Salina has been off on her left hind for a couple of days. I haven't been sure if it's an abscess or if she did something (she galloped up the hill a few nights ago) so haven't yet done any abscess-related treatment. She is eating, whinnying as usual when her donkey boys go too far away, and is making her way around the barnyard at her own pace.
This morning the biggest thing she seemed to want was for me to rub a bug bite on her flank. She stretched her head neck about in a perfect straight line and turned her head back and forth with great pleasure as I rubbed.
I gave her a remedy this morning that fit her symptoms about as perfectly as you can get. Usually when you get a remedy right with homeopathy you will either see a quick improvement or sometimes you'll see a brief worsening of symptoms before things start to shift.
Husband just came in to tell me (he's been working on a project in the barnyard so was able to see what was going on in the barn) that Salina soaked her own foot in one of the water buckets just now. She stuck it in, stood there, and then after 15-20 minutes she took it out, and when he checked, it looks like an abscess is getting ready to blow.
I noticed earlier today that one of the water buckets in the barn was dirty in a way it never usually gets - I wondered what in the world had done that - now I know.
Salina is soaking her own hoof.
We have pretty much stopped soaking hooves as a treatment for abscesses, preferring to wrap with Animalintex. But Salina, being 27 years old, has likely had her hooves soaked over the years and I guess she's taken matters into her own... hooves!
Sometimes I wonder why anyone anywhere doubts the intelligence of these animals.
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
Billie, Jack tells me regularly that old timers know a thing or two about life and Salina obviously proves his point. Her actions also speak volumes about her retention of information and her ability to use it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear Salina is ailing but I think she's very smart and hilarious to treat herself. I guess after so many years she feels she knows the drill. What a sweet girl.
ReplyDeleteThat is so great - how clever of Salina. I wonder why this should give me a feeling of (delighted) surprise but it does. Rosie can do that to me too - and she is also older.
ReplyDeleteSheaffer, I would bet Jack could enlighten us on many things! Salina was offered a bucket of just hot enough water this morning and she soaked for a few minutes. We've wrapped the hoof with a poultice that I think will hasten things along now that I'm fairly sure it's an abscess.
ReplyDeleteArlene, I had images in my head of setting up a "soaking station" for her and just letting her go. But this morning we offered some assistance and she accepted. She's a grand dame who knows just what she needs.
ReplyDeleteKate, she's a pretty special mare - at this point nothing she does surprises me.
ReplyDeleteMaire, I was similarly delighted. I walk around here on a daily basis amazed by this herd of equines.
ReplyDeleteBless Salina's heart - she knew best, and told you so!
ReplyDeleteVal has a mysteriously swollen ankle and lower back of leg... his left hind. It isn't work related, that's for sure. I cold hosed it and gave him a gram of bute... any other recommendations?
He hasn't made any suggestions yet like Salina did lol :)
V, sounds like you did exactly what I might do for that kind of thing.
ReplyDeleteAlthough arnica might help too!
Took the poultice off this evening, gave another dose of remedy, spent time with a client, and before I came inside, checked on Salina again, who was out, walking normally, in the grass paddock. Abscess has burst. She turned her head around and touched my hand with her nose.