that would be nice!  I'm still hoping to show him one more year (come on 2021!) so more bulk would be great and the upward growth can stop!  I haven't sticked him lately, but he was close to 16.3hh last time! 

Winter stormy days

We had a big storm this past Thursday - I think most of the eastern seaboard was hit in some way or another.  This storm hit extra hard since it had been so warm the days prior and the snow was melting!  Oh well...that is life in this part of the world.  We got about 8-9 inches of snow, which is nothing like some places get, so I can't complain.

I was able to work from home Thursday, which is rare, so I was very happy I didn't have to drive in that weather. I had also been meaning to take a Friday off to use up some leave, so I did that this past week, as the roads were nasty and I thought I'd save myself the hassle.  I love it when I'm home during the day and I can glance out and check on the horses. They were playing and running around at one point and I only managed to get two shots before my camera battery died.  D'oh!

I'm fairly lucky here with the horses in a big storm.  I have lots of hay at hand and the power rarely goes out, so I don't have to worry about water too much either.

zoom zoom!

I went outside with my cell phone hoping to get some video, as the horses were having fun ripping around.  Fred did not disappoint...lolol

I do tend to watch Copper in bad weather as he is not wearing a blanket this year.  He is fine in cold and dry snow, but when the weather is drastically changing, I don't want him getting wet, then super cold.

As the day wore on Thursday, the temps dropped from around 0C (32F) to -20C (-10F) and the wet snow changed to a drier snow.  Since I was home, I had the luxury of bringing the horses in for a few hours so Copper could dry off before the cold temps hit.

He does NOT like being in a stall for long, so I usually have to lure him in with grain.  Yes, I could get his halter/lead line, but that seems like a lot of work!  lol

I left them in to dry off for a few hours before chucking them back out in the elements.  When I first had horses at home again, I was hesitant to put them out in bad weather.  After seeing Spencer stand in freezing rain and snow over the years, I realize they tolerate a lot more than we think.

They have shelter and lots of hay, so most of the time they are fine!  Although Fred is going through blankets like crazy - he has now wrecked three!  OMG horse.  Luckily they were all cheaper or ones that I bought used, so I'll have a big pile to see if I can get them repaired or maybe I'll just chuck them.  I'll be saving up for a nicer set for him for next year - so far I'm looking at Schneiders, Dover or SmartPak with their warranties. 

Treat yo'self - mega edition

I've been trying to keep my horse "stuff" shopping to a minimum lately.   I was able to get away with it over the past year as I wasn't riding or showing much and all the horses had what they needed.

Until Fred grew. And grew. And continues to grow. And stuff gets old and needs to be replaced. And then before you know it, I'm on a full out shopping spree. I even ordered a couple of things from the UK - or at least tried to - one site with a lot of cool stuff didn't ship to North America! (the nerve!)

Started filling this out before I realized they don't ship to NA - they actually have Lord and Lady to choose from! LOL

Fred really needed new blankets this winter - his butt was hanging out of his size 81s from last winter. And he didn't have a rain sheet, so he now has a nice new wardrobe of green and matching blankets! I bought an old green/blue plaid stable sheet from a friend for $20, so I saved some cash there.

winter pjs

I also couldn't find what I was looking for here - green blankets for a reasonable price - so I broadened my search to the US.  Shipping to Canada is super expensive for some reason (it's not like I'm that far away) so my friend and I planned a trip over to NY state to pick up our items at a UPS store that holds items for desperate Canadian shoppers.  (yes, this exists!)  I also ordered myself a new pair of winter gloves, a winter coat and a new stretchy hose from Schneiders.  I'm only about 1hr from the border, so this is a fun option, as we make sure to hit up the TSC and a grocery store for my vanilla coke fix.

so cute.  And there is a heavyweight t/o in green too!

Copper didn't go neglected, don't worry. I got him a nice new rain sheet to hopefully keep his thick coat dry so he doesn't get rain rot again.  The thick coat he gets is a good and a bad thing, it seems.

I'll probably  cave and get him the matching purple winter t/o 'cause I'm a sucker!

I also got a few sweet things from going through all of the used tack at the therapeutic riding centre.  Maybe volunteering to help them re-sell old tack wasn't so smart, since I've been buying most of it!!!  I found Fred a 5.5" bit to tide him over until his 6" ones arrive from the UK.  He wasn't doing great with the copper rollers - too much for him to play with - so I'll try the full cheek snaffle.

Ahem - need to clean this tack at some point...

I also snagged a BoT dressage pad, a rambo newmarket fleece, old woof wear tendon boots, eskadron wraps, two wool coolers (I like to have spare coolers in case a horse is sweaty/colicky/cold) and a few other odds and ends.

