So, just to give the quick background. In August, if you will remember, the vet looked at Tristan and wanted him tested for Cushings. She drew blood that day, and sent it off to Cornell overnight. His ACTH levels came back positive, and we started him on Pergolide. If you want to read the really long version of that, here are the posts:

What the Vet Found
New Challenges: Cushings Diagnosis
Feeding & Nutrition Update

For every fussy thought that has come into my head through the whole saga, use the Cushings tag.

Timeline:
August 5: blood pulled for ACTH test
August 12: blood comes back with high ACTH levels; normal levels are 9-35, and Tristan was at 47.8
August 13: diet adjusted to low-starch, higher-calorie alternatives
August 22: day 1 of Pergolide dosage at 1/4 dose
August 31: first day of full dose of Pergolide
November 19: blood pulled for second ACTH test

DRUMROLL PLEASE

WHOOOOO GOOD PONY!!!

He’s at a great weight, he has more energy and is more alert, and he has had zero complications with the Pergolide. Here’s to a winter of muscle-building and good health. (Quick, someone find me some wood to knock on.)

I am, I confess, not even a huge Harry Potter fan, but for some reason the fiance and I were talking about where we would place the puppy (Slytherin all the way) and I got to thinking about Tristan.

Here are a few interesting blog posts from the past week.

Challenges of the home hospitalized horse from Boots and Saddles
Mel’s young horse recently had a really, really scary fight with internal pigeon fever. I was too nervous watching the story to really link to any of those posts, but this is an outstanding and thoughtful look back on some aspects of care in that situation. Scroll down on her blog to read all about Merrylegs and her illness.

Results Are In: Blanketing Fees from Poor Woman Showing
This information has gone a long way toward making me think that after saddles, blankets are the most pricey investment in horsekeeping. Wow.

It’s no surprise I turned out the way I did when you consider this pillow, which has been on my parents’ bed for several years now.

Say you decide to take your WW2-loving fiance out to see Fury for a date night movie.

Please be aware that this is not a horse-friendly movie. You will think all has passed when the opening scene features a horse who is treated well. It will not have passed. 3/4 of the way through is a horrible story about horses used to illustrate the barbarity of war.

Plus, it’s an unsettling, disturbing, graphically violent movie – even more so, perhaps, than your typical WW2 action movie. Saving Private Ryan had more heart, but Fury has far more wanton cruelty, battle stress, and gore.

Consider yourself warned!

A collection of random thoughts as I am preoccupied with many things:

– I did not end up clipping yesterday. I’m still committed to clipping, but I ran out of time / energy / willpower.
– I did longe yesterday, and he was a lunatic, then eventually settled in to get some good work done.
– I added this sheet/blanket to the mix, as a wicking layer underneath his wool cooler for cold days. Tried it on him yesterday, and LOVE IT. Exactly what I wanted.

Can I just say, everything about the Pau livestream is making me happy this morning?

Gorgeous horses, check.
Retro tv design, check.
Hearing French and re-tuning my ear for it, check.
Excellent background to the work I’m doing today, check!

Spoiler alert: we did NOT end up going on the GMHA Fall Foliage Ride, for a lot of last minute reasons that were all sound and good. Instead, we hauled out to a state park nearby and had an awesome morning there. Recap coming soon, and in the meantime I am lying on my couch, crocheting, watching The Roosevelts, and icing the big toe that my asshole horse stomped hard on while coming off the trailer.

Owwwwwwww.

I’ve been off and on (okay, 99% off) with Instagram ever since I picked it up about a year ago to learn how to use it for work, and see whether it would be a good tool for us. (Nope.)

I’m trying to re-focus on taking pictures of cool things, though, and I decided to commit myself to putting something on Instagram every day. I’ve added a little widget-y thing to the front page of the blog to show them.

I’m @beljoeor, if anyone wants to follow.

Are you on Instagram? Do you like it? Send me your username so I can follow you, too!

(PS: I also registered this blog on Bloglovin, mostly so I could edit the entry about it and change the name and description, because it’s a rainy Sunday and I am avoiding work. So, if you so choose, you can now follow my blog with Bloglovin.)