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WELCOME JEWELS - a.k.a. GRANNY JEWELS!
We learned about this mare in December 2006 - about the
same time we started looking for an older mare to help raise Chloe, our
nurse mare foal. Chloe has been lost and sad since Grandma crossed
Rainbow Bridge this past October. We felt Chloe needed another
wise and patient mare to teach her how to be a horse. In Chloe's
mind, she is more human than horse! We received offers from many
caring people offering Chloe their own elderly mare which was very
thoughtful. But we wanted to find an elderly mare that needed help
- like Grandma did. Grandma had also been abandoned before she
came to our farm. Only Grandma was very emaciated and had almost
starved to death.
*Photos
not to be copied without permission.
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01/04/07: We received a call early in morning to pickup an elderly
mare that had been left behind a few months ago by her owners at a farm
where she was being boarded.
She arrived at the farm and was a sight for sore eyes. The poor
mare had no butt hair. She got off the trailer lame - her feet
definitely need work. She is about 26 years old.
She appears to be a Tennessee Walking Horse and Peruvian Paso Fino cross
- a Tennuvian!
She settled in quickly and we found her to be a very pleasant mare.
Later in the day we gave her a nice warm bath which she seemed to truly
appreciate. She has some rain rot and her butt has areas that is
just raw skin. She stood perfectly still for us to
bathe her and treat her butt. She has awesome manners.
She drops a lot of food when she eats so we're sure her teeth need to be
done. She does have arthritis. |
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01/05/06: Granny Jewels was waiting for us at the gate this
morning. She's looking very relaxed and "at home" already.
She was more lame this today and she has been tripping over her toes a
lot more so we decided to pull her shoes. She was very good
it. They were just a light track shoe type. After, when we asked her to walk off
she was even more lame. She had to adjust to a walk without the
shoe and once she did she started walking better.
Granny has an angel! Janet is going to be Granny's angel! Go
Granny! Thank you Janet! |
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01/07/07: Chloe and Granny Jewels were put together in the barn
paddock together today. When I first looked out and saw them
together in the center aisle of the barn it took my breath away.
Memories of Grandma and Chloe came rushing back.
Granny was very patient with Chloe today. She even let Chloe try
to groom her. Chloe still isn't as comfortable with Granny as she
was with Grandma but she's getting there.
Granny lets Chloe share her hay and has never done anything mean to
Chloe like push her away like the horses here do.
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01/11/07: Granny's feet were so sensitive this am
we didn't think she'd be able to walk out of her stall. The
farrier came and put bar shoes on her. It was painful to watch -
her feet are just so very tender.
Granny has foundered which is likely she was abandoned. She does have some rotation
in both front feet and we'll have to have x-rays done.
This picture was taken looking straight at the front right hoof.
The left foot was very bad too. The two back feet weren't too bad
- just long. |
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01/12/07: I took a picture of Granny's butt today. It
has improved so very much in a short time. It is being treated
everyday and the skin is looking so much more healthy.
The first picture was taken on Jan 4th. The picture below it was
taken 8 days later. What a big difference! You can see the
new hair growth.
I wonder how long Granny's butt had been like that - it had to have been
uncomfortable. But now, only a week later, not only is the bare,
raw spots much better, her entire coat looks much more healthy.
She has a beautiful 38" long mane.
Granny is just beautiful - inside and out. She will let anyone
approach her and she doesn't seem to have any grudges against humans
because of how they neglected her.
Here's a picture of Chloe trying her best to get Granny to run and play
with her. Granny did chase Chloe around the house once and then
decided to just stand by and watch.
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01/20/07:
Galadriel Billington held a "hands
on" class with some of her students today at Beauty's Haven and it
was just awesome! Many of the horses got some extra TLC.
Especially Granny! She was doted on most of the day by Sarah,
an 8 year old that was visiting with her mom, Anne who helped out
most of the day. It was Anne's birthday so we all felt extra
special she spent it with us at the farm.
Granny got a great grooming, carrots, and even some pretty yellow
flowers that were lovingly placed throughout her beautiful mane.
Granny says "Come back soon Sarah! I really loved the
attention you gave me. When I was alone and on my on for so
long, just before I came here, I felt that nobody cared. I
missed the time and attention that I used to get many years ago when
I was special to somebody."
Granny felt even more special and loved when she received a surprise
package today from her angel, Janet, containing herbs that are going
to help her skin, coat, and feet. THANK YOU ANGEL JANET!
Granny's feet will be getting a very special treatment from
Keith Seeley, Certified Journeyman
II Farrier, in March sponsored by
Saddle Up Tack.
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01/30/07: Granny is having problems with mobility. On cold
mornings she can barely move until we warm her joints up by rubbing
them.
Today she started to turn around and was obviously having problems with
her balance. Her hips are a bit weak and she seems more stiff.