Not green and a tad small, but for $20, good to have around.

So, after my little mega shopping spree, the boys should be good to get through the winter.  And while I bought a few things I needed, I still have a long-term wish list that seems to keep growing...but I'll try to hold off until the new year to shop!

BoT pads, coolers and not shown: all kinds of other stuff.  Omg my barn needs to be cleaned out big time!

Oh and since I started this post, I have ordered more from the UK (omg this is a dangerous trend) and I got a new cat!!!  Meet Archie - he is 4-8 months old and is from my friend who volunteers for a rescue and had a bunch of kittens.  Yes, I already have 2 cats, but I could not pass this guy up.  He is very sweet and affectionate and fitting in well around here.    Be prepared for lots of cat pictures moving forward, as we are heading into winter, so reading books with cats on my lap is my main goal  ;-)


Edited to add:  And I have two more big purchases to announce later this week.  OMG  Money floweth like water around here!  LOL

The tongue out kills me...lol





Archie and his ear floofs

Weight gain and weight loss (of the equine variety)

Or, alternatively titled, "Oh lawd, he comin'"

Well, that is more for Copper, not for Fred.  I'm sure you guys are familiar with the "chonk chart"?  Someone needs to make a horse version!

from imgur

Now that my ankle is feeling (mostly) better and most of the horse shows and little trips are over for the summer, I need to get going on working with the horses.

A fine boi?

Copper has been living large the past few weeks and has gained a fair bit of weight, which is pretty easy for minis and ponies.  I had him in a grazing muzzle in the spring and then took it off when they devoured the grass and the pickings were slim.  I also had round bales out for a few weeks in July and I don't think he can eat hay with the muzzle on.  So, even with limited grass, he has blown back up and that isn't great for his joints or his wonky shoulder (old injury).

HEFTY CHONK?  

This is my good side...Copper, probably

Fred, on the other hand is still growing and is like a teenager with his lanky legs and endless appetite!  He has been getting grain and hay and a bit of grass, but he needs more.  I'm hoping to show him next year and for halter he needs to fill out more.  I need to start now and get more food into him.

Having my horses at home gives me a good chance to work on this. I've been pondering how to best get all the horses the food they need.  The other two QHs are easy keepers, so I don't want to overload them either.  I contemplated putting in some temporary fencing to separate them, but Fred has a tendency to charge through fencing and Copper is willing to take a little zap to escape to eat on the lawn.    I think my best option is to keep both of them in from when I get home from work and overnight.  They can then go out with the other two during the day.

Nom nom, Fred probably

Fred will be getting a small amount of grain, oats and oil in the morning and then more grain, oats and oil when I get home.  He'll then get a pile of 2nd cut alfalfa and likely a bedtime snack of grain and 1st cut hay overnight.  I haven't quite decided on the exact ratio, but he needs fibre and roughage as well as the protein/fat he gets from the grain.    Copper will be getting a whopping 1 flake of 1st cut to pick at while inside.  He doesn't seem to like to eat from a slow feed hay net, but I'm hoping to get him doing that so it lasts him longer. I have these cute trailer sized 1" hole nets that hold 1-2 flakes that I want to start using with him.

**edited to add:  Fred has been checked by the vet and had his teeth done, been dewormed, etc.  I think he is just growing right now still...

Both horses move around a fair bit in the pastures, but could benefit from some focused work.  I am feeling confident that my ankle is healed enough to longe and do groundwork, so Fred will be on a light program starting this week!  Copper would benefit from some walking over poles and stuff like that to strengthen his shoulder and develop some muscle.

Have you had a hard keeper that you put weight on?  Any tips?  What about a chonky boi that needed to slim down?

Thursday. So close to Friday.

Things are ramping up around here, but nothing exciting enough is happening to warrant a separate post, so here are some random goings-on!

My friend and her horse are back for the summer to board at my place.  She brought her trailer over last weekend so I could practice loading Fred.  He is star and jumped right on after a couple of minutes of sniffing and looking around.  I think he will be a good candidate to self-load!



Spencer on the left and Bailey. 

My tulips are flowering and they are so pretty.  I've been able to get a bit of work done on my gardens the past few days.  Not sure why this place has so many flowerbeds tho - why would you want all the extra work when you already have horses? Sheesh.  #notagardener #blackthumb

My horses have it pretty good here - I don't do much with them in the winter except feed and groom them.  My barn is set up where I can just let them into their stalls without haltering and leading them in.  They all know that routine, but in the spring, when we start working and changing things up a bit, I get some grumpiness and attitude - even from little Copper! 

