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Zan's Story:  Meeting the Vet and Shots

(October 2003)

 

 

Today I met a new person. I’m not sure if I like her or not. She was very nice and patted me and told me I was handsome, but then she poked me and made me go OUCH!  It all started out pretty well. Katie came in my stall and put my halter on. Then she took me out and walked me around so the vet could see me walk. They both said I looked nice and straight, whatever that means.

 

Then we went back into my stall and the vet gave me some shots. Ouch! I suddenly realized that this is what Katie had been preparing me for with all those games where she poked my neck. She started them last week and I had no idea why she wanted to do this. She spent a lot of time teaching me that she could touch my neck with funny things. She touched me with her fist, sort of a bump. She also touched me with her fingernails, just a gentle poke. Then she poked me with a pen, not too hard but enough so I noticed it. She also sometimes held a piece of my skin between her fingers and then poked me.  None of it hurt and if I stood quietly I got a click and treat so I figured that if she wanted to do strange things, it was ok with me.  Now I realize that she had been getting me ready for shots. I sure didn’t like them, but I did stand quietly. The vet said that foals are usually good for the first one but then act up for the second. I did get nervous for the second shot, but Katie kept clicking and treating me for standing so I was willing to put up with it.

 

As if that wasn’t bad enough, then the vet reached back between my hind legs and touched me there. What? I was so surprised I kicked right out at her.  She did it again and again and I kept kicking at her. I had no idea what she wanted and Katie didn’t explain it to me so I was very upset.  I wish she had taught me it was ok to be touched back there. Later after the vet left, Katie spent some time working on this with me. First she touched me on the belly and clicked and treated for me standing quietly. Then she worked her way back until she could touch me all over back there and I didn’t mind. She said she was sorry she didn’t practice this before the vet came, but she hadn’t known the vet would do this. And she didn’t realize it would be so upsetting to me.  I sure wish we had practiced ahead of time too. I don’t like surprises, especially not that kind.

 

While the vet was still there, Katie asked her to look at the bump on my leg. I have a bump on my cannon bone that has been there for a while. It doesn’t bother me, but Katie wants to know what it is.  The vet wasn’t sure she wanted to touch my leg and she said "what, after he was trying to kick me?"  Katie said she was sure I would be fine as she touches my legs all the time.  She showed the vet how she could touch my leg and I didn’t mind. So then the vet went to touch me and I did try to kick her. I really wasn’t sure I wanted to let her do anything to me.  Then the vet looked at Katie and said “you do that again." So Katie touched my leg again and I let her.  I am used to Katie touching me all over and I know she won’t hurt me.  I know I will get clicked if I let her touch me, even in places where I am tickly.  Then the vet asked Katie for some carrots.  She gave me some carrots and then touched my leg and I didn’t mind as much. I didn’t kick her or wiggle at all. I figured she must be ok if she was feeding me carrots. But it sure would have been easier if she had explained it to me the way Katie does. I am much happier when people do things slowly and let me know if I am doing the right thing.

 

So that was my adventure with the vet. Katie said she wasn’t surprised that I was so good when they did things slowly and clicked me as that’s how she does things. But she said she was surprised how reactive I was when they didn’t do that. It doesn’t surprise me. I am happy to cooperate when they explain things to me but I am very sensitive and sometimes I react without thinking when they do something I don’t expect, or something new.

 

Here is how I looked in October.

 

 

 

And here I am doing my best racehorse imitation. Whee!

 

 

The next story is Feet.

 

 

 

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