This is not the climate I was promised when we moved here...

I know, I know. For the last year, pretty much the only thing I ever talk about is my poor excuses for not writing more blog posts. I am a let down. It's in my blood to be lazy, and my computer availability has lessened substantially since Spode became a teacher. It's the same old story. Sorry about that, old sports.

But enough about that. Here I am!

Hello, old sports! I'm here at last!

The last time I wrote, I was feeling sick and had just been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease. After a strong course of steroids and a diet change, I'm fully recovered from that. We think the culprit grain is oats and I now have a strict oat-less diet. But we also need to wait and see if the problem comes back in the fall to make sure it wasn't a seasonal plant that I ate that set me off. Hopefully it's just oats because that has been a lot easier to control and hasn't meant limited grazing!

Since my little (well, major) setback, things have been good. I started to get fit again and slowly put the pounds back on.

Still hungry though! You know what they say about green grass and fences...

Other big news happened too: Spode and Oli got married. And I wasn't invited! The nerve of that man. I was jealous when he first met me. Now I see I was right to be. Most disappointing. Spode has promised me a special event for their first anniversary to appease me. I'm not sure it'll work yet, but I have forgiven Oli again. Only just. 

Oli has been learning to ride a little but, so Spode and I are both playing teacher right now. 

"Just ignore her, Oli. I know what you need to do. Just hold on and give me lots of pats and we'll be all good!"

Other than that, there hasn't been much other news, old sports. It's the same old, same old. My eyes play up every now and then and my dressage knowledge is ever so slowly expanding. We celebrated Canada day in style as always. I do love being patriotic!

O Canada, how I miss thee!

Oh! And I also celebrated my 7th birthday. I'm a real distinguished old gentleman now. Jay Gatsby indeed. A mature and successful man. 

A day to be proud of. So mature, I'll even pose for your pictures! 

Um, excuse me? Is this really the hat that a distinguished 7 year old would wear? I think not. I'm done posting now thank you very much. 

The latest drama to face Spode and I is a sudden change in my hooves. But it's not my fault. It has not rained for WEEKS. WEEKS, old sports! 

I know what you're thinking. "Hang on a sec, I thought Gatsby moved to the UK? Isn't that the country with all the rain?" Well, yes, I thought that as well. But no. It's been 30 degrees, blue skies, and not a drop of rain! I was promised all year grazing, but our grass is more like crispy hay now. And sparse, getting sparser all the time. It's lousy. 

But grazing is only one problem. My exceptionally tough hooves that normally allow me to walk on gravel and stones without hesitation failed me. Spode has been fighting a losing battle moisturizing daily, avoiding roads, and trying her best to hydrate my hooves, but all to no avail. Great big chunks kept coming off and I finally started to feel a tad tender on my white front hoof. We had to give up for this summer after looking at the forecast and still seeing no sight of the rain that England is famous for. 

Yup, the shoes are on. Alas. But you can see how dry my feet are even here!

The classic Clyde stance: wide at the front, narrow at the back. I have my history of plowing to thank for that. Well, not my own personal history. Don't make me laugh! Nah, my ancestors are to thank for that. 

It was a very confusing experience getting shoes on. It was all fairly normal and calm up until the farrier came at me with a burning hot shoe. Are you crazy, old sport? You aren't burning my hooves! 

I tell you, there are some elements of being a pet horse that I will just never understand. I hated it, but that's understandable, right? Imagine someone put something on your foot and you heard this awful singeing sound and suddenly there's smoke all around your face. It was unpleasant to say the least. I did get through it eventually though. But then when they were nailed on I had the second challenge of trying to walk. They felt so weird! I'm still not sure I'm sold on the idea...

Still, it beats sore feet I guess. It does mean Spode is back to riding me now so I'm back to my fitness training. Oh joys!

Ready to go! Let's get to it and work off this tummy. I need my summer bod back!

Who am I kidding, I already look gorgeous. Even carrying a few extra pounds!

It didn't take long to get tired in this heat, but this was exacerbated by the fact that I could not understand how to canter in these damned shoes. Trotting, no problem. But good grief, how do you canter?! Poor Spode was getting thrown out of the saddle. I turned into a rocking horse. Spode said I would have been doing a perfect pirouette with how much lift I was getting in my front end... if I had been actually turning rather than going straight that is! 

Good grief... 

Working in these shoes is hard work, old sport!

