It Is Freaking Hot!

Almost 100 at 6:58pm

I know..it is supposed to be hot in Florida. Which is why I hate Florida! I hate the heat. But the past few days have posted record heat records. When I went to feed last evening, it was still in the 90's at 7:30.
I fed the two and somehow managed to pick up the pasture while they ate, something I had told myself I would do that evening, as I hadn't gotten to it in a few days.
After filling the water troughs with cool, fresh water, the horses were turned out.

Imp promptly returned to her stall.
I had to convince her that she was going out for the night.

Horse management in this heat is tough.

You not only have the heat, but you have the flies and mosquitoes to deal with.
Tucker's allergies are making him miserable, and the heat doesn't help. He can't wear a fly mask as it rubs his sore on his cheek..I have tried 3 different masks and have tried to modify them, none work. Besides, I think they actually make his allergies worse..they are hot and they trap the heat. But, without the mask, his eyes run and on some days, he rubs his nose open.
So I compromise. If his eyes are bad or the nose is bleeding, he wears the mask...until he removes it.
>sigh<
Imp loves wearing fly boots...don't ask me why I never put them on her before. But she sweats in a fly mask. Nikki came to pick up some SMZ's and to visit yesterday and when I removed her mask to show her Imp's still swollen above the eyes area, she was all sweaty under the fly mask. So I left it off.
This morning, I rode Tucker..barely.
We walked, did some trotting, long enough to get him into a frame. Did some cantering. And then quit. We didn't even make it 30 minutes. But it was enough just to keep him in shape.

Why do I seem to have the worst hot flashes when I am riding and it is already so friggin' hot? It is all I can do to keep myself from jumping in the pond.

I rinsed Tucker off extra long today, and then pulled Imp out of her stall to rinse her off. After breakfast, she refuses to leave her stall, even though I leave her door open. She even let me dribble water from my cupped hands down her forehead...you know she is hot when she lets me do that.

Horses are out for the evening, with cool, fresh water

Fans are on, fresh, clean and cool water fills their buckets, lights are off and they are in their stalls for the day. I think that while this heat continues, I will head out at noon to rinse them again...it has to make them feel a little better!

Smart Horse Keeping Consultation

Mission Statement:

It is my belief that all horses deserve to be treated equally. They deserve the best possible care that their owner/barn manager can give them: a full belly of good quality hay and feed, shelter and fresh water. They should have access to farrier and veterinary care. And they should be treated kindly by their owner and handlers. For a human to do all this, they need to be educated. Having co-founded and operated a non-profit horse rescue, I realize that too many horses end up in bad situations because of uneducated horse owners. All too often, horses end up being neglected, starved, abused or in the slaughter house, because their human didn’t know any better. They buy the wrong horse or they don’t know how to care for it properly, and in frustration, they “dump” the horse, sometimes to a situation even worse. Or sometimes, because of a lack of education, the horse becomes ill and sometimes they die. My belief is that an educated owner makes for a healthy and happy horse!

Who I Am:

I was born into a family that owned horses, so I grew up being exposed to horses my whole life. My grandfather owned horses and boarded broodmares on his farm outside of Pittsburgh, and I learned a lot from him and his clients. I could never afford to board my horse at full service stables, so I learned to care for my horse myself. I learned from experienced horsemen, attended lectures and clinics, took classes and mainly, I observed. I have been involved with the United States Pony Club, as a parent, a District Commissioner and as a regional volunteer.

As the co-founder of a horse rescue, I expanded my knowledge even more, learning to rehabilitate and care for abused, starved and neglected horses.

As a competitor, I learned from many professionals to properly care for the athletic horse. Being an eventer, it is even more vital to get the most of my horse, by means of proper nutrition, conditioning and dedicated horse and stable management.

My philosophy has always been that the well-being of the horse comes first, and that it is possible to do so, on a budget, without sacrificing the quality of care.

What I Can Do For The Horse and/or Stable Owner:

By incorporating my philosophy and mission statement, I will come to your farm and evaluate your practices (see list below). I will then write up a stable management plan, which will help you identify areas that need improving. I am able to consult with a feed nutritionist and a Professional Engineer (fire safety), as well as other professionals as needed. After I have devised a stable management plan for you, I will present my findings to you, with solutions. My stable management plan can be tailored for the small back yard horse owner or for large boarding, breeding and training facilities.

