Vet Day

No hurt feelings if you want to skip this one, it's just a recap of our annual vet check up and some notes for future reference.

Sophie:

- Funny because she is the silliest, anxious mare, but the vet and all her helpers arrive with all their tool boxes and gear and Sophie's just chill and like "oh hey, haven't seen you in a bit, what are we doing today? Where would you like me to stand?"

- Discussed recent ulcer treatment and relation to some lingering stiffness in her lumbar area. Vet could immediately feel where the issue is and felt there was a very good chance it is just a lingering muscle stiffness/'knot' from Sophie holding herself differently when her stomach was sore. Everything else checked out fine, range of motion etc through her back seems good. She treated with acupuncture  - a first for us.

- Has a slab fracture on one of her molars. Sensitive to it, but it doesn't look like it extends to a worrying depth and fingers crossed will not need any intervention. Keep an eye on it. Husband asked if she needed a crown (and was calculating what a gold crown might cost on a horse sized tooth) but the vet kindly explained how horse teeth erupt and how it should grow out eventually :)

Buck:

- Uncomplicated. Had his teeth done and vaccines and a check up. Some little sharp edges, but minor and expected as he's 2 and it was his first float.

Has been practicing life without a buddy for a few hours a day

Tradey:

- Clown show. One of the techs that was here was also there for his gelding appointment a year ago - apparently they were laughing in the truck on the drive over about how ridiculous Tradey/that appointment was and how it was her first farm visit on her first day on the job and it felt like everything went wrong. Tradey was at the gate whinnying at them when they drove in this time. He never whinnies at anyone but he must have fond memories of the last time he traumatized everyone.

- The vet opted for a moderate sedation to start this time to hopefully not have the techs questioning their career choices again, and of course Tradey immediately turned into the lightest of lightweights and was falling down drunk. He then decided now was the perfect to get the party started despite being completely unstable on all four legs and snoring. 

Would totally be that annoying friend that way overestimates their ability to hold their alcohol

Luckily he's not at all worried or dangerous or anything like that, just super annoying - like 'oh hey I kind of want to grab your glasses out of your vest but I'm in super slow motion and whoa I'm falling over now, someone hold me up' kind of stuff. The vet has a good sense of humor and everything was fine. Sedating him apparently only served to magnify his inside voice that's full of all the bad ideas. 

Vet was like "oh wow he's annoying today :)" I broke the news to her that he is annoying every day (but we love him)

- Actual teeth/check up absolutely normal and fine. I think for next time we keep in mind he's prone to some interesting reactions to sedation. We've got a couple of barn improvements in mind, I'll think on it and see if there's anything we could do to improve workspaces for vet and farrier days.