Took the horses to the vet today.

While I did take the horses to the Vet we also had a consult / appt with the Dentist.  While all animals should have their teeth cleaned, brushed etc... If you do not care for the teeth of a horse they can not eat. 

Due to the way they chew their food they chew side to side.  The best example is how when you see camel on TV it always looks funny when it chews, chewing from side to side instead of up and down like we do.

The teeth tend to get sharp edges on them, causing the horse to bite the inside of its jaw, tongue etc... We all know how painful that can be, so this pain makes the horse more timid to eat.  Eventually if the teeth are not cared for, the horse can not chew their food well enough to digest it correctly if able to swallow it at all, causing long term issues with the horse in every way.   SweetPea was getting sloppy with her food... I can always tell when she needs her teeth done.   She has not lost weight, if anything it is the first time I've not seen her ribs through her winter coat. 

I am very lucky as both of my horses have great teeth and I only have them barely shaped once a year.
While some horses (like humans needing braces) have more issues and need serious shaping every six months.  I hate having it done!  Can you imagine filling on a tooth the size of a womans thumb?

Navarre has one permanent tooth on each side but is expecting more any time.   I also have to start saving up to have his wolf teeth pulled.  I am not have it done any time soon as he has not shown any issues with the bit as of yet, but... if he starts to I will need to have the money saved for the surgery so we can get it done when necessary.  It is almost like pulling your wisdom teeth but they are much deeper and longer.  Some people have them cut off but I would prefer to have them pulled IF he starts to show issues with the bit. 

The Vet appointment went well. The horses got their shots, yearly check-up, basic blood work,  along with another EPM test on Navarre. ... he was 1:20 last test still with no signs of issues, but blood work is cheaper than not being able to get ahead of it later... so I'm going to watch his results each year and see if we need to treat him.  He was never exposed the vaccine like my other horse was.

SweetPea took the EPM Vac. when it was out, because I lost a horse I was carring for to EPM once upon a time; and I didn't want to see another animal go through that.  It is not a nice way to live or die.   She has an 80% chance of having it;  BUT it could be a false positive due to the vaccine.  I plan on testing her every two years if she has no signs of the disease.  So far ... we are good.  Her only sign is how crazy she is, but she was worse when I got her, before she had the vaccine.   So it may or may not be a sign with her.

MAJOR signs of EPM are not being able to control the hind end.  BOTH of my horses know exactly where their feet are, and do exactly what I ask.  SweetPea is the most sure footed horse I have ever had!  She is such a treat on a trail!

OH the days when I could ride the trails, the only care on my mind was the horse below me.  I normally love riding in cold weather, but this year it has been so bad I have not been able to.  Normally SweetPea and I ride in the first snow, this year she has on shoes and it is too dangerous with shoes.  The snow packs into them, making her work like a racking horse, and leaving her with no traction.    Navarre is still just too young to get out all the time, I need to build up his back muscles to carry me properly.

This opens the door to tell a STUPID story on myself!   I am normaly a pretty safe person, but with months of no riding, due to snow, rain, and now mud, tree, and rock slides I was ... as Jerry would say I was jonesin for a ride... I was!!!!!

I jumped on SweetPea ... down in the pasture, only to ride her up to the barn.  NO big deal! I do it all the time, except this day she took my knee off when she slipped and fell going through the first gate.  Only the exact thing, the ONE reason I had been telling Jerry, I can't go ride she will slip in all this mud and fall.  Sure enough!  Even on the gravel drive from the pasture to the barn she lost it, and I went into the post.  I was so high from the 20 second ride in full gallop; I didn't even notice till I got home and saw the egg shaped bruise on my knee.  All I could do was laugh and tell Jerry how stupid I was. 

Oh well at least my addiction is ... acceptable!  I am so addicted to riding... I'm dying to get out again regardless of the risk to me, but she could have hurt herself too.