Services Available:

Stable Management Consultation:

I will inspect your farm for the following:

·         Horse management practices

·         Poisonous plants

·         Quality of feed and hay

·         Storage facilities for hay and feed

·         Bedding

·         Manure disposal

·         Pasture management, including fencing inspection and weed control

·         Fire safety

·         Farrier/Veterinary protocols

·         Parasite and rodent control

After I inspect your farm, I will write you a Horse Management Plan, which will detail areas that you can improve on. For example, many horse owners do not know how to identify poisonous plants on their property or how to properly bed a stall. Some horse owners don’t know the correct feed to buy or will feed moldy hay. I will identify areas that need to be improved upon and give tips on how to do so.

This is ideal for the new horse and/or farm owner who needs to learn how to properly care for their horse. Additionally, the boarding barn owner/manager, will benefit from this consultation, to learn how to get the most out of their dollar, without sacrificing quality care.

Fee: $125 for 1-6 horses/stalls   $150 for 7-12 horses/stalls   $200 for over 12 horses/stalls

SPECIALTY CONSULTATIONS:

Emergency Planning Consultation:

Custom emergency plan for hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding and wild fires. Based upon where your farm is located, I will develop a plan for dealing with emergencies. This includes evacuation plans and safety tips.

This is ideal for all horse owners and boarding/training/showing facilities.

Fee: $50 with Horse Management Consult; $100 without Horse Management Consult

Quarantine Guidelines:

I will help you develop and implement a quarantine plan for one horse or multiple horses. Whether introducing a new horse into your herd, hosting events or dealing with sick horses, all barns should have a quarantine plan in effect.

Fee: $50 with Horse Management Consult; $100 without Horse Management Consult

Nutrition Consultation:

Whether your horse is a pleasure mount, retiree or competitive show horse, I can help you come up with a sound feeding plan that will help you get the most of your money, while giving your horse the best nutrition. If you own or board multiple horses, I will show you how to provide for each horse’s individual nutrition requirements.

Fee: $50 with Horse Management Consult; $100 without Horse Management Consult

Two or more specialty consults, in addition to the Horse Management Consult: $40 each

Sales Consultation:

Designed for the new horse owner, I will assist you in locating that perfect first horse. Unfortunately, the equine industry is full of unscrupulous people, who will take advantage of first time horse buyers. It is not uncommon for horses to be drugged to mask their true tendencies, making them appear safe and calm when in reality they are not. Lame horses may be drugged to make them appear sound. It is not uncommon for a first time horse owner to purchase a horse based upon his looks or breed or even color, instead of his temperament! I will help you make the right choice.

Fee: 15% of purchase fee or $150 if no horse purchased

These fees are for the Orlando area, extending north to Ocala and south to Tampa, as well as both directions east and west to the coast. For areas beyond this, the fees will be slightly higher, to take into account gas and travel time.

I am available to speak about Smart Horse Keeping to your club or group!

Contact Lori at 407-435-2407

calypsofarm@embarqmail.com

Calypso Farm's New Venture

Some of  you may know that a month ago, I was laid off from my job as a Certified Chiropractic Assistant. It was a low blow, as I had no idea it was coming.
Since then, I have applied to over 100 openings, and the only ones I hear back from are scams. How do I know that they are scams? Well, by now, I am pretty much adept at identifying them. If they are on Craig's List, they are more readily obvious, but they appear on more legit sights like Indeed and Monster. First off, the salary is a good giveaway..if it appears too good to be true, it is. But the clever scammers go into great detail about the opening, keeping the salary more in range. You don't know it is a scam until you receive an email that either 1) wants you to go to their website for further information, 2) needs your credit information or 3) starts off by saying that they are away in another country on a business trip, however, after reviewing your application, they are pretty confident that you are the right match for their company and they want you to begin employment right away.
Deep sigh here. It is pretty depressing.
So until I start playing the lottery and win big, or an unknown relative dies and leaves me their fortune, I need to get pretty creative to support Tucker and Imp.
First, I have become a Sales Rep for MDs Choice. They are the makers of the joint supplement that I have used for years. www.gluquestrian.com. Go to their testimonial page and we are their first one.
It is strictly commission, they haven't been around in Florida for a few years, so this means I have to continue getting creative.
I have decided to start heading to the horse shows as a vendor. Not only as a rep for Gluquestrian and their human and canine joint supplements, but also, to tap into my creativeness. While in Atlanta, visiting my son and his girlfriend over Memorial Day weekend, I happened upon a cute boutique that sold tile coasters that had images of Atlanta on them. Hmmm..I can do these, was my first impression. And so I have, incorporating my own photos of horses, wildlife, the Georgia mountains and eventually, scenes around Winter Park and Orlando.

