Billy

[Marsha Cassada]

Your parade with Billy sounds like a total success. Maybe Billy is a diva at heart and loves a crowd? He is a darling and the nursing home will love him!

About those dress boots….were they by any chance the gorgeous red boots you wore last hear in a parade (I think)? I remember deciding a pair like that belongs under my bed, then hubby fell off a ladder and my attention wandered!

But now I remember!

Yes, I've had those boots for more than 20 years. Very comfy. They are Larry Mahan. They've been half -soled once already! After that long walk in them recently, I may need to check the soles...

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Today I took Billy to the local vet to get him on Adequan. It was a wellness check, with bloodwork and fecal. She spent a lot of time flexing him and watching him walk. She saw no reason he could not have light work in the cart, since he only has to carry his own weight. Which, byw, was not good. I took him to the elevator before the checkup and fully expected him to be down around 260, after two weeks in a dry lot. I read it and wept.
I do think discomfort is one reason he has been difficult driving lately.

 

[Kelly]

Oh Marsha I’m rooting for you! Don’t want a repeat of Midnight. these darn air puffs!!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

He got his first adequan shot this evening. Loading dose is every 4 days for 7 doses, then monthly. It has gone up since last time i bought it. Now is $390. It will last a year.
Now that i know he is okay to work he can get more exercise.
He wont ever get like midnight; she was young and having laminitis. Billy is 18 and just has arthritis. Losing some weight will help him.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Dapper Dan was always so calm, almost stoic, about the Adequan shots. Billy thought a giant fly was attacking him. He'll hopefully be calm and stoic by the time he finishes his loading doses!

 

[chandab]

Today I took Billy to the local vet to get him on Adequan. It was a wellness check, with bloodwork and fecal. She spent a lot of time flexing him and watching him walk. She saw no reason he could not have light work in the cart, since he only has to carry his own weight. Which, byw, was not good. I took him to the elevator before the checkup and fully expected him to be down around 260, after two weeks in a dry lot. I read it and wept.
I do think discomfort is one reason he has been difficult driving lately.

How tall is Billy, again?
I have several 300# and over, but I also have mostly 35-38" minis, so they are going to weigh more than the 32-34" minis.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

How tall is Billy, again?
I have several 300# and over, but I also have mostly 35-38" minis, so they are going to weigh more than the 32-34" minis.

He is AMHA. 34" i need to get him down to at least 250. No excuses

 

[chandab]

He is AMHA. 34" i need to get him down to at least 250. No excuses

250# might be too light, but 275# might be good. It's amazing at what just 25# can do for a mini either way. [Jasper was taller at 37", but at 350# he was good, 325# he was emaciated and 375# he was obese. He had Cushings and was weighed a lot. I have pics of him too thin, about right and too fat, but I don't have weights that coincide with when the pics were taken.] With blanket he was rather thin, you can kind of see by his neck, without he was about right for unconditioned with Cushings.

 

[MaryFlora]

You will both get there! Your vet sounds excellent, especially in spending time with both of you. Always important in getting questions asked and answered.

Did the vet recommend a program as far as daily routine and overall time to reach your target goal? If you know it will take 9 - 12 months to get there, you can relax and just take care of one day at a time, if that makes any sense?

A random question, Marsha, do you take part in the AMHA Mini Hours program? I wish AMHR had something like that!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

You will both get there! Your vet sounds excellent, especially in spending time with both of you. Always important in getting questions asked and answered.

Did the vet recommend a program as far as daily routine and overall time to reach your target goal? If you know it will take 9 - 12 months to get there, you can relax and just take care of one day at a time, if that makes any sense?

A random question, Marsha, do you take part in the AMHA Mini Hours program? I wish AMHR had something like that!

I got the form sheet to sign up for Mini Hours, but never followed through. Guess I am more used to logging time/hours here on the forum.
I was thinking today that Billy gained that weight since Dapper Dan has been gone. Dapper Dan kept him busy all day; now he may not be moving as much. We'll just keep working at it.

 

[HersheyMint]

He still could be missing Dapper Dan too. Maybe not himself since Dapper Dan.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

We were gone for a few days and my sister came out to check on the animals. She was so entertained by Billy. He is such a talker! And his lips and nose wiggle. She said he is the talkingest horse she's ever seen. Need to schedule some more nursing home visits; he really enjoys those.

 

[Kelly]

I love the chatty ones! they make my heart melt

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I noticed Billy was eating "funny" and it was nearly time for his yearly float so we went today. He had a cracked tooth. It took the vet over 30 minutes to get it out. He kept reaching for different tools and working up a sweat. But finally got it out. He finished floating Billy's teeth, then a shot of banamine. So Billy should be good to go. No infection, but the tooth was beginning to pack stuff in it, so I'm glad we didn't wait. What should the tooth fairy bring him, do you think?

 

[HersheyMint]

A nice fruit popsicle, if you are in a heat wave like us, or ice cream. You can't go wrong with that. Oops, I was thinking about me I love ice cream

 

[Kelly]

Tooth fairy should bring him an equine friend or maybe just a peppermint

 

[MaryFlora]

Watermelon!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Dire predictions from the vet. I really need to get his weight down. He has been 260 before (vet didn't like that weight either). Why can't I just have a nice, fat pony!
I hate to keep him penned up. He likes to stand on the porch and look at himself in the windows. I'm wondering about getting a large mirror and attach it in his pen. Maybe he would feel like he had a friend. Maybe a mirror from an old dresser.

 

[Capriole]

You can get acrylic mirrors from Amazon...I was thinking about getting one for Farah when she was alone, but never got around to it.

 

[chandab]

If you get a mirror, get an actual equestrian mirror, they are safer than regular mirrors. [Or make sure, he can't actually touch the mirror.]