Welcome, Dentist!

The week has continued blissfully. This is what happens when you have a week off to do nothing but gardening in your yard and horseback riding every morning. Then, I have the option of topping off the day with a trip to The Greenfield Farmer's Exchange (good tack department), or Target!

Tuesday I rode Glitter because Lilly's feet seemed sore after her trim. I haven't decided if she'll get shoes on again. Ever the barefoot optimist, I am hoping with a little time, her feet will be good enough to be without shoes. Except her boots on the trail maybe. Glitter was a bit of a wiggle worm in the barn, but out on the trail, she was very dreamy.

And because Glitter is not a dawdler like Lilly, I was even in front of Bill for a change. It figures when I took this picture of Bill, he was taking pictures too! Note the blurry picture: stepping out too fast to focus!

Wednesday, I rode Bella. Striking out solo, we were going to ride along the ridge, but then I decided to go along the river (it is a small river, almost like a creek right now), and once at the river trail, we made a short detour into a tiny little neighborhood on the other side.  It reminds me of a village from 100 years ago. When we popped out from the woods, three old ladies were there taking a stroll. They had nothing but smiles for Bella and me, and chatted extensively about the dressage on the Olympics.

We carried on along the river trail, back up the Parallel Trail, taking care when approaching the site of the hornet nest, and then trundled back to the barn because the vet/dentist was coming! I still think riding Bella is like riding a snowplow. Nothing fazes her. A deer popped out of nowhere and Bella didn't even bat a pretty eyelash. Did I mention she is quite wide? Oh yes, a wide load. Like any respectable Haflinger.

Yogi and Lilly were scheduled with Dr. Schmidt to have their teeth floated. Plus, get this! Lilly has sprouted a tiny canine tooth!!!!! I saw it and thought, Whaaaaaaat is this? But there it was, like a tiny pearl. Dr.Schmidt was late. So we waited. I put Lilly's fabulous pink halter on so the vet would know she was very loved and taken care of.

While we were waiting, Bill's wife Jackie C showed me her pumpkin patch. Can you believe the size of that pumpkin? I even like the leaves of the pumpkin plant. They are rather prickly.

And we still kept waiting.

Jackie then shucked a billions ears of corn. Bonnie Belle got all of the husks which she gobbled up much like the way I gobble up brownies and cake and snickers bars. Blissing out at Bear River Horse farm!

Finally, after much waiting, Dr. Schmidt arrived. I think I heard him telling Bill he was late because a 3 year old mare had gotten stuck over a wood fence. Do you know how you fix that problem? You just chop the fence down! One thing about vets being late: they always have good excuses.

Bill is so hands-on, that he gave both Yogi and Lilly the sedative. GO BILL!

He must have gotten it right, because within a few minutes my brumby was a droopy dog. Soft went her eyes. Down went her head.

After telling Lilly what a pretty girl she was, the vet went to work on her teeth. Yogi was already done and had shuffled a few steps outside the barn where he was lingering in La La Land.

After flushing out Lilly's mouth (no carrot fragments appeared, surprisingly), Dr. Schmidt floated her teeth. He said he does it by feel. And he makes sure the tongue is out of the way. I had never seen Lilly's teeth floated before. It was very interesting.

The vet told me the little canine teeth are nothing to worry about. He said sometimes with mares they just fall out.

All done!!

Then Rudy got his bottom teeth trimmed because they were getting too long. In no time, Dr. Schmidt had sawed off the excess!

Another day said and done.