Olive update

It's been three weeks since Olive colicked. I know how close I came to losing her, and I am literally so happy to see her every her bright eyed, cheerful face every day.

That said, the first thirty days after colic surgery are hard. Olive's care instructions call for complete stall rest, with quiet hand-walking or quiet hand-grazing ten to twenty minutes twice daily.

At first we did most of our hand-walking in the indoor arena.

Then Olive told me in no uncertain terms that the indoor arena was boring, and she would rather go back to her stall than walk another lap in there.

We tried the outdoor arena, but it wasn't long before Olive rejected that as well. Reluctantly, I decided to bite the bullet and take her for a walk around the retention pond.

That first walk was extremely lively and snorty.

I switched her back into the rope halter and tried again.

And again and again.

For the last week or so, we've been walking around the pond twice a day every day.

Sometimes we're joined by friends,

but most days it's just the two of us.

I really expected to be having behavior problems by this point, but if anything, she just getting easier and easier.

Because of that, we've been able to add more and more small activities to our time outside the stall. 

These include visiting with friends,

grooming,

barn aisle maintenance...

and nightly checks on the two pregnant mares. They're due any day now!

We also make sure to visit the best waterer on the property at least twice a day.

She has water in her stall, of course, but she still sucks this one dry every single time.

It's not how I'd planned to spend this summer, but it's okay.

Olive is healing. Olive is thriving. I am so thankful.