Lyme disease

Our horse has lyme disease – it’s chronic, meaning we can’t get rid of it – and it’s cyclic, coming back spring and fall. He’s had it for about 11 years now – and it was only diagnosed last year. Like the article says, it’s hard to diagnose – the first three blood tests came back negative. What works best is a homeopathic treatment to boost his liver function – since we’ve started him on these (for humans!) artichoke pills, he’s gained weight and energy. Some symptoms he showed: an aversion to bright light, overly spooky, difficulty swallowing, shying at nothing (hallucinations?), dropped weight, low energy and lethargy, and staph infection on his legs.  He had a protein deficiency which we treated with vitamins. He was on antibiotics for the staph infection, and that cleared up well. Have scientists connected lyme disease symptoms in horses with lyme symptoms in humans? Could humans be treated with not only antibiotics but with homeopathy aimed at stimulating the liver, I wonder? Im also wondering because something bit me on my wrist, and it’s been over a month, and it’s still red and swollen. As soon as I get the time, I’m off to get a blood test! Hopefully it’s just a spider  bite, but if it was a tick, I better know now!

According to studies over 30% of horses in France (& pasture animals in general) have contracted Lyme. In some cases, it’s fatal, in others the animal’s immune system kills it, and in others, it becomes a chronic infection.

Read this very interesting post for a report on Lyme disease in humans.

 

 

 

Photos of Kalin & intro

Just some pictures of Kalin, if anyone wants to see! And some clarifications for those who have read The Story of Kalin des Vents.

Kalin’s Story – part I

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The story of Kalin des Vents

He was a promising colt, but on the small side, and for that he was gelded and sold as a two-year-old. His grandfather had been a racehorse who’d won several big races, but his first crop of foals turned out to be better at jumping than racing, and one did so well he became a choice for breeders looking for docile stallions to cover their showjumping mares. His mother was one such mare – she’d won several grand prizes then was retired for breeding. But her first foal, though flashy, was considered too small for show-jumping, and a young woman who had just started eventing bought him.

Kalin’s story – part II

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The story of Kalin des Vents

Kalin could no longer compete as an eventer, but he could still jump. Julia, whose heart had been set on eventing, decided to content herself with show jumping. I’d already been nerve-wracked for years watching my husband play professional polo. I didn’t think I could take watching my daughter hurtle around a cross country course – especially knowing her penchant for difficult horses. I won’t say I bought Kalin for her because I didn’t want her to event. I did give her a choice, and she, to my great relief, chose Kalin.

Kalin’s story – part III

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The story of Kalin des Vents

What makes a happy horse? Some horses are easily contented. They grow fond of their surroundings, their riders, their grooms. Some are even more basic. If they have food and water, they are content. Others are content as long as they are doing something – even if it’s simply carrying children around in slow circles. Other horses are more difficult. I think Kalin is one of those. It’s not that he’s more intelligent than other horses – but he is definitely more sensitive. He seems to feel things like happiness or sadness more keenly. When we first got him, and for the first six months, he was depressed. I think he was very attached to his first owner. She’d bought him as a two year old, and had had him ever since. For nine years she’d been his constant companion. Then he’d been injured, she’d married and had a child, and when he came back from his first injury, he’d had to get used to a different rider. And although Arthur was brilliant, he and Kalin didn’t exactly hit it off.

Kalin’s story – part IV

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The story of Kalin des Vents

Julia’s first few shows were disasters. In the practice ring, before her very first round, she was about to jump Kalin when another horse got too close to him and he shied, throwing her into the jump. She got back on him just as her number was called. She knocked over three bars. For her second round she did a bit better, only hitting two bars. On her second show she managed to get him around with just one bar, and so it went. She couldn’t seem to get him around with no faults. For my husband, the reason was clear. The jumps were too low, and Kalin was bored. But despite the mediocre results, Julia managed to qualify by sheer number of top quarter finishes. She was going to the nationals, but she knew she didn’t stand a chance. She was just happy to have gotten qualified, and to be able to go with the club to the horse show. 

Kalin’s Story – part V

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The story of Kalin des Vents

Kalin was still far too thin in March, but by July, he’d recovered his health completely and once again headed to the nationals. It was Julia’s second year with him, and she was determined to do well, but on the first day of the championship Kalin knocked down two bars, and they was already out of the running. There was one more day, but they couldn’t make up the lost points.

Kalin’s Story – part VI

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The story of Kalin des Vents

While Kalin was in Normandy, recuperating from a bowed tendon, Julia was diagnosed with ventricular extrasystoles and Paroxysmal tachycardia, and had two operations to try to correct everything. After the second operation, the doctors told her she could stop taking her beta blockers, and so she could start show jumping again in competition. Kalin, by that time had spent nearly ten months first in a stall, then a paddock, then a field, healing. He was fat and barefoot, but his legs were perfect – his tendons looked better than they’d ever looked, and he’d gained confidence in himself to the point where Carol, the farmer, put him in the pasture with the young stallions so Kalin could teach them some manners. 

Kalin’s Story – part VII

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The story of Kalin des Vents

Kalin went back to his old stables – where he’d been since he was a two-year-old, where he’d grown up, been trained, and had his pasture buddies. The day he arrived, his old friends Double or Quits, an old racehorse mare, greeted him with resounding whinnies. They trotted about, tails up, snorting happily, nibbling on each other’s necks. Kalin was obviously happy to be back. Of course, after a week he was back to ignoring the other horses in the field – he is a loner – but he kept his weight up and he didn’t become despondent. He was home. The jumping season started, but another problem arose. Julia had to have another operation on her heart. It would push their debut back nearly two months, and make it impossible to qualify for the Nationals. 

Quiet evening at the pony club