The end of an era, plus the eyes have it

Saturday was our trim.  Before Dawn got there, I trimmed Peanut's back feet fully (the heels weren't too bad) and did a little touch ups in the fronts.

Dawn said my heels were fine, and if I did want to be very picky, one of them might be ok to take down a hair but that was it.  My big issue were the arches.  I think part of my problem with heels is that you need a good, flat landing area, the edges need to be rounded, and the arch needs to start all in a very small area.  She explained exactly what goes where, and I was able to arch away.  I also had to take off a bit of flare on the rear heels.  But, all-in-all, it was a good trim.  :D

After she trimmed Gene, she dropped the bomb - that was our last trim with her.  She is officially retired as a trimmer and will instead concentrate on body work.  She just can't physically take the life of a trimmer.  Next month, she will come out with her suggested replacement, Kate, and will be there while she gets acquainted with us and the boys.

On Sunday, Rick and I were preparing to go to the farmer's market to pick up our CSA share when he tells me, as I come downstairs after getting out of the shower, that we are going to the barn instead.  Joan called, Peanut's eye is swollen shut and the vet is on the way.

It turns out he has a severe case of conjunctivitis, which I had heard about before I had even bought Peanut but had never actually seen in person.  At that time, he didn't have a cornea scratch and so we used an antibiotic ointment with hydrocortizone.  Then my contagious laddie was placed in a stall for the rest of the day.

I came back that night, and as expected his eye was about 50% better - but he did scratch his cornea.  I took him out and we went walking and jogging around, then he went back in to spend the night. 

I got yet another founder lecture, this time from the vet.  She said she had never seen a horse as overweight as Peanut (oh now come on....) and that he really needed to lose weight - probably 100-200 lbs.  Fine.  I can't take it anymore.  He will be moved to one of the smaller front fields (the biggest one is only an acre... whimper) where the grass is pretty much gone.  He will live on hay and, as the vet recommended, vitamin/mineral supplements.  I talked with Joan, and he will be there for fall, then in the big field for winter to help his back end, then in them for spring, then in the big field if the grass isn't too lush and his weight is down for summer, etc.  I really can't imagine muzzling him, so I am choosing his weight over his stifle.

I was talking founder with the vet, and had a real "duh" moment.  I said how my understanding is that founder is caused by insulin resistance where sugar turns to glucose and attacks the laminar attachment, so can't a horse be overweight and be fine?  Obesity, the vet says, can trigger a type two diabetes that will trigger insulin resistance.  Well, duh.

And do I have pictures of anything?  Of course not.  I am a forgetful pillock.