Jesse's "Manolo" Shoes!

Jesse has bad feet. Not just just bad...but probably some of the worst feet you will see. When we first got him seven years ago he was a neglected, underweight, shaggy scared little 2 yr old gelding. And he was anemic! THE DOC gave him shots for 3 months until his blood leveled out. Who knows how long he had been anemic before we corrected it. At the same time I was also anemic and getting iron infusions to correct it. My hematologist told me that a sign of anemia was thin, ridged, peeling nails. At the time I had "faux" nails so could not see that after 4 years of being anemic...that is how my real nails looked. Although no vet will confirm this I believe this has attributed to his poor hoof condition. And because he is also a "snowbird" changing farriers every 6 months has created these terrible quarter cracks.

The chip in the front is because he lost a shoe out on the trail and took a small piece of hoof with it!

Heavy clamps on the front.

Another view!

All of these cracks come from the top...down. However there is an eighth of an inch grow out without any cracks that is good news that we are on the right track!




Poor baby!!!

Jesse's custom made steel toed "Manolo's"! We call them "Manolo's" because you could buy a pair for what Jesse's shoes cost! Jesse's "owey" toes have almost disappeared because of them. Of course...we are also very careful not to ride trails that may cause him to have issues again.

And...The Desert Rose has made a very difficult decision, I will not be taking Jesse back to the PNW with me at the end of our desert season but instead leave Jesse here in The Bossman's loving care and give him a full year with his desert farrier. It is only right that I give him this opportunity to get healthy hooves.

However...The Desert Rose is a "horse addict" and The Bossman knows that nothing would be worse than a "redhead" going through withdrawals...even 2000 miles away from him! The Bossman has graciously volunteered to loan me "Little Lady" for the PNW season!!!

As you all know...I luv her bunches and have known her since she was born here in the desert. She was just days old the first time I saw her in her little hot pink halter being led with her mom for some arena play time! Jesse has ponied her from the time she was 6 months old and they think they are siblings. I am very grateful and thankful to The Bossman for his generosity!!!

Your Desert Rose!!!

THE "HANNIBLE LECTOR" HORSE!

WARNING...This photo may even scare "Silence of the Lambs" fans!!!

I been neglectful in reporting back to ya' all about Jesse's appointment with the "heart Doctor"! We have had sooooo many grand babies requiring Papa And Zsa Zsa servicing that we have not had time for much else. That is the price we pay for being "snowbirds"! We don't get to see our babies as often as we would like....but instead get a big dose to last us till we need another fix!

If you remember, Jesse was having a difficult time recovering from any hard work this season. The Bossman and I finally could find no excuse to explain it this late in the season and called in THE DOC to check Jesse out. To our dismay, THE DOC also discovered issues he was concerned about and sent us to the nearest horsey "Mayo Clinic" to get Jesse check out. THE DOC did blood work so that they horsey Mayo Clinic would have all the results when we got there. The appointment was scheduled for a Thursday at 1:00PM. I knew that I was not interested in hauling Jesse's Limo an hour and 1/2 away to a town I had never been too in LA type traffic and was going to hire one of the wranglers from the stables to drives us. However when I mentioned this to The Bossman he said "Just wait...I hope to take a vacation day!". Well...who better to go with us but The Bossman who luvs Jesse and could answer and ask any questions about his health. And because The Bossman is responsible for Jesse's daily "requirements" it would really great for him to have 1st hand info from the heart Doctor. After several emails back and forth... as always for the Bossman and I to get a plan, that works for me...the plan was set.

He would drive the "KING RANCH" hauling Jesse's Limo, that I would hook up! I would get us a sack lunch and coffee and be ready to leave at 10:30 am for our appointment factoring in getting lost time. I arrive to the stables at 9:30 ish. I get the Limo hooked up first try!!! Things are going great. I walk around the trailer as Spanky taught me to do and as I pulled out the last wheel block, something just did not look right.Then I see....the flat tire on the back left side. Can you believe it??? Here I was trying to show The Bossman that I could "cowgirlthefuckup" (25 cents to the cuss jar!) here was something I could NOT do! I have never changed a flat tire in my life...let alone on a horse trailer!!!

Time is moving too fast now and I do the only thing I can think of...cry for help! Fortunately, the owner of the stables took pity on me, calmed me down and had the tire off, and the tire store alerted to my crisis as The Bossman pulled up to the trailer. The Bossman and I raced to the tire store and in 20 minutes were on our way back to the stables. With all of this going on...we pulled out of the stables at 10:30AM sharp with Jesse thinking we were just going for a ride happily eating his 2nd breakfast in the back of the limo.

Now those of you who are seasoned bloggers would be posting a picture now of the flat tire and of it being changed! Alas, I was in such a state that I did not even think about it until 30 miles down the road. And a good thing too... as later in the trip I discovered that I only had memory on my camera for 11 pictures!!! Now this is as we call it in our household, a "CATASTROPHY"!

The Bossman and I get to the horsey "Mayo Clinic" with 20 of our getting lost minutes to spare. The Heart Doctor made us wait till 1:00 exactly, but then strolled up to us and review Jesse's case. Both The Bossman and I shared info with him then he had his staff take Jesse to the round pen for a work out. At first they had him on a long line and I explained to them that he will free lunge for them pretty easy cause the Desert Rose has "seahorse sickness" and I can not lounge him on a line. Jesse did a wonderful job of following the staffs instructions and before long the Doc said to stop him and he would listen to his heart and watch his recovery.