I did figure it out eventually. Then it was bath time. That's been the story of my life lately. Cold hose, scrape hot water off, cold hose, scrape off, cold hose, scrape off. It takes several rinses to get me cool again!

Boring! But it is refreshing I suppose!

Ah well. I know I complain a lot, but it could be raining all the time and that makes Spode and I miserable since we're just not used to that. We Canadians know how to handle heat! 

Plus, it's all worth it in the end when you get to this part of the day! My favourite dinner and my favourite mineral lick!

Spode has exactly 12 more days of work left before the summer holiday. And then the fun really begins! I know Spode is excited. It's been a busy year and we're both ready for a little more quality time together!

Until later, old sports!

My summer safety message to youngsters: Keep your mask on and your legs limber!

Jay. 

A New Disease: Because Uveitis isn't enough

Hello Old Sports,

Yup, I've got another hospital ID!

Yes, it has indeed been a while since my last post. But I have my reasons this time!
After a very enjoyable summer holiday with Spode, I began feeling a bit weird. I was hungry. Soooo hungry. All the time.

Now, to Spode that didn't seem too unusual. After all, I've always been a fan of the food (well except when Spode first met me and I had never experienced grain before. I found it a bit odd then). But this was more than my usual hungriness. I was ripping through a bale of hay a night and looking for more.

Hellooo-bring me in for my food now please!

Next I started losing weight and couldn't keep up with my workload. Just too tired! Spode called out our new vet (we miss you Evangeline!) and they got to work on figuring out what was going on. Meanwhile, I just kept eating and kept losing weight. Lots of needles, lots of blood lost to tests, lots of different feeds and supplements, lots of worming... but all to no avail. We even consulted my old Canadian vet friends! I was still thirsty, hungry, tired, and sore in the flanks.

Skinny me-an unusual sight indeed!

Ouchy flanks eventually resulted in such tightness that Spode could actually grab my abdominal muscle

As a result, I had my second trip to the hospital. The visit was much more pleasant this time around since it wasn't a four hour journey and nor was I knocked out and having eye surgery... this time it was a mere 25 minute trailer ride. That's my kind of trip!

I got to the hospital and felt a bit overwhelmed to be honest. We went to the Royal Vet College and it was a busy place! I quickly got settled though and off Spode went to consult with the vets about my history. Spode, being her typical obsessive self, had a month's worth of daily observations and weights to offer.

Which included things like swollen glands...

And swollen legs. And a plethora of details about my eating and drinking patterns. Er, and my slightly unhealthy...poo!

The next leg of the journey was to the examination room where I had my first ultrasound. Rather unpleasant. They had freezing cold liquid they kept pouring all over my barrel and I had to stand in stocks, Old Sports! Do they not know who I am?! The Great Gatsby, being asked to stand in stocks?! I quickly forgot though as I had 6 vet students around me--glorious. I was basking in their affections, and I even managed to get one of them to hand feed me the whole time. Bliss. Meanwhile Spode and the head vets looked at this weird little screen thing. Humans are quite bizarre--I don't know how they can understand any of those greying splodges. 

See? No? Well neither did Spode for the most part. Well done, vets!

The ultrasound took a while and Spode was wringing her hands even though she admitted that she could barely identify organs on that funny screen. I turned around myself at one point to have a look but it was far too confusing and the vet student's service was too good to turn down. Spode could tell when the vets were identifying some sort of issue on the screen though, so anxieties were high.
The result? My intestines, small and large, have inflamed walls. Not good news. And then on top of that, as they were carefully looking at all organs, they also noted some issue with my right lung. Nobody knows what, but yet another issue we need to be aware of in the future. I don't have trouble breathing for now so hopefully it stays that way! Basically my lung is not as full of air as it should be. Uveitis is not enough.

The intestine issue was diagnosed as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (think Crohn's Disease, humans!). I had a variety of further tests as a result including an overnight stay at the hospital. All fine, it's not my first time doing that, but this was a bit different... no food! Cruelty to animals right there! I had not a scrap of food for over 12 hours.

Is it possible to move to a stall that DOESN'T have a "no food" sign please??

Oho, but it gets worse, Old Sports. After that starvation, I had to have a tube shoved down me full of glucose! Awful experience and I was none too happy about being subjected to it, let me tell you. I then had to have blood drawn again repeatedly. They shaved off some of my hair and I just look ridiculous now. The shame of it! 

