Brazil Clinic Day III & IV

Dr. Marcello Grilo, the Team Vet for the Country of Chili, for Dubai, and a native Brazilian, was actually at the Universidad do Cavalo when I arrived Monday morning. Marcello is known for not only his tardiness, but sometimes his total absence. However, it is very easy to forgive him when you understand the schedule he keeps & how hard he works. He is more than a good samaritan in his effort to help every animal on any farm/ranch he is on. That includes the cats & dogs. So you can imagine how that always slows him down.

Anyway, Marcello was there, had arrived around 5:30 AM after driving all night. At least he had another Brazilian friend with him that was helping with the drive & his treatments. We got started on the Veterinarian Check details right away. We had made slides the week before at my place, with all details covered from the dismount into the ride check, checking with the timer, cool down, every little thing the vet checks, trot out, & what U do with the horse during the hold. I had been blessed with a great translator the two days before, and of course didn't need her while Marcello was there, but in actuality, I would have liked her to translate to me all that was going on. The students really hit it off with Marcello, and we had a great day of vet discussions. A wonderful lunch was again provided on the scenic and flowered veranda, and back to work with more slides and talking. We broke about 3:00 to not just do our daily ride, but to have a simulated Pre & Post Vet check. Marcello basically did a pre-purchase exam on each of the horses he was so thorough. Of course Brazilian riders, like us in the US, don't like to hear that their horse is a grade 1 lame. But... what a good time to find out.. instead of competition.

We left on a 10 K (7-8 mile ride), one of the loaner horses (belonged to the Universidad), pulled a hamstring going up a little hill. Another pulled a shoe.... so we called for an EZ boot, (duh.... there was 8 of them setting on the demonstration table back in the meeting room), and we got to practice the previous day's lesson of cutting down, and fitting an EZ Boot. Worked great of course, & we got back in just fine. The hamstrung horse was hauled in.

Then one of the nearby students brought a couple of her horses in for diagnosis & between those two & a couple housed at the Universidad we were all there 'til 12:30 AM. No wonder we start a little late sometime. Dinner wasn't mentioned, but someone did divide two apples into many small pieces to stave off starvation. I grabbed a great Brazilian white choc. Bar, & who really gets hungry at that time of nite anyway. So... Sylvia & I drug ourselves home to an already sleeping house. (Thus no report)

Tuesday, Day IV, we went back to "Feeding the Endurance Horse". I had articles on Pro-Biotics, Beet Pulp & the great feeding one from Kathleen Crandell at Kentucky Equine Research. I had had them translated into Portuguese, so we read thru them slowly & answered questions with Sylvia being my translator, as Aluisio had left for the airport to pick up Sharon Saare. He was rushing back to make sure he made the section on "The Many Uses Of Bandanas", but alas he missed it. Will give him a private one tomorrow. He came in with Sharon, just as we finished lunch.

After lunch, (3:00ish, we are on Brazilian time after all), we decided it was time for the BARN. They wanted to see a continuation of the colt I had started on Sunday. I had only walked in his stall and petted him a bit on two different occasions on Monday. No more than 5 minutes each time, so, I too, was curious what he would retain. Led him quietly to the round pen & turned him loose and then left to gather my tools; a 60 foot rope, dressage whip, plastic grocery sack, & two water bottles. The folks gathered & we started working. He was pretty calm & I was just going thru the first lessons when I noticed the scab had come off an old wound. It was just up from the curb chain area, pretty nasty, & the flies were really attacking. I asked Aluisio for some fly ointment & U guessed it, he brings out a spray can. Well, I jumped ahead pretty quick & put a halter on him. Tried to start spraying and shushing far away, but this guy was trying to die.

You know, its really interesting how some things just direct themselves. I went ahead & attached the plastic bag to the dressage whip & spent the next 30-45 minutes sacking young stud out with that,... so much so in fact, that the eventual spraying of the medicine was EASY. Did some over the rump turn arounds, (via J.L & P.P.), some TTouch, (via LTJ), then put on the long rope, lunged for a moment.... practiced stopping and going obediently, then out to an open area to practice. Within about 30 seconds he had thrown himself as he spooked and bolted at a ditch. Oh well, I held his head up so it didn't hit the ground.... then we had a pretty long, but successful session of crossing some nasty ditches, tangling and untangling around trees, and finally going up a concret ramp, (prep for trailer loading). He & I were both wet & mellow by this time. This is great training for Endurance horses,.... why don't I ever do it to those guys that dump me on a regular basis.... ah the cobblers childred go barefoot! Finished off with a quiet bath, (his very first), he even let me wash his face.... Albanet won't let me do that, neither will Marcus & neither will.... oh well,

Put him away on a good note, then we all saddled up & went for a two hour ride. Once again, the country side is just awesome. Today we rode thru a gated subdivision that had a "blow U away" jumping farm. Probably at least 200-300 acres of jumps, pastures, fancy barns, & of course an indoor jumping arena. Wow!!!

Had the students do a forced trot for a mile or so, then jump off & try to take their horse's pulse... Not a great success. One guy had just purchased 5 Heart Monitors, so I just don't think he thought it was necessary. They lost interest in that pretty quick. They did show a little more when we returned to the ranch during bath time. We'll have to practice that some more. And most did do a flying dismount and hand trotted in to the barn area. (Big Success!)

Sharon had caught a quick rest while we were gone, & since it was still early, (not midnight), we decided to let her start her slide show. That lasted about 20 minutes.... then the Pizza arrived, & with that the beer, & with that the evening was over. Got home by 11:00 tonite.... not bad.

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