Emergency Euthanasia ~ Equine

Pulse: weak and rapid ~ 120 per minute
Respiration: harsh, labored ~ 68 per minute
Capillary refill: slow
Gums: pale

He was on his side in the pasture, sweating and groaning. Fluids and mucus rolled out of his flared nostrils.
He couldn't get up.
Mouth open, eyes half closed, he lay there with front legs stiffened. His back legs had given out on him.
His gut noises were non existent.

Blow flies gathered heavily on his legs. I had to brush them away as I tried to recount his vitals.
Rich pulled on his tail and tapped him with a lunge whip.
We tried to get him on his feet to no avail.
Chaps was in pain, he was dying.

Our neighbor had called us for help. She had called around for a veterinarian. The vet she got in contact with couldn't come out for another 24 hours.
Could we come and help with Chaps?

Chaps was 30+ years old gelding with numerous tumors. They'd been letting him live out his last days retired and wandering a nice grassy pasture. Apparently Chaps had gone down a few times during the past 24 hours.
But this morning he'd gone down and they were only able to get him up once then his back legs had collapsed.

I put my hand on Chaps' curled and long coat, he was hot. The heat indices for the past few days had been 100 to 105 degrees.
The horse groaned again.

Normal Vital Signs of an Equine are:
Pulse: 28 to 40 beats per minute
Respiration: 10-20 per minute
Capillary refill: with in 2-3 seconds
Gums: Pale pink

What was the humane thing to do?
Have the horse lay in the pasture and suffer for another day?
Chaps would not make it through the night, he was suffocating and in pain.

The owner asked if we would put him down.

Chaps is no longer in pain.

Being able to provide a swift and humane death to prevent more suffering is important for us to be able to recognize and do.
Death with dignity.
I knelt next to Chaps afterward and stroked his old long neck. My heart was heavy.

I'll miss his whinnying in the pasture when I ride by with a mule.

...and I know the day will come when I'll have to utter those same words to a vet or be prepared to 'put down' one of my own in an emergency situation.

Here is an interesting link to an article by the UC Davis School of Veteran Medicine, California on Emergency Euthanasia of Horses.

Little Red Mule

My neighbor stopped her large diesel truck on the road and I rode Sunshine up to her. She'd commented on Siera earlier this week and 'just had to stop and gaze at the pretty little red mule'.

I guess that means that Sunshine can make an impression even with her small stature. With Badger's health being compromised, I've been 'forced' to get my riding fixes with other mules.

Sunshine is Badger's half sister and only about 54" or 13 1/2 hands.
I always thought I looked silly on a little mule.
But I am re-evaluating that thought. I started Sunshine at 18 months, then didn't mess with her until she was 4 years old.
She wasn't always my first choice when we went riding, but hubby loves riding her. She'll also ride double with a grandchild.

So why hadn't I been riding her more regularly? Because she was a plain jane 'red' mule? Because she isn't fancy?

So imagine my surprise at my neighbor's reaction to 'the pretty little red mule'. As the diesel truck drove off and another car came barreling down the road...I thought to myself:

Here I am riding a mule that is so easy to get on,
get off,
saddle,...
and doesn't mind going off alone...
Why have I not chosen her more before?

Because of Badger.
How ironic that it took Badger's illness to make me realize that I had a shining little star in my pasture that I took for granted.

We rode through the darkness towards home. Me, swelled with pride on the little red mule.
...and the little red mule stepping out with purpose and willingness.

Killer Soy Beans

Siera knew something that Owner did not...
Soy Beans can be very dangerous.

They just lie there and look green and innocent...

When under those faultless green leaves was a dark pitless underworld where 'nasties' lurked to attack young molly mules and drag them under [with said owner of course]. So, Siera stood diligent, not moving a hoof or muscle while Owner urged her quietly forward.
Nope.

She was NOT to be swayed. She knew things that her owner did not. The 'nasties' of the Mule Underworld lurked beneath all that green~ness.
Her concern became even greater when her owner dismounted and tried to lead her into the Soy Bean field.
She know that Owner had good intentions, and just wanted her to put one hoof into the murky blackness under those leaves...
yet, her good common Mule Sense knew better.

Siera gently pulled Owner back out of the Soy Beans, fearing that Owner would get sucked down into nothing-ness.

However.
Corn Fields were much much different.
She proved that to Owner by marching right into a row of corn and standing still.

Of This and That

This morning I picked two 1 gallon buckets of green beans from our little garden. I was pleased.
All green beans have been processed and are sitting snugly in the freezer waiting to be a delicious addition to a winter meal.