The "heart Doc" is in the stripped shirt and has an apprentice vet (girl) on the other side also listening to Jesse's heart. Sometimes she does everything 1st and tells him what she thinks...then he does it all over and tells her what he found different or the same. They confer that Jesse does have a 4th heartbeat and now will do the next test! Mean while I look for The Bossman and find him doing what he likes to do best!

The Bossman always seems to find a pretty lady...even when his attentions should be elsewhere...like with Jesse and me maybe???

The staff takes Jesse to another area where they are going to simulate his breathing after a workout by limiting his oxygen.

Jesse exhibits recovery issues!!! So on to the next test.

Monitoring Jesse's "scope" test of his lungs! The tube went up Jesse's nose to his lungs and we could then see his lungs on the TV monitor. It was a real long tube!!!

The "heart DR. ultra sound specialist"! ( yes...another DR!!!)



One of nine 3rd year vet students listening for Jesse's 4th heart beat!

If you look close you can see 4 stethoscopes focused on Jesse and a big poop pile Jesse left for them!!!

After 4 long hours and many procedures and tests including a lung x-ray and both front feet x-rayed , Jesse was given the following diagnosis.

1. An extra heartbeat that he has probably always had and shows up after exercise. It is not an issue of concern. Many race horses have this same condition.

2. "Horsey Asthma"... which is being treated by a serries of steriods.

3. Bad hooves...but no disease showing up in ex-rays.

Jesse, Mom and the Bossman arrive back home at the stables...and very relieved at the Dr's report!

Now... you all saw everything that Jesse went through at his visit to the "heart Doc". He did not make one... not one single protest at all the poking, prodding, tubing or ultrasounding, although the DR. instucted all of his vet students to do an ultrasound on their own heart as homework because of how uncomfortable/painful it can be for a Quarter horse. They are so muscled up in the chest that you have to push really hard to get a good picture of the heart but yet Jesse was a terrific patient!!!

In the outside hall from us a "warm blood" was brought up for an exray of his lower leg area. After 4 trys the satff asked the DR. if they could sedate the horse. The Dr. said yes and a droopy horse then got his x-rays taken. It was NEVER even considered for Jesse as he acted like you were just picking his hooves or some other grooming task, even when at one time I counted 13 humans around him watching and listening to his heart ultra sound! Did he "cowhorsethefuckup" (25 cents in the cuss jar) or what???

Your Desert Rose!

Jesse's Day with THE DOC!

I don't know if I mentioned that this season in the desert besides Jesse's owey toes and quarter carck issues we have also noticed that it is taking him much longer to recover from climbing or trotting and loping. There were several possible reasons for this that The Bossman and I kept tossing back and forth as why he was having trouble.

1. Our PNW trainer broke her leg and has been out since the 1st week in August. Instead of his usual 5 days a week of being ridden he was only getting our 2 rides a week the 3 months before he came to the desert. Thus he came down to the desert not as legged up as he normally is.

2. Because of his 3 separate weeks off with his owey toes...we had to start all over each time we started getting him legged up.

3. Jesse is usually body clipped within a week or 2 of us getting to the desert. This year the lady that does it has had a hard time getting to it...then it got too cold down here to do it. It has been rescheduled to be done but has not happened as of yet. His hair is thick and curly like a cows and maybe just could not cool down because of it.

4. His new "Manolo's" were put on 6 weeks ago and he has not had owey toes...however he still is having trouble getting his breathing under control.

Last week I called The Doc and made an appointment to take a look at Jesse's problem. The Doc had been on some rides with us where we had to wait for Jesse to recover. Here are today's pictures of his visit with The Doc and THE BOY!

Who is The Boy trying to fool with this??? However when Jesse saw this he was afraid it was going up the other end!!

Instead they put it over Jesse's nostrils to create a restricted breathing response from Jesse. He was such a good boy and just let THE BOY hold this over his nose while The DOC listened to both sides of his lungs and heart.

They do this several time and Jesse just stood there!

The Doc listens to Jesse's heart and lungs!

The Doc wants to listen again after Jesse gets a bit of a run. The Bossman takes him into the arena.

After Jesse's run the Doc listens again!

And again!

And again!!!

So yes..............I am freaking out!!!

The Doc says that Jesse's lungs are clear, but he is not hearing a "normal heart beat" after working. It is like he has an"extra beat". The Doc recommended that we take Jesse to the Vet school and hour and 1/2 away for an EKG, chest ex ray and possible scope test. The Doc said he believes it is nothing life threatening but that we need to have it checked out. He decides to give Jesse a steroid shot that is an anti inflamatory and wants us to work Jesse tomorrow and see if he recovers any quicker after the shot.

The Doc prepares Jesse's shot!

Jesse takes his shot like a big boy!

However was not to happy about getting/giving a blood sample!

SAVE ME MOM!!! But The Bossman has a tight hold on him!

THE BOY and his Shadow dog pose...but I told Shadow not to expose himself so THE BOY covered his privates!

At this time we are waiting for The DOC to schedule an appointment for us next week at the Vet school hospital. We are keeping our fingers crossed that this condition is treatable, and that Jesse will be back to himself on the trails soon!

The BOY plays with Jesse's mouth, which Jesse LOVES!

Your Anxious Desert Rose!