Slow News Day

All we have here is rain, so footing everywhere is sopping with standing water. I am stuck with hand walking Eli. After a day of sunshine, the fields might have dried out enough for walk/trot, but by the time I get to the barn it’s almost dark. And then it rains again anyway. This leads to insufferable boredom. It’s also a recipe for putting Eli off his feed …

standing water from patentlybay on Vimeo.

Although, week ago now, when Eli was in regular work and had play time in turnout daily, he slowly began to protest his grain. Then it started raining, and he flat out stopped eating his regular grain. He still had plenty appetite for treats, apples, hay. We decided to mix his grain with the barn grain and he started eating again, but still leaving some in his feed box. I didn’t bother buying any more of his feed. I dumped what little was left on Saturday, and Eli got the barn grain. And he started eating all of it, licking his feed box clean. During all this I scheduled the vet to come check his teeth, because I couldn’t think of why else he’d not eat. He has not been running a temperature during this time, and his behaviors have been typical of him. When I was able to ride him he felt great under saddle. He just … changed his mind about what he wanted to eat somehow. I am keeping the appointment on Wednesday because I still want his teeth checked. Eli always comes up with something creative before a show, something that convinces me to call his vet every time.

pea-sized hail from patentlybay on Vimeo.

The forecast doesn’t look so great for the show this weekend. I’ll know more by the end of the day Wednesday. Until then, I will be hand walking Eli and keeping an eye on his feed box.