Horse talk

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Horse talk

I know that some of you keep tabs on me on facebook, so you will probably see me talking a lot about my horses. I was first introduced to horses and riding in about 1999 . I remember that day quite clearly.

I was introduced by Debbie Cross. Her daughter Sam and I became the best of friends . We did almost everything together. The best part was that we lived just up the road so I could just pack my bags (which included my medication and nebuliser) and walk to her house.

I now have 5 horses:

August
Angel
Switch
Navajo
and Zorro

All of them have a special place in my heart :-)

However, having Cystic Fibrosis has it's down sides. Horses carry a bacteria known as

Burkholderia cepacia. It also occurs in wet soil and decaying plants

This is a nasty, multi resistance bug. And If I culture it more than twice a year, I will be refused a lung transplant.

So as much as I love my horses and riding, I have to be very careful. Making sure I wash my hands after touching them, wearing a mask around them, especially in a stable environment, mucking out etc.

If you want to read more on this bug, click this link below:

http://cysticfibrosis.about.com/od/relateddiseases/tp/bcepacia.htm

There is a saying that goes: "If you have horses, you are broke"

Lol, it is so true. This year has been expensive for me, first having to buy dewormer for all horses, then anti inflammatories etc for Zorro when he had that sore leg, then paying out for 5 Horses African Horse sickness injections. And now with the new foal on the way, buying bedding for the stable and horse food, and supplements. Luckily this year, Oom peet (friend of the family) trimmed the horses hooves for me, so all I had to do was pay him with a nice cold glass of Millk :-)

But in the end, it is all worth it.

Here's to hoping that Switches foal is born before I go into hospital, and that it is a little Girl :-)