Sample of wildlife and Ga. mountains

Sample of horses

Not photos, but from notecards. And a large trivet

Next, I am applying the same technique to make custom stall name plates and brushes....geesh, why didn't I think of this years ago?

Sample stall name plate, Made of slate

No more losing your brush at the barn! Can be customized with name and color

And, my final offering at horseshows will be my fudge. Chocolate. Fudge. Incredibly fantastic fudge, if I do say so myself!
I have been making fudge at Christmas for years. People love it, they ask for it (my farrier threatened to kidnap my horses until I made him more) and they tell me I should sell it. This is my grandmother's recipe. It is pretty damn good, if I do say so myself.
I had a trial run last weekend at our Equine Education Day. I made fudge and coasters for our guest speakers. The feedback has been pretty encouraging. I actually have orders for both!
There is also one more area that I am exploring. I have another blog, www.smarthorsekeeping.blogspot.com
I write about how to best care for your horse without sacrificing quality. I have had several inquiries about consulting at farms. My inquiries have come from new farm/horse owners who need help in setting up their facility, learning how to feed and care for their horses and more. So, I am in the process of writing up a plan. I want to consult on barn safety, pasture management, nutrition, emergency planning, quarantine guidelines and aiding in the purchase of the first time horse. It is pretty exciting for me, I should have thought about it a long time ago. Is there a market for such a consultant? I will find out and report back! I think there should be, judging by some of the farms I drive by and people I meet. We'll see!
So starting next month, I will start heading out to shows to market my wares. I won't get rich, but I will be my own boss and hopefully, support those four legged money eating machines.

No Winter = A Buggy Summer



Summer sore & swelling

Unlike the last two winters, when we broke record after record with extreme cold, the winter of 2011-2012 was relatively mild. So mild, that in April, I made a comment about how nice it was that we were actually having a spring in Florida, rather than going straight from winter to summer...then I realized that pretty much all of our winter was really just an early spring!
I like the cold and I really felt cheated that we didn't have too many cold days. I hate our summer and the winter is a much needed reprieve for my body and soul. And in nature, the cold is beneficial in that it kills off many of the fly, mosquito, no-see-ums, fleas and tick populations.
A mild winter means that the bug population is going to be especially wicked this year. Despite using both Frontline and Preventic tick collars, we are finding little ticks on our dogs. The fly population at the barn is horrendous. Now that we seem to be getting back to our daily deluge of afternoon storms, I am sure the mosquito population will be making the news with West Nile Fever, and EEE cases.
These all spell trouble for Tucker and his allergies. For the last 2 years, I have managed to micro-manage his skin issues, reducing his "allergy season" from 6-7 months to about 6-8 weeks. Not perfect, but pretty damn good. And he does look good. Other than some sores on his face, which would be non-existent if he would leave the fly mask on, and some sores that pop up from time to time on the mid-line, overall, he is doing pretty well, especially compared to years past:
http://www.calypsofarmeventers.blogspot.com/2010/06/itchies-habronemas-and-allergies-or.html
The Hilton Herbs Bye Bye Itch lotion and supplement are still working its magic. His tail looks amazing and the hives are still gone. We flip flop on the mid-line though. It definitely is not as bad as has gotten.

