Skinnywater
Commander
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2002
- Messages
- 2,065
It was bound to happen. For a couple years one talks a happy life. Good family, good home, life and good luck.<br /> I haven't been involved with very many topic sites. And this is the best by far.<br />Kind of a personal rule I had with myself when I started getting on the internet 5 years ago. Was to not get into intimate personal aspects of my life.<br />Some of my 4 digit posts here have been limited to technical advice that is based on factual experience and knowledge. And a good amount has been spent here on DC sparing politics. It's done in lieu of television and helps with my communication skills. And I appreciate the opportunity.<br /><br />I'm almost embarrassed for a melancholy post I made in another topic. And it probably broke my own rule. <br />In this case my need to open up is probably easier with strangers then with people and friends I have to face daily. I'm not wanting sympathy, and I'm not sure why I even have the need. Maybe it's that after 1000 posts one can't always leave important details of your life out.<br />So understand, I have to admit I'm having a hard time.<br /><br />About 6 weeks ago West Nile Virus hit this area for the first time. A week after reports of the dead birds came in I loaded my beautiful caballo<br />"Rocket" to get his vaccination, I bought the follow up booster. Two days after his booster Rocket wasn't feeling so well. The next day had him grinding his teeth, ears flikering, head bobing and weaving. A quick call to the vet, a blood test had him confirmed with WNV. This is where I learned that the vaccination takes 2 months before it's effective.<br />Now it's important to note Rocket is a very unusual, high performance Appy/TB with Citation and Magpie blood. He's a lineback dunn with a blanket. <br />I raised him from an 8 month old colt. As a yearling colt, he and I placed 1st in halter show groundwork. Against people much more experienced in showing then me.<br />In the years that followed Rocket and I trained 4 hours a day for weeks at a time. I had big dreams of entering reining competition. This is slides, spins, side passing. Man! This animal could run in reverse! He was so light and truely a pushbutton horse. <br />Sure, I'd ride with horses that would round up cattle. But if we needed to round up a string of horses up in the hills. Or if a snubber was needed, Rocket was the horse. For 10 years he's been my medicine.<br /><br />Well, Rocket responded real good to the Banadine treatment. He was well into 4 days of a full recovery. Whew! Man, I was the lucky guy again.<br />Last Tuesday Rocket relapsed. The vet layed another banadine injection into the jugular.<br />The neurological effects in his head were gone but now they moved to his hind quarters. I stayed up all that night holding him up. He actually was leaning against me. Fully alert and counting on me as he's done so many times before.<br /><br />One thing about a dog, is that you have unconditional love from them. But with a horse that love is based on trust, it isn't unconditional. And what is tearing me up most of all is how much my horse displays his love for me.<br /><br />He's standing better today then yesterday. But he's not walking as well.<br />I think I'm going to have to dig a big hole soon.<br /><br />My appologys to those who have faced far greater loss then my silly horse. I've faced very few losses in my life.<br />And thanks for allowing my sad storys, I'll keep them rare.
