Sierra's Most Favorite Day EVER!!

Ok, that's a sarcastic comment if I ever saw one. I've been putting off doing a lot of summer-y type things to my horse until I had help and had the time. Today, I realized that it was never going to work out like that, so I decided to take my life in my hands and attempt to do everything without a spotter. As you can see, I clearly survived because I have the world's most amazing horse. For reals.

Here is the list of things that I subjected my horse to today:

• Vaccinated for Tetanus, Encephalomyelitis, Influenza (both eastern and western) and Rabies. Yes, that involves me giving a 1500 lbs. animal 2 shots. Luckily, he didn't move an inch. (Those of you who knew Sierra a few years ago will most likely be completely shocked by that - but it's true.)
• Then I dewormed him. (Involves stuffing a paste tube down his throat and forcing him to swallow it)
  
• Then I bathed him with Dove Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner. The hose was only 3 feet long because this is the most poorly conceived barn in the history of mankind. It is kind of like DEATH in the Terry Pratchett novels - they have seen enough barns to know what it should LOOK like - but don't understand how they are used, so they mess it up and make it completely unusable. I managed to get him to stand right next to the hose and stand still, thank God.
  
• THEN I bathed him with a Providone-Iodine scrub to treat the minor bacterial infection that I found on his butt and backlegs. Damn warm climates. . . .
• As if that wasn't traumatic enough for a horse, I then subjected him to a sheath cleaning. Those of you who have never heard of this - just think about it for awhile. It is my most favorite thing to do - and his, believe me. (Again with the sarcasm)
• After this, I rounded his hoofs off with a hoof file file and moisturized them since it has been very muddy out lately.
  
• And trimmed his bridal path.
• Brushed out his mane and tail . . .
• For a finale, I then pulled out 6 ticks that had embeded around his anus and treated it so it wouldn't get infected.
  

He was so relieved when I turned him loose, the poor guy! He was a real sport though. He was ALMOST entirely perfect - and didn't even kill me or him when the gate came off it's hinges and fell on us. (best barn ever!!!)