Summer Sore

He still gets the crusty sores on his legs, like the one which turned into the habronema from hell. They heal in a day or 2. But one did not, and for the last month, I have been doing everything possible to keep it from turning into another habronema. This week it really got out of control. Just like before, it would start to heal, then Tucker would lose the fly boot, the flies get at it, he rubs it and then it is a bloody mess.
http://www.calypsofarmeventers.blogspot.com/2012/04/tuckers-allergy-updates-and-miracle.html

Heather, my Cavalor feed rep, saw photos I posted on facebook and was so kind to come to my barn that evening, bringing with her lots of goodies from Kentucky Horse Wear, which is another company she reps. She had been wanting to come by and see how their products fit on Tucker anyhow, and this provided the perfect opportunity.
My absolute favorite product is the tendon grip: http://legacyequestrianoutfitters.com/store/products/KENTUCKY-TENDON-GRIP.html
It is a cotton, elasticated tubular bandage, which comes in a 5 yard roll. You cut it to the length you desire and pull it on over the horse's hoof. It goes on about as easy as a pull on bell boot, which means that a bit of an effort is needed, especially over a hoof Tucker's size, but it was pretty quick to pull on. Once over the hoof, pull it up high and then pull it down over the leg.

Tendon Grips

These have been another miracle! I leave these on Tucker 24/7. They are meant to go under galloping boots to prevent rubbing, so you can certainly ride in them. They are washable and reusable too, so a 5 yard roll is going to last pretty long. After putting them on, I put Tucker's fly boots on over them. For the most part, they stay pretty well in place. At night, when he is turned out and he is rolling and laying down, there is more slipping, and I have found them rolled down above his coronet band, but there is enough give in them that there are no worries of them doing any harm. During the day, when he is in his stall, there has been very little slipping. They are breathable, so the leg doesn't get hot in them, yet flies cannot penetrate them.
Heather also left these:
http://legacyequestrianoutfitters.com/store/products/KENTUCKY-RECUPTEX%7B47%7DTEXISHIELD-STABLE-WRAPS-.html
Bettina Hoy developed these. I used them on Tucker over the grips, while in his stall for the day. They are like a stable bandage, but are applied like a shipping boot. They are very well made, the only suggestion I would make would be to make the velcro longer for the big fellas! There seemed to be a bit of reduction in the swelling from the cellulitis that the sore has caused. However, his legs were a bit hot, as any stable bandages would cause this time of year. I would not hesitate to use them again, but in the heat, would not leave them on all day.
So after trying the grips, I have to say, these are a product that no tack room should be without. They have so many purposes! I have already shown them to my vet and one of his techs, as well as mentioned them to a local tack store owner.
Now if only someone would invent a fly mask that stays on!