Spode told me that my results of this glucose testing were good, which was a massive relief for us both as the prognosis is not very good for IBD and poor glucose absorption. Luckily my prognosis is better. We're not out of the woods yet, but we do have a plan of action--which is also a relief really because after not knowing why I'm so hungry and why I'm losing weight it was very stressful! I also got wormed yet again as it seems I may have some resistance issues, but that still needs to be confirmed. Stupid worms are likely the cause of it in the first place, combined with my weakened immune system (thanks, Uveitis).

I'm now back home and transitioning to a cereal free diet and oil. Spode tells me I'm working my way up to 5kg of this new feed a day and I'm already getting the prescribed 2 cups of oil a day. Plus some other fat supplements once I've settled into the new diet. Yummo. If that doesn't work, I'll be back on the same steroids I was on for my particularly bad cases of Uveitis. All full circle, Old Sports. Can't repeat the past? Why of course you can. Of course you can.

So new vet is coming out in 2 weeks to see how I'm doing and if I've been able to gain any weight. So far, I've not managed to do that but I am feeling a bit more myself. I hope we can manage this as well as we managed uveitis. There's been many hugs in the stable and panicked phone calls lately, but I think we're on the mend now and relieved to have a diagnosis at the very least.

Also, is there an award for most expensive backyard horse? Because I'm winning. Spode really should have thought this through when she named me Gatsby--a book about a poor man who ended up spending millions. I'm just living up to my namesake! I like to keep the vets in business anyway.

Until later, Old Sports, and hopefully fatter...

Jay.

The grass is even greener

 Hello old sports!

Well, I did warn you didn't I? Now that Spode is a teacher, I rarely get computer access... but really, that't not much of an excuse is it? The real reason is, well, the grass is pretty damn green here old sports. I can barely tear myself away to log on here. I've finally had my fill enough to give a little update here.

Who am I kidding, I never have my fill!

Due to my extreme laziness and fondness for British grass, I haven't written since I moved stables the first time! That's actually happened again would you believe it. Things weren't working out between me and the other horses, and the drama of the previous stable started to affect Spode's mental state so a move was decided upon. And what a good move it was! I do miss my girlfriend, but the grass is good here, the fields are bigger, and drama? There's none! Bliss! My horsey friends will no the rarity that is a drama free barn I'm sure. 

Plus, there are still tiny ponies to be friends with here

There was a bit of drama initially actually, but only on my end because this new farm has a strange creature called an alpaca inhabiting there. Three of them actually. They make weird sounds and they run strangely too. Very confusing animals!

Very popular with Oli though

But lets back track a little bit first because I am WAY behind. First big event-Spode dislocated her shoulder when I accidentally bumped her spooking at a cart. I swear, I barely even touched her but her arm was at a bad angle and out it popped. And she popped it back in again. As it should be. I need my attention and can't have a one armed Spode!

And still smiling to boot! Hard not to smile around me I suppose

I also celebrated my 6th birthday. SIX! Can you believe it? I'm such an old man now, I don't know where the last 4 years with Spode have gone! 

It's not a party without a hat. And I know how to party. 

Now that I'm a my new stable (been here 2 and a half months now!) I feel much more settled in the UK. I'm used to the different horse keeping methods and have adjusted to the weather. 

Spode has also adjusted, though clings to Canadianisms. Such as stick families, which aren't a thing here. But I like it. Everyone needs to know Spode's most important family member!

Alas, this was always supposed to be on her car as well, but it didn't quite work out that way. Makes a good stall plate anyway.

Now that I've settled in, riding is much more back to normal as well. The time off made me quite lazy and unbalanced, I admit. Spode and I have had a few disagreements about that, but we're back to where we were now. With the addition of teaching Oli to ride... 

I quite like the guy now that I've gotten over my jealousy issues when it comes to Spode. He gives me more treats than her. 

And my skills have also increased to include, wait for it.... JUMPING! Yeah, I know! Me, the partially sighted horse! It's quite fun now that I've learned to pick up my back feet (er, well, most of the time. Hahem)

So it's not the world's largest jump. Give me a break!

I've also become a pro at hacking on the road. There's some lovely woods and fields around, but we have to cross a bridge over a busy highway first, or take a tunnel underneath. Both are pretty scary! The first time I came across the bridge I legged it to the other side. A terrifying experience! The woods are lovely though. We take Oli with us sometimes. He's a good egg, old sports.

He's our personal GPS. Since Spode and I are both directionally challenged. 

