Itchy Tail

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Annual Trail Rides: 94/200

Lots of cool riding these days, as temperatures are below normal. Skies are blue, forests are green, but it is a daily challenge to figure out how many layers to put on. Temperatures shift 10C degrees between shade and sun, so in part in depends on where you plan to ride.

Q has been acting a little weird in the backend. He started by pooping in his water bowl a few weeks ago. He did it again last week. And then he was observed sitting on the fence. Yes, sitting. Today, he was sitting in the water bowl in the outside paddock. So he got another tail bath, and I covered his tail in green listerine.

It seems like the itchiness is coming from the base of his tail, and not the more common top of the tail. I scrubbed the tailbone quite thoroughly, and even washed it twice (and rinsed very thoroughly).

However, Im wondering if perhaps the problem is actually not in his tail? Maybe he has a bean in his sheath? And his discomfort is having him behave unusually?




Comments

  1. TeresaAJune 2, 2021 at 8:28 AM

    It could be his sheath. I wonder too about a tick bite - those itch even after the tick is gone.
    I find that witch hazel is great for itchiness.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nat DJune 2, 2021 at 12:40 PM

      AH the plague of the ticks this year! Hope they aren’t too bad in your neck of the woods!

      Delete
  2. DomJune 6, 2021 at 9:13 AM

    94 trail rides?!?! You are killing it! Out of curiosity, do you track your mileage for the year or just the ride number? I have OCD and track both (with an entire neurotic spreadsheet).

    It must be itchy tail week. Booger actually opened the door to the hay shed this week. I was baffled until I later spotted her rubber her butt on the door handle. Lucy actually rubbed some of her hair out. It wasn't until I gave everyone wormer that I realized *her* rubbing was being caused by a tick bite. Ouch. Tail baths and Swat for everyone at our barn!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nat DJune 11, 2021 at 11:09 AM

      Thanks! I do not track my mileage, but I average 10k rides (about 6.2 miles) so it's fair to say Ive done almost 1000 km (or 620 miles) on my almost 100 trails with my horse Q so far this year. However I do almost zero arena rides, as almost all my rides are on trails and I have direct and easy access.

      Delete
    2. DomJune 11, 2021 at 2:11 PM

      Ok, now that's impressive! I am only up to ride #89 for the year on Lucy, but only 36 of them have been trail rides. We have easy access to beautiful trails, but they are closed any time the weather doesn't cooperate. We *have* trailered out a handful of times, but since I don't have a truck or trailer, that's tough too. So far Lucy only has 286 recorded miles for the year. This post makes me feel like a slacker! I'm definitely riding less miles now than when I was doing endurance, but I'm not complaining.

      Delete

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