Friday, October 31, 2014

My Life With Monk


I got Monk a little over 3 years ago from Dogs Unlimited Rescue.
He had just been taken in by one of their fosters.
The previous owner had just brought Monk into one of their adoption events and turned him over saying their daughter was allergic.
They had had him since a puppy and he was 7 years old.
If you know anything about St Bernards, they are very devoted to their families.
He was in bad shape needing numerous washings apparently had been kept outside.
He was also heart worm positive!
I told them I wanted to meet him and fell in love immediately.
(Never thinking about being in my late 60's at the time and Monk out weighed me by 30 lbs!!)
He was so depressed when I got him, he didn't want to even eat.  Also the antibiotic they were giving him was making him nauseated.
I cooked for him for 2 weeks.
The tummy diet:
Chicken, white potatoes, sweet potatoes and a leek, boiled.
It worked.
Here is a picture of the day I met Monk.
I took Rocky to meet him and they got along fine.
So that was it.  I think I fostered him for a month, then adopted him.
I didn't think anyone would adopt him because he was heart worm positive and it's very expensive to put a 164lb dog through the treatment!
He did fine though.
Keeping him quiet through the treatment was no problem because they aren't exactly the most active dogs especially at his age of 7 . . . a real senior for a Saint.
His other problem was that he had terrible skin allergies.  They would flare up in the spring and fall so I had him tested.  He had both inside and outside allergies.  
They made up his own special allergen concoction and I game him two injections every 10 days the whole time he was with me.  Winter, of course was his best time.
This last year his arthritis caught up with him and he developed a lot of weakness and pain in his hind quarters.  He was on meds for that also.
Unfortunately it started affecting the nerves and he was losing the use of his back legs and some other bodily functions.
He was the gentlest and kindest dog I have ever had.
He was very stoic and brave.  Never did he so much as utter a growl.
He was such a good boy.
He'd "woof" at the cats but they didn't pay much attention to him as he couldn't move fast.
He loved children and everyone else he met.
The last 6 months, the thing he loved the most was this rubs he got in the evening.  He wouldn't let me forget.  He'd sit up and look at me and if that didn't do it he'd make a little whimper till I sat down next to him on the floor and gave him his massage.
I'm sure it helped him to sleep.
Here are a few pictures during the 3 years he was in my care.
I'm going to miss him so much.

 Yes, while he could, he preferred the couch!



 Snow!!  His favorite time!


 They're the nanny dog, you know.


Run free big guy.
The house seems so empty tonight.

Shirley






Thursday, October 30, 2014

I'm Way Behind!

Sometimes things that are happening in your life that cause sadness and depression and worry, so much so that you just can't sit down and write.  I've been unable so think past some things 
and just write.
I've never liked Halloween and that date is the date of our beloved horse, Satire's journey to Heaven three years ago.
Now it will also be another hard date to go through tomorrow. 
Today though, I am trying to maybe get past my "block" and have looked on good ol' Pinterest and found some great posts about blogging.
I can at least share this one that I found.  I know I can't be the only one out there that gets writers block!


I'm going to try some of these ideas.
I'll share the other worrisome parts of my life latter.

Shirley

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Horsey Education

The last three classes we have had, have been on conformation.
This 3rd of the series was on the legs and hooves of the horse.
First an hour of class time then we went out into the barn and pastures to see examples of what we were learning.
Here are a few photos from today's session.


Blue is 18 years old but with several problems and is already retired.


Retired Cassey is the oldest mare in the barn but one of the best put together, conformationally speaking.

We walked way to the back of the pasture because of course, that's where this herd was!!


This is one of Sarah's retired Arabs, Whizkid.

This is an older arab with some back leg suspensory problems.

Here is Preacher, he has all kinds of conformational problems but I love him anyway!

Same with big ol' Echo!!

This is Andrew and is a fine specimen of the Haflinger breed.

One thing is for sure that these classes have taught me . . . take a knowledgable person (like Sarah) with me if I'm looking at a horse and get it vet checked and probably farrier checked before buying!!!

By the way, the barn is Winfield Farm and Forge in Grafton, OH
And is very educationally oriented.
Come and join the Bit's and Pieces Club
We meet once a month on all kinds of horse and riding subjects.
Website:
http://www.winfieldfarm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/WinflieldFarmAndForge

Shirley

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