In not so good news, my eyes were bad about a week ago. A bit painful but not in a uveitis way. Still, Spode got the vet out to me and I'm all better now thanks to the wonders of Maxidex, that very familiar medication. I just sighed when Spode showed me the ointment. Ah, we're back to that are we? But only 3 times a day, so that's better than usual. Lucky Spode is off of school at the moment!

Ouch!

Yep, put in in my eyes and let me go back to sleep please. 

You can call them sunglasses as much as you like, old sport, they still wouldn't be accepted in East Egg. 

I do feel like I've landed in my home though. I miss the old Fox Hollow at times, but this is a good equivalent in the UK. It's homely and lovely and very very green. And sometimes muddy!

What are you looking at? 

It just means more grooming time for Spode, and I know she loves it!

So all in all, things are going great old sports!

Life is good anywhere where daisies grow. Gatsby's life motto.

It's hard not to miss Canada of course, but we all celebrated Canada Day together, and our little family makes it feel like home, slowly but surely. Spode and I take comfort in each other to combat our occasional home sickness. After all, what's more Canadian than being outside and with one another? 

We're all Canadian at heart! Oli is an honourary citizen!

Until later, old sports.

Jay. 

Another change in circumstances

Hello old sports! Once again, my apologies for the lack of writing. I do believe this may be my new life with Spode as a teacher: I only get access to the computer to write during break time.

A lot has happened since I last wrote. First of all, Oliver has taken a shine to me (jeez, took him long enough!)

He tends to bring me treats, so I am also fond of him...

He even tried riding me, though he has only done this a few times.

You realize that Spode is going to keep nagging us to get along forever now, right?

I also left behind my chilled out home in St. Albans. I'm rather sad to have left it as I did have lots of space to myself and loads of time outside, but I was also rather bored and grumpy at only having one friend in the field.

How boring, old sports.

Spode has now moved me to Welwyn Garden so that I can have more time with her by being closer to home. I was not thrilled to see the horse trailer show up, let me tell you! I was initially convinced that Spode had decided to move away from England and back to Canada. I am not ready to go back on a 4 day trip and another flight! No sir! Once Spode said it would only be a 25 minute drive though, I quickly walked on. (well, and when she showed me the apple I suppose I should add...)

I'm blaming you if this ends up being longer than half an hour, Spode.

We arrived at the new place and I quickly had a crowd of people around me. I'm not sure why, but every horse at this yard seems to be 15hh or shorter. In some cases, a lot shorter!

Everyone can practically walk underneath me here! But the ladies love a tall man, it seems. 

I seem to be a bit of a novelty because of my size. Most of them seem used to me now though, and I'm also used to being surrounded by little ponies. No one is mean to me in the field like before thanks to my stature. Perfect! 

The downside to this place is that I have to come inside at night, which I'm not overly fond of. However, thanks to cultural and climate differences, coming inside isn't so bad because I'm not in a closed in barn. Instead I'm in a box that opens up to the outside. I like that a lot more than the American style barn I've grown up with! We would never have water in the winter though, if they followed the same system in Canada. We'd have ice in minutes. No worries about that here!

I quite enjoy my new home. And all of my stuff is in a personal tack room behind these water buckets. Perfect for Spode but awfully mean for me as I can smell my grain all night!

I've quickly become used to being an indoor horse again, and Spode assures me that I'll soon be back to an outdoor horse as we all go back out 24/7 in the summer months. Spode is looking forward to that, though she also enjoys stopping by before going to school to turn me out and even came to visit me at her lunch break once. It's much nicer being close to home and seeing Spode a minimum of twice a day. More time for spoiling, old sports!

The weather here has been delightful and Spode is riding me lots as we have a little ring here as well. A little uneven in places so Spode has been trying to get me to pick up my feet more (fat chance!) but we're doing well getting us both back into shape and into dressage mode. We're back to working on outside shoulder control and canter transitions. Happy all around! And I love being in a big herd again rather than just with one horse. I've even buddied up with a couple of the ponies here.

All in all, life is good! Can't complain when I have green grass to eat while I know my friends back home are still fetlock deep in snow. Hopefully it won't be long before i can go out exploring the wonderful countryside here.

Though for now I'm quite content in my bed, eating straw because I'm too lazy to pick the hay out of my net!

Looking forward to a week of lots of riding and fussing now that Spode is on holiday again. 

Until later, old sports.

Jay.