Tragedy in the Eventing Community

Last Friday, as I was packing for a trip to Atlanta to visit my son Andrew and his girlfriend, Jenna, and their new home, as I walked by my computer for the last time before shutting it down, I checked facebook. And there was the news, that tragedy had struck Michael Pollard and his eventing team. His groom was driving their rig when an impatient driver pulled out in front, causing the trailer to flip on its side. Inside the trailer, were 6 horses, including 3 of Michael's four top level eventers.
In today's day of modern technology of i-pads and cell phones, the news traveled at lightning bolt speed. Michael and his wife Nathalie were out of the country on a much deserved rest and on their way home.
We learned that Michael's newest ride, VDL Ulando, was killed immediately. The other horses were extracted from the rig and the news initially was encouraging, that they would survive.
When I was able to check in again on FB and Eventing Nation (the eventers Bible), I was informed that Icarus, or Fly as he is known, was being shipped to Riddle and Rood in Lexington, to treat his injuries. The 14 year old grey Thoroughbred had suffered the most serious lacerations, with his right hind fetlock requiring surgery. Eventually, I learned that Fly had been euthanized, as his injuries were much too severe. I had watched this lovely grey galloping around Ocala only weeks earlier and watched him on tv, competing at Rolex. It was hard to believe that he would not be making a bid for London this summer.
Unbelievably, later that same day, the news came that Jude's Law had also been euthanized. Initially, his injuries appeared to be only superficial, but by Sunday, he was exhibiting internal damage and was trailered to Rood and Riddle, where the Pollards learned that the 11 year old Irish Sport Horse had ruptured his cecum, as a result of Friday's trauma.
If I am heartbroken, and the eventing world is heart broken, I cannot even begin to imagine what the Pollards and the team at Pollard Eventing are going through.
As a horse owner, we must at some point or another, come face to face with the death of our animal. Those who have horses know, that the death of a horse is not the same as one's dog or cat dying. Our bond with these magnificent creatures is on a much different plane. And lets face it, when we are presented with that time, putting down our horse is not the same as taking our beloved Fido or Boots to the vet, laying them on a table and watching them slip into an eternal slumber. The sheer size of the horse makes the dynamics of their death much more profound. They do not just lay down. We do not pick up their body, lay it in a box with their favorite blanket or toy. We do not simply dig a hole.
Even the most peaceful death of a horse, where one passes in its sleep, is not simple. Disposing of a thousand pound animal is not easy. Calls must be made, special equipment must be brought in, and decisions to be made as to whether to bury the horse or remove the body. It is not an easy task, physically or mentally.
It is difficult for me to wrap my brain around the thought of losing 3 horses within 3 days, from a preventable accident ( I do not know the details of the accident, other than that the other driver pulled out in front of the trailer, so I will not address this at this time).
For the Pollards, their grief is magnified, because these were not just 3 horses whose world was centered around a handful of people. The Pollards and their horses are in the limelight. They must share their grief with the world, or at least the eventing world. Through facebook and Eventing Nation, they have done just that.
One year ago, Memorial weekend again, eventer Boyd Martin experienced the same kind of loss, when a barn fire claimed the lives of 6 of his horses. The eventing community grieved right along Boyd and Silva and their connections. Somehow, they moved on. And somehow, Michael and Nathalie will pull themselves up by their bootstraps and move on. Eventers are a very kind and generous community. That is why I was attracted to it in the first place. Somehow, the Pollards will persevere, as we all have at some time or other, because eventers are one tough cookie.
My deepest condolences to the Pollard Eventing Team. And now, I must go hug my Tucker.

In Which We Must Still Keep Investigating....

Who doesn't love a good mystery? I know that I do, except when it comes to my horses! I posted a bit earlier about how being a horse owner does require us to investigate mysteries from time time, whether it be to discover the source of an illness or unsoundness or behavior problem.
Problems arose with Tucker a few months ago, which were quite out of the norm for him, and as days turned into weeks and weeks into months, I had a full blown mystery on my hands as I tried to uncover the source. To anyone else, nothing would have seemed amiss, but because I have been riding him for his entire life, I was unsettled that something wasn't quite right. Nothing that warranted a call to the vet, but nonetheless, something wasn't right. He wasn't lame, he wasn't sick. He wasn't being unruly or bad. Just...not quite himself.
So I started with the usual suspects....teeth were floated, the chiropractor came out and the saddle was reflocked. Initially, there was some improvement, and I thought we were good to go after the saddle came back from being reflocked, but then things started to slip again.
I debated calling the vet out, but what was he going to say? I could insist on xrays of his joints, but my gut was saying that wasn't it. So, what did my gut say?
Tucker is a draft cross, so I have always tried to feed an EPSM diet. Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy is a muscle disease which is common with heavy draft breeds, as well as Quarter Horses (where it is called Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy or PSSM). Tucker is Percheron/Quarter Horse, so he is definitely at risk.
However, Tucker has allergies, and the feeds I should be feeding for EPSM usually contained either beet pulp or flax, which he is allergic to. EPSM diets should contain no more than 15% total daily calories from starch and sugar, and at least 25% of daily calories from fat. Horses with EPSM will also benefit from added Vitamin E and Selenium.
EPSM can be triggered at any time, with no reasonable explanation. Symptoms can include muscle wasting, especially in the rear quarters, muscle weakness, work intolerence, poor performance, lameness or gait abnormality, tying up, stringhalt, shivers, irritability at being touched and sore back.
There are 3 ways to diagnose EPSM. The least invasive method is to add fat to the diet for 4-6 months, and if the horse improves, then EPSM is more than likely the culprit.
For immediate results, there is a muscle biopsy, which is dependable, or an endocrine test from a blood sample after excercise, which is not reliable.
I was torn between wanting to know immediately and going the least invasive route. One of the complications of Tuckers allergies is his inability to heal from open wounds in a swift manner. With the summer heat fast approaching, I was leary about opening him up, even for a small incission.
So I added the fat to his diet. He is currently on Cavalor Endurix, which has a high sugar and starch content at 33%..this is the limit that you want to have for starch. The fat is low...8%. According to Dr. Beth Valentine, the leading expert on EPSM, horses with EPSM need at least 1 pound of fat per 1,000 pounds per day. Her approach is that horses gain no nutrition from grains, other than calories, so the approach is to replace starch and sugar calories with fat-based calories. The "added fats diet" is based upon:

