A Difficult Week

Dixie went lame on Monday, the vet prescribed stall rest and wraps and soaking and compounds.

That was problem enough in itself, she didn't want to put her foot in warm water for extended periods. She repeatedly kicked the bucket over causing more warm water to have to be fetched from the house. She dozed off while leaning on the shoulder of her bandager. She kicked at the wrong moment causing the bandage to have to be started from scratch.

The problems went beyond the one horse. She wouldn't be quiet and calm without the close contact of Austin and Kobe and that meant they had to stay in the barn. That in turn meant that the door the chickens usually use to come and go had to be closed, otherwise Austin and Kobe would have access to the tack/feed room.

It hasn't gone well so far. One evening I went to close up the chickens but they, not being very bright, had forgotten how they came out in the morning and were waiting near the usual door. I opened it and began launching chickens at it. Inevitably Kobe was quicker than the chickens and got into the tack room. There he kept trying to bang open the lid of the freezer containing grain.
Dixie couldn't see him and began screeching as if being murdered. Austin then started running in circles with chickens fluttering all around him. I tied Austin and let Kobe out into the field. Dixie kept squealing and snorting while I scooped up each chicken and carried it home. I couldn't catch the bantam one despite flinging myself this way and that amid the equines and their deposits. I left her and she survived.

Once the chickens were filed I closed the door and went to fetch Kobe. He walked back to the barn well enough but then stopped. I know I can't pull him so I put my shoulder under his head and pushed him backwards in a circle and up to the gate. I then tied him on a long rope and, each time he breathed I winched him along a bit. Eventually he was in, the chickens were in, Dixie was calm and it was time to go to bed.

Last night it went better. Tying the horses before starting on the chickens is key. Still, it's all a production, Dixie's speedy recovery would be most welcome.