Today is Day 14 of foal count! I got up early and went to work to read the page proofs to my book, fedexed it to Rutgers, and then went to spend some time with my girls. I know Hailee would be annoyed at this photo, but it really does show just how big she's getting! She's got a real live, getting ready for the world foal in her! I groomed both girls, checked their hooves, thrushbustered them, and gave Violet some stretches and Hailee some foal introductions.
So, here's my worry. A few days ago, I pulled a straw out of the crown of Hailee's frog. Her right front had been sort of torn apart in the frog when she returned from Kentucky and I had been waiting for it to grow back. But now this straw had somehow got into the frog and crown. And that hoof was softer in the frog, coronet band and frog crown than the other front hoof. Not blazing hot, not pulsing. But definitely more spongey and definitely more warm. So, I am sort of freaked out. What if she has an abscess? What if she has some sort of infection? Will that affect the foal? If she has an infection, will she need antibiotics which would be bad for the foal?
I am going to try and relax and just monitor the situation. Tomorrow I will take a look and feel the hoof. She's not favoring that leg and is willing to put weight on it. So, we'll take a cautiously optimistic, but observant take on her problem.And as for Violet today, she was an angel. She practiced over ground poles and a jump. She was graceful, light of foot, and floated about. She never hit a pole and took the jump with a big loose stride, relaxation, and enough energy to clear it emphatically, but without over-jumping. She was pleased with herself. She even did a clear jump for Stephanie and Tony! Tomorrow she and I are going to take our first ride of 2008!
Wish us luck tomorrow on our ride. And please send up a prayer about Hailee's hoof!
