Rough times ahead

I had a hard time writing this post, because there isn’t  much going on with Otter – other than his lack of sweat.  Every time I went out last week, I took a different type of beer (amber, light, hard cider, Guinness), and he doesn’t like any of them.  With the Guinness I actually ended up syringing half of it into his mouth just to get it in his system.  I love him to death, but I hate how picky he is at times.  He’s getting the One A.C. in his grain AM and PM, and thank god he’s eating that.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be making much of a difference.

Beer for my horse

 The sweating that he was doing after rides last week has stopped, and now he will just barely sweat around his mane, and just a hint of sweat under his tack - nothing on his neck or chest.  Even hosing him off before the ride and not doing much doesn’t keep him cool for long.  On Wednesday the barn staff pulled him out of his stall multiple times to be hosed down and placed in front of a fan (since he will rarely stand in front of the one in his stall – preferring to stand against the wall dividing him and his buddy).  After hearing that, I’ve decided that until he starts sweating a decent amount again, we aren’t going to do any more rides.  I had been hoping that the exercise would induce his cooling system to kick back in, but it does not seem to be the case. 

Not a fan of Mich Ultra

 So Thursday morning, I just gave him a good shampooing to see if that would help, and then hung around the barn for a while so I could hose him off again after he had starting getting too warm again.

So not interested in beer

 I am so grateful to my barn staff, whom has been checking on him constantly this week and every time he looks like he is feeling uncomfortable or starts breathing heavier, pulls him out of the stall, hoses him, and lets him sit in front of the high power fan.  I don’t know what I would do without them right now.  I just hope we don’t have to go through months of this.

So please, think sweaty thoughts for Otter.