Sunday, October 14, 2018

Indian Summer

It's called "Old Wives' Summer" in Germany, which might offend older housewives, but shouldn't cuz most people use the term affectionately, and a heat wave in October is mostly appreciated.




     




But I'll complain about it. It's soooo hot out! The OR has AC so I had no idea, but this is ridiculous. It was too hot yesterday for me to rake leaves. I got some raked today, it's slightly cooler.



     


Bellis' favorite time of year. She will stand by the fence and wait for apples to roll under it. Mag enjoys them too, but he's not obsessed.




     





This morning I was horrified to see Mag's right front leg swollen and hot from the knee down. WTH! My first thought was cellulitis, so I gave him bute and hydrotherapy. He has no temp and is not lame, otherwise I'd make the phone call. He's in good spirits, seeking out apples and rolling in the dust (DUST in October!).




     


These photos are all enhanced for clarity. Mag is surrounded by walnuts. We have buckets full and still more fall every day.


I'll call the vet tomorrow, cuz if it is cellulitis, he'll need antibiotics.



     



For now I'm tying him to the front walnut tree to hose him. It's freaky to watch his leg dry itself if you take a moment to wet the other front leg. It's so hot it dries instantly in that one spot. He has an old splint in that leg.


     




I'd forgotten how cute Mag is when he's tied up in the front yard. He watches where I go as if pleading, "Don't leave me here is this odd location!"


     




So I got the camera out. You can barely see the swollen leg in the photos cuz my camera is set to lowest quality images.




     





     





     



6 comments:

Nat D said...

Such a gorgeous steed!

kbryan said...

Those are gorgeous photos of Mag! Why is your camera on the lowest quality setting. He looks like a beautiful magical unicorn (without the horn).

Hope his leg gets better quickly.

Nicole A said...

Those photos of Mag are *incredible*. He really does look like a unicorn. And I continue to be amazed by the parallels between German and Maryland weather: It's been in the 80's here up until this past Friday. Temps finally turned to the more seasonable 60s over the weekend. It's been so warm the trees are still green! Really unusual for this late in October.

AareneX said...

Oh, Mag. What have you done, you pretty, ridiculous boy?

Kitty Bo said...

Lovely pictures of Mag

lytha said...

Update - Mag's legs are not worse, in fact, slightly better since the antibiotics. I'm unable to work him as I'm at the hospital all day, but I opened up the front half of the pasture to encourage movement.

He's moving so well I'm not giving him Bute. It sucks to get up at 5:30 and go search for my horse with a flashlight and lure them in to Bute him! But I cannot enjoy my breakfast until I've seen his legs, well, the flashlight helps a little.

I have hope that he'll recover without any lasting scars/ signs/ recurring stocking up. Then again, Mag is the most-scarred horse I've ever met, as if he's got an immune system illness, regarding his skin. As I've mentioned before many of his scars are *symmetrical* side to side, and I don't get how that could occur through physical injury.