Poor Whiskey

Poor Whiskey.  We've been having unseasonably warm weather creating a tremendous amount of ice.  Whiskey is one of those tender footed quarter horses, and this uneven hard ground gives her tender toes.  She gimps from the automatic waterer to the straw pile and gimps from the straw pile to the hay bale.  She even patiently waits by the feed shed for me to bring the feed to her.  When Derek the farrier comes out I'm going to have him bring this stuff you put on the soles (not the frog) of the hoof to try and toughen them up.  I could buy her the little rubber boots but with the ice would hate to her to have even less traction than she already has.

Today I was out and just petting and scratching her, continuing my never ending search for skin ickies (and yes there are more!!) when I discovered the entire area under her head was an itching mass of things.  This may explain the mystery of the moving tractor bucket.  When I went out in the morning the bucket (front end) of the tractor had been moved 2 feet.  Baffled and concerned I looked over both the horse (the only animals with access) to see they were both happy and healthy.  My suspicion is Whiskey has been itching the bottom of her head on the top corner of the bucket.  As Whiskey is an easy 1400lbs. she'd have the power to move it.

When I scratched her under her chin she blissfully began to lick my coat and hand, telling me she was enjoying the automated scratch.  Later I observed her scratching on the tombstone of the bale feeder.  As much as it pains me to admit it, I'm loosing the battle with her ickies.  Tomorrow I'll call the vet and see what she has too say.