Been a long time… sorry gang!!

Coles notes version of January is that i was working like a mad woman- no working studetn and the FAB weather meant that I was very busy!! Now all is more ‘normal’ whatever that is. ‘NEWBIE’ working student Lisa Mayor arrived in early February and it was worth the wait. She is a lovely girl- hard working and best of all a sense of humour. Gawd knows we need that in our journeys!

Lisa is from Thunder Bay so was quite amazed by our grand weather here in vancouver.

OLYMPIC MANIA!!!!!!!!! after the fact now of course, but what an incredible thing to have in our back yard! I went to see the flame twice- once in daylight and once at night. Sistah and i went to participate in the rehearsal for the Opening ceremonies. got chills with KD Lang’s song and immediately downloaded it.

More news later gotta get to the barn!

flame at night

Our balcony GO CANADA

Back from Mexico with the darling husband a couple of days ago. Tan is fading FAST! So great to see the horses and dogs though. Puzzle has pretty much made a full recovery from his mystery illness, except he has very little hair on his muzzle still. Will post pics of trip- it was LOVELY!

Went to Mazatlan and stayed at a great B and B in Old town. Sun beach cervezas, husband, no schedule…

Photos to follow, but the toddler horse show yeaterday was a HIT. Ridley wanted ‘own pony’ so of course, the Aunties made that happen… In the end, he was happy to lead his pony and have his helmet on, but only wanted to sit on Linus, not actually ride. Piper was full on, trotting and having a great time. MANY thanks to Olivia (Kim’s daughter, who was the 8 year old demo girl) and to Michelle and Kelly from PRDA for letting us put Linus and Charlie brown into the show. Also to Emma, for lending Dinah.

It was outrageously cute!!

Jase and I are off to Mazatlan today- we stay in seattle tonight and fly in the AM

HOLA everyone!!

So,

The results from Puzzle’s biopsy were quote ‘very unusual’. Of COURSE they were… Puzzle himself is very unusual!! Normally if there is an allergy, it manifests itself in the actual skin cells. Puzzle’s allergy manifested itself in his blood vessels. This is why the reaction and symptoms were so violent and severe. Likely an ingested or inhaled source. Our money is still on the dried leaves in the hay, he ate the day before the first symptoms showed up, although Bones ate from that same bale with no trouble?? Honestly, horses are so fragile!

CHRISTMAS IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! which means the kids- my niece and nephew Piper and Ridley are here. Sooooo love being an auntie. Went to the aquarium yesterday- held Piper’s hand while she skipped along the street in Gastown. SIGH… And, I am pretty sure Ridley said ‘Chelan’. Auntie Shaye and Aunte Chelan do NOT have the easiest names for kids to pronounce! Looking forward to some great kid time over the Holidays, then Jase and I are off to Mexico on the 28th. Might blog from the hot spot, might not…

Puzzle is very much on the mend- thanks to everyone for the good wishes! His face is clearing up- the nasty scabs are healing. Now his sin is getting really flakey- like nasty dandruff. Hives seem to be pretty much gone, and his glands are nearly back to normal. Hoping for biopsy results thie week before Christmas. Now he just needs to get fatter! It is amazing how quickly they can lose condition when they are under the weather. He must have lost at least 100 lbs!

Christmas is almost here!! Neice and Nephew Piper and Ridley have arrived to Abbotsford. I have not seen them yet- but will go to the aquarium tomorrow. Then of course SANTA comes- all very exciting when you are 4 and 18 months…

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!

Puzzle has had a fever and scabs around his eyes and muzzle, with swollen glands under his jaw. The hives did not respond to Azium, in fact they got worse, so it is unlikely to be allergies. His blood work is totally normal. Tough for him to swallow and eat, poor guy! Dr. Nick referred me to Debbie Parsons who came today to look at Puzzle and took 4 biopsy sites to send away for further examination. Puzzle has no fever today and seemed brighter (he tried to bite my sister Shaye…) I noticed (in hindsight) that a couple of flakes of hay he got fed last week had leaves in them. My other horse Bones ate the same hay, with no trouble. Puzzle got the hives the next day, so I ditched the few flakes left that had leaves. Debbie feels this may in fact be the issue. Kind of like a toxic/poison type of reaction. We will keep him on antibiotics and anti-inflammatories and wait the results of the tests.

Both Dr. Nick and Dr. Debbie feel that this is not a devastating illness. I am cautiously breathing a little easier! Thanks to everyone who has sent good wishes, it has been a stressful few days.

Updates on the boys- have had some interest in Bones, but no sale yet. I think maybe I should buy 6-49 tickets so that I can keep him… Solid plan, solid!! Reality bites, as they say.