She's put on a few needed lbs. but we're watching her diet closely.
Weight plays a factor in her weak hips and ability to balance herself.
We can't let Granny out with Chloe during the day because she may get
hurt. Chloe goes out for a few hours with the other horses to get
exercise. Chloe seems to enjoy being around my Arabian mare,
Beauty. She's even starting to "strut her stuff" like Beauty does!
Beauty is the only other mare here that "tolerates" Chloe and isn't mean
to her. |
Granny stands by the fence and watches Chloe
most of the day. We don't feel it is worth the
risk to let Granny out with the others.
You can see in this picture she is moving stiffly.
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02/13/07: Granny really scared us today. She almost
lost her balance and started to fall. I held my breath and prayed
hard and she managed to regain her balance. OM gosh did it bring
back so many memories of what we went through with Grandma! Dr.
Das will be out tomorrow to treat her. We don't want Granny
getting any worse. Chloe counts on Granny being there for her - we
can't take any chances.
02/14/07: Dr. Das
treated Granny with chiropractic and acupuncture. Her
feet are terrible, her right stifle has an old injury, there is a lot of
discomfort in the hip and pelvic area - especially on the right side,
she's having a hard time with balance, and she has arthritis. We need
x-rays done on her front feet, possibly her back.
We couldn't get
Granny to pick up either of her front feet - she is just so unsteady and
they hurt her. Her hindquarters are very week. The right side is
weaker than the left. Dr. Das put her on a different herb and I am
to keep giving her Corta-Flx. I have been giving her Probiotics but Dr.
Das added another herb to help along with the Probiotics.
Dr. Das will be back next Wednesday, Feb 21st, to work on Granny again.
She will be getting her feet done on Feb 23rd. |
If anyone would like
to help with Granny's unexpected medical expenses please go to
our
homepage and click on the drop down arrow
by the Google Checkout button or you can
use the PayPal button.
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02/16/07: The vet took digital x-rays of Granny's front feet
today. The bad news is that her coffin bone has rotated at least
35 - 40 degrees in both front feet.
Balance in both front feet is bad. The right one is twice as bad
as the left. We are starting her on Ibuprophen and she will have
to have more frequent farrier visits. She can stay on the
Ibuprophen as long as necessary. She gets Probiotics and ProZyme
to make sure her tummy doesn't get upset.
The vet feels that Granny will never be sound but we should be able to
make her comfortable. That's what we want - for her
to be able to live out her life comfortably and happy. |
Granny's left front foot.
02/16/07
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02/18/07: Granny walked from the barn to the back yard of the
house this morning after breakfast! It's the furthest she's walked
in a long time so maybe the Ibuprophen and herbs are helping.
It was the coldest morning of the year we've had so far. She
wasn't as stiff and appeared to be eager to take a walk. She's got
a good attitude and is truly a sweet mare.
I was worried about her being able to get back to the barn but by
feeding time she headed that way. It took her much longer to get
back but she made it. Chloe stayed in the barn paddock and yard
with her today and she seemed to enjoy that.
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03/14/07: Keith Seeley trimmed Granny's feet today and oh my gosh
what a difference! Keith said he'd never seen a horse so out of
balance before which caused a great deal of strain on the rest of her
body.
She was wonderful for Keith and did everything he asked of her.
She was very comfortable and relaxed. Here are before and after
pictures of her front feet. Her back ones were bad too but not
nearly as bad as the front ones.
Keith did as much as he could but more work needs to be done.
She'll be getting much more frequent trims. And Keith thinks
she'll do just fine. No reason at all for talking about this mare
being ready to cross the Bridge!
When he was done trimming he took her out of the barn for a walk.
And walk she did! She walked and walked - was ready to go!
It was so nice to see her excited about moving right along! He
warned us she may be sore tomorrow.
If she starts to walk tenderly then we will put her slippers and pads on
her that Nikki and Susan sent to her. Our property is pretty soft
and sandy and this is good for her.
Thanks Susan (Saddle Up) for angeling Granny's trim from Keith and for
the "care package" you sent to her!
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03/22/07: Granny's feet were trimmed today. It's amazing how
much hoof growth there can be in only a week. Her balance is
better but it is going to take several more frequent trims to get her to
her optimum condition.
Classy, the little pony mare, and Granny have become quite a team.
Classy follows Granny everywhere during the day when Chloe is turned out
in the big paddock.
Granny is walked for five minutes at least 3 times a day. Her
joints were all out of alignment from being so out of balance.
It's going to take some time for things to fall into place.
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03/05/08: Granny Jewels having a treatment by Dr. Das. The
vets still haven't ruled out Granny having EPM. She'll have
another treatment by Dr. Das in a couple of weeks and we'll reassess her
then.
She is on supplements to treat EPM though.
THANK YOU ANGEL
JEANNE
FOR GRANNY'S TREATMENT! |
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