Pretty, But....

Our newest storm has come and gone, leaving behind some beautiful scenery. What was originally supposed to be 2 to 3 inches off to our west, turned into just a tad under 8 inches here. It was a dry, powdery snow. Not at all like the wet, heavy stuff we usually get when do get any snow at all. Only problem was, late Monday and most of that night we had light freezing rain that compacted the snow and left an 1/8th inch of ice over everything. It has now been three days and we are just now seeing the normal drab, brown grass starting to return to view. The horses have not been happy with the crusty mess at all. Our Boxers loved playing in the snow, but once in crusted over and re-froze, they quickly became obviously tired of having to negotiate through it. As for us, it was pretty, but we are tired of frozen pipes and transporting water. I promise to be a little bit more tolerant of this coming summer's heat.

Out in the Cold

We participated in the West Wateree Ropes & Reins 4-H show in Camden, SC this weekend. A long trip with a late arrival led to an early wakeup on Saturday to a windy mix of cold rain and sleet. The weather did break and improve in the afternoon, but we never got a break in the show ring. A long day resulted in a single 5th place ribbon for B and Red in the TWH Youth Trail Pleasure English 3 Gait.

A sidebar to our show plan was to visit a resident near the area that had been advertising boxer puppies for sale. We had been shopping around for a new boxer pup, although the reality is that we had absolutely no need for another.
With a break in the afternoon show schedule we took off to see what they had to offer. The only pup they had left was a cute little boy that seemed as though he really wanted to come to our house. What was left to do but oblidge him? So, welcome to the Triple H Horse Farm family.... "Max Man".

DCM and Brady

Dilated Cardiomyopathy, aka heart disease. DCM is a disease of the heart muscle that results in weakened contractions and poor pumping ability. As the disease progresses the heart chambers become enlarged, one or more valves may leak, and signs of congestive heart failure develop. The cause of DCM is unclear in most cases, but certain breeds appear to have an inherited predisposition. Primarily, the Boxer, or in this case, Brady. DCM is inherited and thus is present at birth. It is a progressive disease and normally takes years for the symptoms to become a problem. In Brady's case, DCM did not play by the rules. Brady is not yet two years old. But he has spent the last five days going from emergency vet hospitals, to the vet, to the North Carolina State University Veterinary Hopital and finally back home today. After a number of collapses for Brady and a rollercoaster of ups and downs for us, he is home. The short term for Brady is somewhat promising. With test results still pending and a plethora of meds to tweek for optimal heart rate, the long term is yet uncertain. The biggest challenge of immediate concern is how to limit the activity of a 68 pound boxer who loves to run and wrestle with Lexi, his 60 pound boxer buddy, while maintaining his quality of life. But for now, of most importance, Brady is home.