I used to HATE picking green beans. I still dislike it. But the difference is...the beans are mine.
I grew them, it is my choice to pick them.
They are not a chore to be done, they are a labor of love.

Enough of beans.

Last night I decided to take out my camera and a flash light to try something I'd read about called Light Painting. I used a tripod, manual settings, and a flashlight with a red filter and a blue filter to diffuse the light.
20 some shots later, I thought I'd see what I had created [I had to put it together in photoshop to see what I had!].

Yes, the tractor was a fun creation. It took time and patience.

Morris was very patient with me. I think he and my husband were ready to send me to the looney bin.

Tonight I'm cooking up fresh beets from the garden also.

Goals for this evening.
Put food on the table quickly.
Since it is cool and pleasant out...grab a mule and find an adventure.

Tomorrow is another day.
I'll be at a Horse Show and visiting with family.

There will be many great photo ops I'm sure!

3 nights, 3 mules...

Sunshine~~ Badger's little half sister...
She is 12 years old...been there...done most of ....that...

Then last night...Badger.
Bareback riding with him is relaxing, he just moseys along...
Quiet evening.
Birds singing the good night song...
Tractors in the field.
My farming neighbors finishing up the daily chores.

Then there is Siera.
I started her under saddle last year. She is coming along so nicely. I hate to say it but she is quickly becoming a 'favorite' of mine.
...and it isn't just because she is a bay mule either. She has so much good sense. She takes new things in stride as if she were an aged mule.

Tonight we followed a neighbor out of her field. Siera stepped out, following the tractor and the hay bine, as if it should belong to her.

I sat on Siera and talked with our neighbor as the hot August sun slowly fell into the western horizon.
Two dogs ran under Siera playing and growling.
A truck drove by.
Siera stood quietly looking around curiously.

My neighbor reached up and stroked Siera's nose.

*She is nice!*
A great compliment from a bonafide horse woman.

Siera and I headed towards home as dusk settled in. The dew was heavy on the grass as I put her back in with Sunshine and the gang.
Siera stood by the gate.
Sweat was dripping off the both of us.

She dropped her head back into the rope halter...as if to say...
*Don't forget about me.*

She stood and watched as I walked towards the house.
I am impressed by this young mule.
She speaks volumes without a word.

Say Goodnight...

The crickets are beginning to sing. The chores are done, the sun is fading in the west and the temperatures have cooled a bit.

Sunshine is the first mule to the gate as I walk down there with halter in hand.
How did she know that 'she' was the one getting picked for an evening ride?

It is still quite humid and warm, but not as bad as it was midday.

Sunshine is quiet while I saddle her. She stands patiently while I fiddle with the britchen. I rode Fred last with this saddle so there are a few minor adjustments.
I haven't ridden Sunshine for a while, but I am not concerned. She has gone up to nearly 8 months without being ridden [her knee injury last July] and hasn't really forgotten a thing.

After all, she is a good mule with a good mind. A little strong headed sometimes, but willing and able.
Not only that.
She is a nice size for me. I only have to lift my leg to knee height to put my foot in the stirrup.
She never picked up her mother's 'air-headed' attitude. She is 99% sensible.

We head up the driveway and down the road, crossing through freshly cut and baled hay fields.
We stop for a while and watch some deer in the distance.

It is growing dark.
Sunshine doesn't want to stand still...so I ask her to for another minute or so.

Finally we head home and stop at the mailbox to pick up the mail and the Shopper.
Her pasture-mates nicker to her as we return in the twilight.

She is a fine little red mule.

I release her back into the pasture as darkness comes on full.
Siera comes up and tries to put her head in the halter, she turns and lays her ears back at Eddie and Dinah who have also come to me.

I reach out and pat Siera and murmur that it will be her turn next.

Good night sweet mules...and donkey.

I've gone Crazy over Flowers

It was too hot to ride this early afternoon so I decided to dive into some photo editing of recent flowers blooming around my house and garden.
These are creations for fun.

This is a cosmos in my vegetable garden right after a rain.
Of course it looks nice, but I decided to see what some filters would do.
I used the Filter>Stylize>Wind

I then used Topaz and used the Preset in Simplify > Buzsim

Somewhere I decided to use a separate layer and go with Levels>to dark>Radial Blur and drop that layer under the flower layer.

I changed the opacity of the 'levels' layer so it wouldn't over power the rest of the picture.

To this:

Other edits for today:


The temps are a bit more friendly outside now, and I've recovered from a morning of hot sticky work pulling noxious weeds from Badger's pasture and cutting weeds from underneath the electric fence...

I think I should go out to play now...