Tag Archives: Icelandic horses

A Windy Weekend

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It’s been a very windy weekend and everyone is feeling a bit blown about.

(though, it hasn’t stopped anyone eating).

Today was much nicer than yesterday which was interspersed by occasional violent rain showers, taking everyone by surprise – 3 pairs of trousers hanging up to dry due to far too much optimism.

The older chaps are still in their “safety” field where Kolka can easily see everyone and hopefully calm down a bit.

Their routine is the same and, although I hadn’t planned for anyone to eat this field down just yet, I tell myself it is good for this lot to “take the top off” so the Shetland ponies can go in later, or it will make a good field if it snows – close to the containers but has some grass in it.

I am still giving Kolka a large dose of painkillers to deter her from being annoyed with her healing wound.  I really don’t want her scratching and opening it up and I am pleased with how it is looking.

  

Kolka’s vet is being kept fully up-to-date too.

I am due to go south in a few weeks so I am desperate for Kolka and everyone else to behave and for Kolka to go back to her normal again with no more accidents, please.  Pretty please even.

 

I have told Kolka this.  Hmmmm!  I do hope she was listening.

No Idea What is Going On

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I went out early worried at what I might find in the stable but Kolka, Iacs and Haakon were fine and wanting to leave. I gave them their breakfast and everyone was totally normal.

Next I led Fivla and Vitamin into the field I thought would be safest for Kolka so they could all be together again.

Everyone went in, again perfectly normally.

And since then I have been checking on Kolka every few hours and there has been nothing.

Her owner came to see her and he agreed, Kolka was the same old Kolka, except for the massive wound on her forehead, now stitched up.  He got not vibes either of anything being off and he knows Kolka very well.

So I wonder if it was just a series of unfortunate events – (falling over fence, superficial cut on forehead, panic attack and then major cut on forehead) ie. completely random events that have absolutely nothing to do with each other or is there something else going on?  I just don’t know and I have no clues either from Kolka herself.  She is so normal, like nothing has happened. She remains on daily analgesia and antibiotics.

We will see how things go in the next few days before we make any big decisions.  If I can’t keep Kolka safe, then ….. well, as my mother would say, “we will see”.

 

 

Kolka (again)

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Oh crikey – where to begin.

Floss and I got up very early and fed all the animals 2 hours before their usual time (I was driving her to the airport).  It was just getting light but we could see to do our chores.

Floss fed the Icelandic horses for me, while I fed Fivla and Vitamin next door.  I noticed Kolka running around and behaving very oddly, blindly panicking, as if she couldn’t see Haakon and Iacs.  She quickly settled once she eventually found them (in their usual place) and ate her breakfast. But this was very strange behaviour and my waters churned.

I put Fivla and Vitamin into Kolka’s field to see if that would help calm her down and we saw no more odd behaviour.

Later this afternoon, I went into Kolka’s field to take a few photos and found she had split her head open and had a huge forehead to nose nasty cut.  Dear God, how on earth had she done that?  I have no idea but in herself, Kolka was absolutely fine and totally oblivious to her huge injury.

I called the vet and she came over quickly.  While I was waiting I watched Kolka for anymore odd behaviour. Nothing.

I also put Kolka’s forelock into a bunch to keep it out of her wound.

So the vet checked Kolka over thoroughly, and sewed her up under light sedation.

Like me, the vet got not weird vibes off Kolka but we can’t rule out that there is possibly something else going on, possibly she hit her head when she was lying by the fence.  We just don’t know.  And how did she get that huge cut? Did she scratch her head against something in the field and it opened up the previous head cut which got worse?

So prayers for tonight please.  They’re in the sheep’s shed. Haakon and Iacs are keeping Kolka company while I feel sick with worry.

Outside. All of You!

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The horses had their breakfast and then they just stood there in their shed not going anywhere like outside.

Plus some chickens arrived.

By 10.30 it was quite a nice day outside.  The back door was wide open.  It had been all night so everyone could come and go.  We were pretty sure Iacs had worked this out.

Haakon poked his nose outside to see if I was telling the truth about the nice day.

And then a bit more appeared and in the end all three horses filed out and went off to eat some grass.  Huzzah!

The day got nicer but I found Iacs standing around, waiting to help with any food-related chores.

I was trying to feed an errant duck who told me he had missed breakfast so could he have some now.  I stood determinedly stood guard.

After lunch, I decided that the safest place for everyone was the lower field.  Floss found  Kolka had a cut to her forehead (as well as her back legs from the accident) – we have no idea how she did that.  I sprayed it with antibiotic spray, gave her last a/b injection and we led all three down to their new field telling them to stay out of trouble.

The horses were last seen stuffing their fat faces.  I can’t let Fivla and Vitamin in there yet because the grass is that bit too good for them, so they have to content themselves being next door where they can all see each other perfectly well.  Anyway, they have the shed all to themselves so that must count for something.

I’ve had enough of the drama now.  Thank you very much.  Can everyone stop hurting themselves.  The sheep will be pleased, though.

Kolka Update

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Kolka seems a lot more like her strong 32 year old self today.

She is alert, interested and eating better, although still stiff when she walks but there is more range of movement in her hind legs.

She remains on twice daily painkillers, an injection of antibiotics (which she is very good about – it’s a big one with a large needle), probiotics and is mostly living outside with her waterproof rug on.

Her eating is more enthusiastic too, which is encouraging.

Fivla and Vitamin are close by shouting for their herd but they have to stay where they are as the grass around the house is too rich for them, especially this time of year.

However, the sheep are very unimpressed with this new set-up.

I have barred the entrance to their shed so they can still come and go if they want with no horses inside.

And opposite, the horses can do the same if they want shelter.   There is food and water there too.

So, turn left if you’re a horse and right if you’re a sheep.

As I write, absolutely no one has worked out my marvellous piece of shed management.

But I think the long rich grass, the pottering about with her friends is what Kolka needs to keep her mind and her guts active.

So, keep thinking and praying for Kolka as I keep forgetting she is 32 years old. Yesterday’s drama was not something an old lady should have to go through.  I thank the Gods we got to her when we did.