The big guys are out on grass for about 8ish hours a day now, but Copper can't handle that much.  He would be so fat! I can't find his grazing muzzle, so until a new one arrives, I keep him in during the day and then at dinner time, I shut the gate to the pasture and they all go back out to the small paddock. 

Copper follows me to shut the gate, so I've been bringing a longe whip just in case.  He DOES NOT LIKE being told where to go, so man have I been getting some attitude.  It is hilarious, of course.  After day 3 of some manners, he now stands and glares at me while I close the gate. I had to get a picture, because it is so funny. 



This is f'ing bullshit!  Copper, probably.

I tried lunging Fred last night and it went as well as could be expected with a giant 4yr old with gangly legs who hasn't been worked since September.  hahaha  And it is hard to get pics while lunging - I'm not that coordinated yet!

I decided to try him with a rope halter since I didn't feel like farting around with the cavesson and surcingle.  Turns out his "whoa" didn't work well with the rope halter either.  Needless to say, we have some refresher work to do!  The mosquitos were vicious, so I'm going to need to work him with a fly mask or something so his brain doesn't melt out his ears BECAUSE ZOMG MOM THERE ARE BITEY BUGS ON ME!!!!!!


Bugs in my ears!!!!! 

I also started teaching him the basics of showmanship pivots.  Why, you ask?  Well, I think it would be fun to do something else with him.  I may try him in showmanship at the schooling shows this summer.  Assuming I can get my ankle healed enough to you know, like jog for a few steps? Sheesh.

We ended our session, just before the mosquitoes carried us away, by standing at the mounting block and me hanging over his back.  He really didn't care, as long as I was helping swat bugs.  No pictures of that since I didn't want to test my luck too much! 

I'm looking forward to doing some regular work on the longe with Fred - I really want to try long lining him and ground driving as well as get him working in tack! 

Goings on...body clipping, farrier

Since spring is sort of, kinda here, I've been working on getting stuff done around my place.  I have a lot of work left on gardens and fencing, but that will wait until next weekend.


We had a long weekend and I took an extra couple of days off on top of that, so I managed to get a few important things done.  The farrier was out for all 3 boys, I got some hay and grain and most importantly, little Copper was body clipped!


He has a super thick coat and it just doesn't shed out nicely. I'm going to have him tested for Cushings when the vet is out next.  In the meantime, he was getting really itchy and always rolling and rubbing.  Poor little guy!


It took 4 sessions and 3 sets of clippers and blades, but he is all done now!  He is so good and loves attention, so he just stands there while you clip him.  It took 4 sessions because the clippers kept overheating! 

Fred isn't sure he wants to be part of this clipping business...

By Sunday, I had set up a little clipper hospital in the tack room - to keep the blades clean and the clippers cooled down between rounds.  I'm going to collect all the blades and take them to be sharpened so I'm ready to clip again if needed! 

I was determined to take all 3 clippers apart and figure out how they work!

Then, it rained and was cold overnight on Sunday!  I woke up wide awake at 5am, worried about Copper being cold now that he was partially clipped and all skinny!  I was right - he was shivering and wet when I went to the barn.


I have a little purple cooler for him, but it turns out that it is way too small somehow.  So, he got to wear his big brother's cooler!  lol

mini burrito?

He didn't mind being wrapped up like a burrito for an hour or two - I gave him some hay and let him wander around the barn and he warmed up quickly.

Must. bite. that. little. butt.  Fred, probably.

Copper is tricky to take pictures of because he wants to be in your lap and have you scratch all his itchy spots.    And, once I got down to be able to see skin, I found some old rain rot spots. No wonder the poor guy was itchy!  I washed and treated the spots every day this weekend and will keep at it until it clears up.  Weird how he has never had rain rot and then this year he gets it...  Annoying!  

Do you like his dress?  A properly fitted cooler is now on my shopping list!

How was your weekend?  I think this weekend coming up is a long weekend in the US.

Monday - I got nuthin'

Man, Mondays are tough!  I'm still grounded by my physio, so very limited time doing anything but sitting around.  I did another round of "please let all of this winter hair shed out now omg" on each horse and then parked myself in a chair on the lawn while I hand-grazed Fred.  That was about the extent of horse-stuff!

I did catch Fred and Copper playing last week and got a few pics. I had to take the pictures from the house, because if I went outside they would immediately stop. 

These two play a lot  and it seems pretty fair. I'm always worried about the little guy getting hurt, but in reality, Fred is the one that gets picked on the most.  He has quite a few bite marks from this winter that are finally growing in new hair.

Sorry about the photo quality - I need a bigger zoom lens - put that on my shopping wish list!