Filed under: things not going to plan

 Sorry for the radio silence, I had meant to follow up with a Sophie update, but decisions are still not completely formed about next steps and I'm boring even myself with all my waffling and vague thoughts. For now, she's having a continued break and is happy and content while I think on the best path forward.

I've been very distracted elsewhere because poor Buck is having some complications with gelding. That's obviously been very upsetting and taking up most of my thoughts.

He's out in the yard basically 24/7 right now because I feel like otherwise he parks in front of the hay net for too many hours of the day and steady movement can only help. He spends most of his day eating trees and shrubberies and following me around, he's less fussed about grass/grazing

If I'm not mistaken, we're almost two weeks out from the vet visit now. There were a few days immediately after of 'Ugh, I don't feel great about this swelling, but it's within the realm of normal and he's bright and happy and running around like normal' so I tried to just relax and go with the program. After all, he's young and healthy and everything I've ever been told is that it's a pretty minor surgery with minimal chance of complication.

 Then suddenly last Wednesday night it really wasn't OK at all.  Things got nasty fast. Everything swelled up twice what it had been. The drainage that had previously felt like it was in the realm of normal turned into a flow of horrible looking stuff complete with chunks of infected tissue. The poor little guy was really depressed and in a lot of pain. I've normally got a pretty strong stomach, but when it's my horses that goes out the window. Don't even talk to G about it, he was already having some manly sympathy around the whole thing and now it's basically the stuff of guy nightmares.

Here's a picture of some lilacs

and a sunset

We are starting to see improvement with continued antibiotics and bute. It's nowhere near resolved. I'm optimistic the worst is behind us but I'm also still not feeling great about the situation. I trust the vet but I'd feel better if she was local and could come check him out in person because I'm a worrier and read too much. 

Playing wild stallions a few weeks ago

I think I'm going to opt out of gelding procedures in general for the rest of my life. It's been rough. The actual procedure for Reggie didn't go smoothly at all, and now this with Buck isn't giving me the warm fuzzies either. Mares or existing geldings only from now on, please!

The one silver lining in all of this? Buck is an absolute certified angel, like you couldn't ask for a better patient. I know he was G's pick and 'his' horse, but it's a not-so-secret secret around here that there is a conflict of interest and he is my favorite pony while G "has no favorites'' but is quite partial to Sophie ;)

Iz friend

I'm used to mares who choose violence and hold epic grudges if they're even slightly inconvenienced or uncomfortable, so maybe my standards are low. Buck is a star regardless, though. This morning I just walked up in the field with my silver honey spray and fly repellent and jar of swat and antibiotic pills he was like 'ok lady, do what you gotta do'. No halter, no worries. He also just eats his meds right up without me having to get super creative. Easy and low fuss is absolutely unheard of around these parts so you can bet he's being told how wonderful he is multiple times a day.

Happy muddy pony on his first birthday a few weeks ago. He's feeling pretty sad right now and I hate that for him.

Shout out to Reggie too, I thought for sure I was going to need to separate them (and stress poor Buck out further) but he's been very respectful and has put his normal super intense self on hold. No bullying, no trying to roughhouse, not even any generic destruction of objects. He's scaled back his energy level to match Buck and is being a very good and supportive friend. We don't admit Reggie is a good boy out loud around here, though, because compliments go straight to his little rock star head.

Looking very civilized. Good boy, Reggie.

Fingers crossed for some normality soon, I'm going to sleep a lot better once Buck is healing and feeling more like himself. We're not quite there yet, but I feel like we're trending better. The big summer field around the corner is waiting for them, just as soon as Buck is feeling well enough.