Ticks, ticks and more ticks

Easter Sunday - no Trot Pole lesson so I get to sleep in. Nope! Wy has us up at 7:00. I play a bit on FB after the pups do their morning rituals. Little bored with dubbing so I putter a bit. I want to be at the barn to catch the 1pm trail ride. I thought P and J were going but M and her sister. Okay we can do this.

I rode with just the bareback pad. Way trusting Mare on this one.

We lead a lot of the way and step into the water. I forgot I need to keep the pups down stream. I hear M say, "Oh, NO!". The reason why was Pixie swimming like mad ended up passing underneath Josie. Josie and I were for the most part oblivious with our attention focused on the crossing. She had been smelling and playing in the water and took a step with her right hind and bumped Pix sending her further down stream. I am just glad the Pixinater has no fear of going under water. We finish the crossing. I was laughing and encouraging Pix to join us. I think she was just a bit more squirrely than usual after that crossing.

The gals I rode with did the short circuit and headed back. I got them to go around the pasture and arrived back at the arena barn. I felt the need to keep riding. We went back to the rig and then took off again. The pups were more settled on this ride. We trotted and walked to the crossing. I made sure the pups were in a better position for this crossing.

We walked and trotted along the trail. Everybody was enjoying their selves. We went the back way to the top of H's Helacious Hill. Viewing it downward, I decided we would cut back on our original trail and leave that for another day (and a saddle).

At the return crossing Pix got even with the Mare. As Josie, standing a few steps into the stream was sniffing the water and getting a drink, I catch Pix out of the corner of my eye, flying through the air, almost level with Josie's back as she dives and goes under. The effect on Josie was OMG! and then as Pix surfaced - Oh! It was you. I swear I saw a smirk on Pixie's face. That debt is paid in full.

Everything seemed fine as I washed and conditioned Josie's tail. While the conditioner set I washed up both the pups. Pulling ticks off here and there. Tonight they get their Frontline Plus. I walk Josie back to our barn, put the dogs in the rig and get her a little snack. I immediately became suspicious as she gentled took a few bites. Gosh darn it! Not colic . . . if so seems a very mild case.

She isn't sweating, not distressed but not herself. I finish separating her tail by hand and then release her. She heads under the barn's cover and lays down on her side, rolls just itching one side. This would not be uncommon since she had gotten wet twice and her tail washed. I watch to see what she does next. She lays there, now with her head up. Her buddies come over to see her and then one makes her get up. She is still not distressed. She wanders to the middle of the paddock and lays down again. She goes to her side and lays flat out. I feel a little panic butterfly but quickly squash it. She is fine. I was hearing slight gut sounds but not her normal rumbling when I checked these earlier. She comes out of the flat out position and just lays there resting. I keep an eye on her for about an hour. She starts to perk up and act herself. I think we are safe.

After a while J comes to feed. I tell her about Josie and we decide to give her just a mouthful of grain. I check her while she is in the tie stall. She had eaten all of it. Lord knows she won't starve and can just have hay. I watch her for a while and she is eating hay and drinking water. I stuck around for three hours watching her. Thank goodness she came out of it. Must have just been a bit of gas.

While I wait I pick tick after tick off the pups. Much better now than later when they are on me!

So much for getting things done around the house. It is time to prepare for the work week.

Life is what it is and we need to go with it . . .