Puzzle is sick, and I am pretty frantic presently. A few day ago, Puzzle had hives, I gave him dexamethazone which did nothing, so we stopped after 3 days. He then got a fever, antibiotics killed the fever AND the hives. Then, the fever came back. He has lost weight too. He now has crusty eyes and around his mouth, and swollen glands. All very myserious. Nick took blood yesterday and we will get the results back today.

Now that I think of it, he has not been holding weight very well since I have been back. Normally after a mega trip and exertion likt the spring and Autumn 3 days, I keep them on the same grain (high fat and fibre, 14% protein) for at least a week, or maybe two as I think they need to groceries to recover. I then begin to cut it back to 1/2 and then build it up again as the work requirements dictate. They always get free choice hay. Right now, Puzzle gets as much interior grass alfalfa mix as he wants. Bones looks like a butterball and Puzzle does not. The last 2 weeks I have just been thinking that maybe his teeth need doing early, maybe somehow the last worming all of it did not get into him, etc. He is a small horse, so even a few pounds is a big deal. He has also grown a GIANT fuzzy coat again despite being clipped twice already. They always look worse when hairy so, I did not notice like I should have. Anyhow, I feel like the most dreadful horse owner in the world, as I think I have completely dropped the ball and missed something huge.

Will post as details become evident. fingers crossed.

The past 3 weeks since the last post are frankly a bit of a blur… I have been waiting for the new working student to come so that I am no longer doing the work of 10 men!! Fortunately, it is winter, which is my slow time. December and January are always very quiet, then February starts to crank up a little. By March I am hoping for a day off, which never seems to come until November again!! Such is the life that I have chosen, so I certainly will not complain. Unfortunately, it seems that Annie will not be coming up to work for me. It is sad, but better to know these things are not meant to be ahead of time. So, now am pretty desperate for help- January quickly heads into February and life gets into competition mode very soon. I am sure the right person will come along, they always seem to.

Have been busy trying to get sales horses gone. The market is a buyers market for sure, but there are people looking quite steadily, which is a good sign. It looks like we have found a great hime for Sarah Gale’s horse Kona. Always sad when the horses need to move on, but Sarah is at school in the UK so her horsey needed someone to love him full time. Meadow and Katy are facing the same dilemma… school takes up such a lot of time for these girls- they are finding their way in the world. I tell them that when they are done school and out in the work force I expect to see them again, this time on their own dime, not their parent’s, LOL! once a 3 DAZEer always a 3DAZEer.

We are looking forward to Christmas mostly because our neice and nephew Piper and Ridley come (oh and of course thier parents come too…) we are hosting a toddler horse show on the 27th which should be pretty cute.

In other news, my darling Jason is taking me away to Mexico between Christmas and New Years for a week. I am not sure exactly what I did to deserve him, but I will try to keep doing it!

Updates on the Sistah- we have Puhi at Pacific Country for a month for Kiyomi and I to ride. he was VERY bored and this way he will be ready to go when she is back in action. It is taking a long time. She can shuffle around a little but is doing a ton of physio to get back on track.

Although the rain is relentless, it is very good to be back at home. I can’t tell you how much I love having the horses and the business at Pacific Country. it definitely feels like HOME. Horses and people are all very happy there.

New working student coming in December. Annie is the daughter of my great friend Tina Goodwin. Annie is finishing her semester in college in Flagstaff Arizona and then taking a year off to come and play with 3 DAZE.

Had a lesson with Chris Pratt (CET jumper rider) yesterday through the BCHJA. Puzzle was a little wild as he had only been back to work for a week, but it was a good lesson. I like Chris’s teaching and if he has a clinic here again I would suggest that students attend. Funny sidebar- was still feeling queasy (see below) and of course packing on my own is never a strong point for me. Needless to say, I arrived at the clinic at Thunderbird sans saddle pad. The only thing even remotely close in my trailer was a beige bath towel. Now, the towel itself was quite new and rather nice. But, a TOWEL nontheless. I’m not shy about borrowing stuff but as I was the first rider, there were few others around. When playing in jumper land, I am always even more particularabout my turn out, as I want to look super FAB, so the towel was a bit of a concern… Just in the nick of time, Alex rolls up in his portable tack trunk aka his car and produces a baby blue pad. Apparently the towel is a complete no-go, Alex very nearly had cardiac arrest! God, how Do I get through the day?!?? Annie can not get here soon enough obviously!

Nearly DIED this week (okay not quite but it felt like it) Food poisoning… I still have stomache pain when I try to eat. I seriously may torch the restaurant. You will read about it in the Peace arch news! Come visit me in the clink, LOL

Speaking of restaurants, Jason my long lost husband has been at it 24/7 since I got back. new Joey’s concept in Kits beach called ‘Local’ as in ‘local pub’. I may see my husband again next week, not holding my breath of course- this is the restaurant industry after all. I am tired of not spending time with him, and getting pouty. Not especially attractive of course, but all part of being a princess!!