Special treatment

Friday afternoon after getting home from work I headed down to the barn for my jealously guarded riding time. Lance hadn't finished his hay, which is unusual. As I started groomed him he began coughing – and kept coughing. Sounded like he was trying to clear an obstruction; I wondered if he had some of those nasty grass seeds caught in his throat. He has coughed occasionally for awhile now, usually while we're warming up, but then it stops. Friday he coughed a LOT, and it left him breathing hard – or at least I thought the heavy breathing was caused by the coughing. I led him out to the arena and got on, but when his sides continued to heave I threw in the towel. Between the unfinished hay and the coughing, I decided some tender spring grass would be more welcome than a ride.

Lance got a half-hour to eat, and probably didn't move 20 feet – not because he was so eager to graze, but more like he didn't have a lot of energy.

That evening I had Rick look at Lance, who was still breathing heavily. Listening to his lungs was inconclusive and he didn't have a fever, but Lance did have the little viral ulcers in his mouth again. Rick couldn't say the little ulcers had anything to do with the heavy breathing, but advised against much if any riding. Lance got a dose of Banamine to help him feel better.

On Saturday afternoon, I turned him out again while I spent some time with Brian at his "campsite." Again, no bucking or playing, just eating in one area.

I guess it's a good thing I was too broke to enter our chapter's League show today, or I would have had to scratch again. No thank-you; I had to do enough of that last year! I just want my big red goober to get better. He looks and acts perky (except that he isn't interested in running and playing), but is still breathing hard for just standing around. I'm going to go turn him out for another 30 minutes of grass this afternoon. Our March has definitely come in like a lamb!