What About Bob.

NEWSLETTER Volume 3, Number 4, April 2006

Those of you who have been reading this column over the past year will know that last fall I adopted a horse called Bob a.k.a. Cowboy Bob or Desperado Bob, depending on his situation. (See the womentalkhorses Newsletters for September and October 2005 for the beginning of this story). Bob, I am happy to report, is still with us and is very much a part of the herd.

When I last wrote about Bob, it was to say that he was very sick with “pigeon fever.” Until last fall, most horse owners and veterinarians in North Idaho had not heard of or seen cases of the bacterial infection known colloquially as pigeon fever because of the tendency for massive swelling on the pectoral muscles that cause the horse to resemble a puffed out pigeon breast, but the disease hit the area hard last year. Despite its name, the infection and resulting swelling can manifest itself in various parts of a horse’s body. Bob’s infection centered on his mid-line abdominal region and at its worst point, to stay with the avian images, was the size of a large turkey platter and about three inches thick. We battled the infection and resulting endotoxins for about three weeks. While the pigeon fever eventually healed, Bob had a secondary complication in that the massive bacterial infection triggered a further laminitis episode. So that we knew what we were dealing with, our veterinarian took x-rays of Bob’s front feet and we learned that he had an 11 degree rotation of the coffin bone on his left front, and a 9 degree rotation on the right front ­ not good, but manageable. (We don’t know if the rotation worsened with the laminits episode or the rotations we found were from the original founder last spring). Bob also had abscesses on both front feet that eventually erupted through the coronary band.

There were a lot of long, hard discussions with our veterinarian, and serious consultations with our farrier. There were days when I didn’t know if Bob would make it, and nights when I returned from the barn and wondered if he would be alive the next morning. Through all of this treatment, Bob was always gentle, kind, and willing (except he hates to take any medications orally). Bob and I had some long talks too. Well, I did most of the talking! The answers I consistently got from Bob were that he wanted to make it and that he was fighting to stay alive. Our vet did all he could, then said that the rest was up to Bob. Given his recent history, I wasn’t sure whether emotionally he had the will to live, but he showed that he was very much still with us. For my part, I applied REIKI to his meridians to help with the laminitis and to strengthen his immune system. Eventually the bacterial infection cleared up and the laminitis became less acute. Our farrier did a wonderful job of reshaping Bob’s hooves and fitted him with shoes to give him some relief and to help prevent further abscesses forming as Bob went through the winter and into the muddy spring. Bob has his hooves trimmed and his shoes reset every six weeks and the new hooves are growing in well.

Throughout the fall and winter Bob’s attitude toward people was matched by his attitude toward Shadow and Savannah. He demonstrated to them that he just wanted to be part of the herd, and they accepted him readily. All three horses have common turnout in the big pasture, and after a few months living in his own paddock, Bob moved in with Shadow and they are now “the guys.” (The accompanying photo is of Bob with his fuzzy winter coat).

We discovered another part of Bob’s history this week when he had his teeth floated. As our veterinarian opened up Bob’s mouth and examined his teeth in detail, he paused to show me Bob’s tongue. Bob has an old scar, kind of a butterfly shaped flap of thick skin, which is undoubtedly the result of an old trauma. Our veterinarian said that the dimensions fit those of a spade bit (sometimes euphemistically called a correction bit) that must have been used with such brutal force that it tore Bob’s tongue open. It doesn’t prevent him from eating well and it doesn’t seem to trouble him, but it made me sick to my stomach to think of the pain he must have suffered and the callousness with which he has been treated at some stage in his life. We have only ridden Bob in a rope halter so far, and given what we now know, will continue to ride him in a rope hackamore or gentle bosal, no more bits for this horse. I told Bob that I can’t always guarantee his health, but I can promise him that the kind of abuses he has suffered in the past are over. I can’t help but wonder what other stories Cowboy Bob will have to share with us.

Anna Banks, Editor womentalkhorses.com
editor@womentalkhorses.com
Moon Hill Ranch, Idaho