• 1.2%-2.1% bodyweight in good hay
• 2 cups vegetable oil per 1,000 pounds
• 1-2 IU Vitamin E per pound
• Selenium supplement
• Plenty of fresh water
• Exercise to the horses comfort level
• Salt and minerals

I started Tucker on 1 1/2 pounds of Seminole Ultra Bloom twice a day. It contains 20% fat and is low in starch.
Amazingly, within about 2 weeks, I noticed a difference in Tuckers attitude! No longer was he pinning his ears as I tacked him up or asked for a change in pace. He felt stronger and well, he just seemed like his old self.
I was lucky, as most horses can take 4-6 months before improving on the fat diet.
There is so much more information that Dr. Valentine has put out there regarding EPSM diets, so I am not even going to attempt to cover it. Google her name or EPSM and you will get more than enough...and if you still aren't satisfied, there is even a yahoo support group which will totally overwhelm you!
I have debated adding selenium or Vitamin E to his diet. Most supplements contain a combination. Too much selenium is bad for horses, and you really should have your soil tested before adding it to the diet.
I am going to just continue to see how Tucker does and consider adding it if I feel it is warranted.
In the meantime, I am so happy to have my old Tucker back! We missed this winter and spring eventing season, but we have the summer to get ready for the fall!

Hopefully, this mystery is finally solved!

Tuckers Allergy Updates and A Miracle Solution!

