Saturday, November 29, 2014

Tough Decisions....


Well - as of late my cat has been experiencing health problems.
At first, it appeared to be a UTI. He was treated for that.... yet his eating habits didn't improve - nor did his demeanor. Upon his return to the vet for a follow up and X-rays - they found that he was pretty blocked up with poop. So they sent me home with a medication to soften the blockage, a pill to encourage him to eat and special high fiber canned food that is designed to draw water into his colon to get things moving. That evening, after I gave him the appetite pill, he appeared to be drunk! I made a few phone calls and determined that it was a common side effect of the pill. I sat up late with him and when he seemed to be coming off thee high, I went to bed.

In the morning, he still seemed "off". I decided to stay home from work to keep an eye on him because something wasn't right. Good thing I did... he began to vomit at about 4pm. And it had this horrible smell.... a smell like something that should have come out of the other end of him. He had one like that before I took him in the first time and then once while he was on the antibiotics. I called the clinic and they said |I should bring him back in. They did more X-rays and saw his heart appeared smaller due to dehydration. He also vomited again there after the X-rays. So they admitted him and hooked him up to an IV for the night. She wanted to check him for leukemia due to his age so I gave her the go ahead to run more blood tests.

Yesterday morning when she called me she told me he had vomited again over night and then when she had arrived at the clinic. She ran the tests and they were negative for the leukemia virus but his white cell count was really high. He was in very good spirits, yet he still hadn't pooped. MORE X-rays showed that there really wasn't much movement in his intestinal track and now she was very concerned because of the vomiting.... and the white cells. She thinks that there is something more serious lingering inn the background. That is when cancer came up.

It is tricky to tell from the X-rays if there is a mass in his intestinal track. An ultrasound may be the next step.... or exploratory surgery. That is where I may be drawing the line. I love him to pieces. BUT - now I need to look at it from a practical view. I am over $2000 into this, he is 10-11 years old. How much do I want to put him through? I am fairly certain that she wouldn't have needlessly put this type fear in my head if she didn't genuinely suspect something serious. And I could hear it in her voice that there were likely going to be some tough choices ahead of me. They kept him for a second night as he still hadn't pooped. He also hadn't vomited in 8 hours last I talked to her - but he had also barely been eating.

Needless to say - I am absolutely heartbroken as I stare this decision in the face. A lot of tears have been shed in the last few days. My whole body just aches and my heart hurts.... and I have this nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach. I hope I come back from the clinic with good news today - but I know I need to prepare myself.



Tuesday, November 25, 2014

A Few More From Bowden This Summer....

I like to sit dowm, listen to the morning news and have my coffee in the morning.... edit a few photos from this past summer.... here a few more from the rodeo I went to in Bowden this year! Enjoy!





Sunday, November 23, 2014

Ignorance and Arrogance... Part of Horsemanship?

Here is my vent of the day:
How can a woman - who - judging by the weathered and perma-sour look on her face appears to be in her late fifties - find it acceptable to be a bully?
Yes - I have little experience with horses. I am LEARNING... MY OWN WAY. There is more than ONE way to work with a horse. There is nothing wrong with the way I am choosing to build a relationship with either of the horses. I do not agree with her ideas and methods but I do not act like a know it all bitch to her. I try to ignore her and walk away from her as to keep it classy and not cause issues as we have a common friend and keep our horses at the same location. I have shown amazing restraint thus far - as anyone who knows me knows that I do not back down from a fight like a coward. I do not need unsolicited commentary from a narrow minded "trainer/coach" when I did not ask for it. The way she is acting towards me is as if she just strolled on out of the birth canal knowing every single thing there is to know about horses. I went to go get Scooter's dinner and asked someone else to hold Reno. Today was 'let's learn what a bit is ' day. I walk up to her and the "trainer" is holding Reno's lead and whipping him in the ass with the end of it because he wasn't walking for her. He had been walking just fine for me and that's what matters. I promptly grabbed the rope from her and told her she was done. She made some snarky comment about how she had to walk away because she couldn't watch anymore and she referred to him as being a spoiled horse. This is a woman who called western saddles "torture devices", said there are no bad horses, only bad people, said she hates ignorant people - a comment that almost caused me to DIE of laughter considering she is one of the most ignorant and arrogant people I have ever met, she said every time she sees someone grab a saddle horn she wants to cut it off and she also had a smart ass comment over the summer when I went for a ride wearing a tube top which was relayed to me by a child. If I want her advice I will write her a check. I just cannot understand why she cannot mind her own business and let me be. Walking past her is similar to walking past the mean girl in a junior high hallway. It is just flat out pathetic to think a woman of her age can be so narrow minded and out right rude and judgmental! Women are supposed to support each other and build each other up... AGAIN.... a reminder of why I have very few female friends. She is the reason people think horse people are stuck up. She makes me wanna vomit. Vent over.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Winter Photos

Here are a few pics from the farm! Winter is pretty BUT.... Lol!







Monday, November 17, 2014

Working With Reno

It was a gorgeous day yesterday so I went out to visit the boys! Gave Scooter some cookies & hugs and let him be.... and then we did a bit of ground driving with Reno!
He has had some work done with him... he's been saddled but never ridden.
He appears to be pretty smart and compliant... we had a few issues with him tangling himself up in the lines... but he'd go in a straight line and follow me.
if all goes according to plan - I have some ideas as to what I want to do with this guy.
He is pretty easy to catch - he actually approached me. He was a bit stubborn on the lead rope. I ha some issues getting him walking. But he eventually gave in.
Hopefully I get a lot of nice Sundays to go out and work with this guy. Would like to be on him come spring! :)





Sunday, November 9, 2014

No CFR Photos....

Well then.... I could NOT take photos at the CFR.... I was heartbroken! My lens was too big and they'd have confiscated my gear. Oh well... still had an AMAZING time! Farm Fair on Friday - I saw something there that I have been DYING to see for years! I spotted it from across the hall and I felt like a kid on Christmas morning! Here it is!!
'The Horse Gift', the mural mosaic project that Phil Alain started. I came into the equine art world and started networking with a lot of the artists involved in this around the time it was all coming to life. I cannot even express the humbling feeling I got staring at this piece. I had no idea I would be seeing it, so that added to the excitement! I got that full body goosebump thing too while I was staring at it. If you EVER get the chance to see this is person - TAKE IT! Photos don't do it any justice!

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

CFR

SO.... FINALLY - I get to go to CFR!! I am pretty excited!
I wanted to go last year but ended up in Vegas at SEMA instead and prior to that - I was in BC for the previous 7 years.
I was gifted tickets by one of my customers. He had told me he got me tickets for Friday - as well as Farm Fair tickets, but when he sent them over to me - he had a pair for opening night stuck in there as well! And better yet... they are behind the chutes!! SO - brace yourselves for photos..... there will be a TON!! Assuming they don't confiscate my camera. Haha!

Everyone have a great day!

Sunday, November 2, 2014

More From Montana!

Everyday - I edit a few  more of the 8500+ pictures I took n my road trip in June!
Please enjoy!