Kobeejo Update
Today (Feb. 15th) marks 2 days since Kobeejo's surgery. Today was a weekend, so hours were 1-4pm, unless I called to make arrangements to come at a different time. But we arrived around 2pm.
He was in better spirits when I arrived at the barn with my friend Wendy. They had placed a tiny amount of soaked second cut hay in a metal bin that slides in and out of the stall, but it did not look like he ate much. Knowing Kobeejo as I do, I knew it was the metal bin (he hates sticking his head into anything unfamiliar). So, I removed a handful of the hay and handed it to him. He practically tore it from my hand. I offered him more... same. He ate the entire thing from my hand, and even picked up a few bits that dropped into the shavings. I told one of the workers that he really doesn't like metal bins, but she just said, "he ate some out of it."
I didn't want to argue, but I knew he was just too hungry not to... So, me feeding him by hand (as I often do at home with treats), helped because he ate it all.
I offered him a hard candy and he loved that, too. I walked him a bit around the stall to get him moving a bit and he was fine when walking, despite the ice boots he has on and all the IVs he is hooked to.
The only thing he would not eat was the alfalfa pellets... Must be the wrong brand. Kobeejo only likes certain brands. The rest he ignores. Yes, he is a spoiled picky horse. But that's because he is accustomed to getting everything his body requires. And if he doesn't like something, I change it.
Wendy went to her car and brought back peppermints and horse cookies. His favorites. Not only did he perk up when he heard the peppermint wrapper, he gave me a big kiss after I gave him the treats. His depression seems to be fading. For 16 years his one constant from moving barn to barn has been me. We have an incredible bond. If he sees me daily, I believe it helps him.
He did a small poop, which pleased me. It was perfectly normal. After a few more minutes, he seemed tired (I don't think he's laid down to sleep since the surgery), so he laid down. Once he was flat out (which is normal for him), I knew it was time to say good night. They shut off the light, I said good night and we left.
On the way home, the vet called me. I informed her he hates the metal bin, but loves to eat off the floor or from a hay net. She said they would put his hay in a net. This is a horse that is accustomed to having 24/7 free choice hay and he LOVES second cut, so he would have eaten more if it had not been in a metal bin on the wall. She said the cookies were good and asked me to bring his grain up tomorrow. I think I'll bring some of his alfalfa too.
He was in better spirits when I arrived at the barn with my friend Wendy. They had placed a tiny amount of soaked second cut hay in a metal bin that slides in and out of the stall, but it did not look like he ate much. Knowing Kobeejo as I do, I knew it was the metal bin (he hates sticking his head into anything unfamiliar). So, I removed a handful of the hay and handed it to him. He practically tore it from my hand. I offered him more... same. He ate the entire thing from my hand, and even picked up a few bits that dropped into the shavings. I told one of the workers that he really doesn't like metal bins, but she just said, "he ate some out of it."
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| Kobeejo gives me a kiss. |
I didn't want to argue, but I knew he was just too hungry not to... So, me feeding him by hand (as I often do at home with treats), helped because he ate it all.
I offered him a hard candy and he loved that, too. I walked him a bit around the stall to get him moving a bit and he was fine when walking, despite the ice boots he has on and all the IVs he is hooked to.
The only thing he would not eat was the alfalfa pellets... Must be the wrong brand. Kobeejo only likes certain brands. The rest he ignores. Yes, he is a spoiled picky horse. But that's because he is accustomed to getting everything his body requires. And if he doesn't like something, I change it.
Wendy went to her car and brought back peppermints and horse cookies. His favorites. Not only did he perk up when he heard the peppermint wrapper, he gave me a big kiss after I gave him the treats. His depression seems to be fading. For 16 years his one constant from moving barn to barn has been me. We have an incredible bond. If he sees me daily, I believe it helps him.
He did a small poop, which pleased me. It was perfectly normal. After a few more minutes, he seemed tired (I don't think he's laid down to sleep since the surgery), so he laid down. Once he was flat out (which is normal for him), I knew it was time to say good night. They shut off the light, I said good night and we left.
On the way home, the vet called me. I informed her he hates the metal bin, but loves to eat off the floor or from a hay net. She said they would put his hay in a net. This is a horse that is accustomed to having 24/7 free choice hay and he LOVES second cut, so he would have eaten more if it had not been in a metal bin on the wall. She said the cookies were good and asked me to bring his grain up tomorrow. I think I'll bring some of his alfalfa too.
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