My war on Tucker's allergies, has been relentless over the years, as I seek ways to relieve his misery. This has meant allergy testing, trying different products and supplements and even moving him from boarding barns where his allergies were worsened due to the location (which has opened my eyes and educated me in my quest for a farm of our own: I know which areas to avoid considering, due to heavy insect populations, either from heavily wooded areas or low lying areas which, when flooded, will lead to an increase in mosquitoes and noseeums).
My initial blog about Tuckers allergies can be accessed here:
http://www.calypsofarmeventers.blogspot.com/2010/06/itchies-habronemas-and-allergies-or.html
All the gory details of his habronema from hell, his wounds that wouldn't heal and the loss of hair are detailed in this account.
It has been 2 years since I wrote that blog, and much has changed, including where Tucker lives and new products that have come into our lives. Time for an update and to tell you about a new product that may be the answer for your itchy horse!
In the 2 years since, Tucker has had 4 different homes. I left the barn I leased in Chuluota, in my attempt to get my horse life under control...driving 30 minutes each way, 2 times a day, 7 days a week for 6 years, not to mention all the money I was sinking into someone elses property, was taking its toll. I downsized, closed my horse rescue (mainly due to lack of money and other resources) and found a barn that, while it was just as far a drive, it required me going only once a day. It worked for a while. We had no major issues with Tucker's skin at that barn and things were going well until I moved to another barn which unbeknownst to me, was a hotbed for noseeums....lesson learned, always check out a potential barn on more than one occassion, and at different times of the day. The bugs were not bad at 9:00 in the morning when I first looked at the barn. However, when we moved the horses a few weeks later, in the afternoon, we were attacked almost immediately. The owner claimed they had never been so bad, but I am sure she was just saying that. We moved a month later.
We left another barn because of the noseeums and mosquitoes. He was being tortured, refusing to leave the confines of the overhang of the barn to go join his pasture mates in the field. He prefered the annoyance of the stable flies to the noseeums and mosquitoes that appeared after a rare deluge of 10 inches in the fall, which awakened a neverending blood seeking supply of the nasty creatures. I had to move Tucker.
We are now back where I was for 5 months last year, in an area that is mostly suburbia with a few farms left over from another era. One side of the pasture is boardered by residential homes and there is a middle school at the end of the lane. Lawns are manicured and treated for pests. It has made a pretty big change in Tucker's skin, though not a 100% improvement. He is still itchy, particularly his mane and tail, and he has devolped hive like bumps along his shoulders. Also, he reopened the spot on his nose...out of the blue, I came out one day to discover a bloody spot, covered by what seemed to be every fly on the property. I have been keeping the spot covered in the Equiderma/diaper rash ointment, and I learned that if I put TWO fly masks on him, I have a 50/50 chance of returning in the evening to find that he is wearing at least one of them! This week I noticed open sores along his mid-line. I already started him on Smart Pak's Bug Off at the beginning of April, and now he wears his fly sheet at night.
Last week, I ordered a new product from Hilton Herbs, called Bye Bye Itch. I had tried Wendalls Herbs Stop Itch years ago, but stopped after I realized that not only was it not working, but Tucker's allergy test revealed that he was allergic to dandylions, which was an ingredient...no wonder it wasn't working! Just by chance, I saw an ad for the Bye Bye Itch and so I looked it up on their website.
http://www.hiltonherbsusa.com/products/bye-bye-itch/1284
I was impressed that they had included a trial video and the trial data. The results looked promising. I was worried that it contained flax, which was also on Tucker's list of allergens, but their flaxseed is cooked, something we have never tried. It also contains brewers yeast, vegetable charcoal, buckwheat, nettle,  and diatomaceous earth. I decided to give it a try, as well as ordering the recommended Bye Bye Itch lotion, which contains coconut oil, aloe oil, msm and other essential oils.
http://www.hiltonherbsusa.com/products/bye-bye-itch-lotion/1285
It arrived 5 days ago. The supplement is a white gritty powder mixed with herbs. The smell is somewhat pleasant...moreso than the Bug Off. At Tucker's size, it is recommended he get 6 scoops a day, which I have broken into 2 feedings. As with most new products, he was a bit skeptical and didn't exactly lick the bucket clean, but he did polish it all eventually.

Tuckers tail today

I applied the lotion to his tail, which has been rubbed raw at the base. DAMN! I wish I had taken a before picture. With just TWO applications, I realized this morning...HOLY CRAP...his tail has regrown in by more than 50%...after just 2 applications over 4 days. Then, I started going over his body. The welts on his shoulders? Gone by about 90%. There are just a few bumps and they are barely visible. Last night, I was a bit rushed, as I raced to get stalls done before an approaching storm....did I see him itching his mane? Defintely not as much, I realized, and the scabs at the base of his mane are gone. And his nose? Definitely looking better. The sores under his belly? Usually they volley back and forth between scabs and oozing sores. Today? They are dry, no scabs and on their way to healing!
Have I stumbled upon the miracle solution to Tucker's allergies? Well, let me just say, that after less than a week, the results are pretty staggering, and definitely impressive. I am, for the first time, excited that I have found product that will give him relief.

Tucker's nose today

In other skin updates, the habronema is still holding the same as it has for the past 2 years. It has been ages since we have seen the open, granulated, bloody mess that we dealt with for so many years. As soon as the season becomes warm, Tucker wears a fly boot on the leg to cover it. It is interesting that while I can put fly boots on all four legs, he will remove all boots except the one on his left front which covers the habronema scar! He apparently understands the importance of keeping it covered. It may never regress, but that is a chance I am not willing to take.

Tucker's habronema at its worst (above) and today (right)

I realize I can never let my guard down when it comes to Tuckers allergies. He still gets his allergy vaccine every month and in the summer, he wears his fly sheet. He is bathed weekly with Eqyss Medicated shampoo. At the first sign of any hair loss or open sore, it is treated aggressively. Through micromanaging, I have reduced his allergy season from 6-9 months of sheer hell, to about 2 months. It has been 2 years since I have had to lather him from head to toe and from chest to sheath, with ointment every day and night. Overall, this has made for not only a happier horse, but a happier horse mom!