It was not a great day for it, to be frank. It had been raining all day and it was still pouring when I arrived at the barn. All the horses were in the far paddock getting soaked despite the fact that there were trees and shelter available.
The only horse with any sense was Honey, who stayed pretty try under a pine.
I thought for a moment that the vet had cancelled on account of the weather, but she was just stuck in traffic and soon everyone was ready for their turn.
As far I know Gobie was always sedated for vetting (and for hoof trimming for that matter) so I wasn't quite sure how it was going go. But the veterinarian was exceptional--understanding, calm, very patient and above all quick!
She started with a physical exam that all went rather well: checking the mouth, the teeth, and taking temperature. That part was fairly easy since Gobie is just a curious character to being with.
Then it was on to the Coggins test. Even though I have no solid plans to move him, or foresee him interacting with any new or strange horses I figured it was just best to keep on it. It was a pretty quick draw of blood--he didn't try to run off or anything after he was stuck.
The final bit were a few shots. These didn't go quite so uneventfully! After he was stuck he would want to run off--which is better than wanting to fight by kicking or rearing--but not particularly helpful. But the vet was very efficient and as soon as she stuck him she was able to push in the vaccinations and that was that. Three shots, three sticks!
I was really grateful for Dr. Hendrickson's expertise and bedside manner. We chatted a little bit and she made a comment about how focused Gobie was on me even as he was a bit fearful of what was going on. She also commented on how food motivated he was--and that he'd probably respond well to clicker training. Add that to the list!
