All the ice and extremely cold weather has been causing a bit of hoof trouble, and I've been keeping a close eye on several goats. Now that there is a break in the cold - it has been raining non-stop all day and is predicted to go on straight through tomorrow morning - it was the perfect time for a hoof treatment for Campion (my Champion).
Being such an experienced goatherd and all, I carefully prepared and arranged everything needed. Each step was taken slowly and calmly: cleaning hooves, soaking, drying, trimming. Throughout the process, many well-timed apple slices were offered and accepted. Finally, the BluKote: a liquid hoof dressing that must be handled carefully because it stains everything it comes in contact with. There are usually a couple of little splatters, like this one on the leg of my dungarees:
But because I was being So Very Careful,
there was no staining of Campion's coat or my hands.
At first.
Then this happened:
Oh, Campion (my Scampion)! Such a prankster.
He waited til I was opening the full bottle of BluKote,
then jerked his hoof out of my hand and did a little spin.
Both hands. Front and back.
I wonder how many days it will take to wear off?
Place your bets!
~~~
In happier - and less purple - goat news,
Cloud Harvest Cashmere had a visitor on Tuesday:
Start the countdown for Kidwatch 2018!
Vinca may become a mamagoat around the 8th of June.
~~~~~
Oh, look at those fingers! I bet the nails take at least a few weeks. Such a handsome goat! Good luck with kidwatch!
ReplyDeletePerry is a nice-looking buck, isn't he? And quite well-behaved for the most part. I would have kept him for a while to see if Azalea might take a shine to him, but there were other does who were GREATLY interested, and this boyo could have gotten over or through my snow-challenged gates with little trouble. As it was, in the few hours I had him here, he bashed his way right through the wooden gate in the stiltbarn - splintered bits of board all over the place. Must mend that today, in fact!
DeleteCongratulations Vinca!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know goat herders have blue thumbs.
I use nail polish remover on stained hands, but I don't know if it will work on that stuff. Afterwards, not together, I gently now and then, wash stain areas with baking soda.
Nail polish remover is pretty harsh stuff, isn't it? Or maybe it's made of something less so these days. I don’t know of anything that will quickly remove BluKote, but I find it wears off noticeably day by day, either because our skin is constantly shedding dead cells or because I am constantly using my hands and scrubbing away skin cells - a process which would be hastened by the gentle added abrasion of baking soda. I just wouldn't want to use BluKote within a week of a public engagement of any kind!
DeleteBabies!!
ReplyDeleteWe'll see :)
DeleteBoy is he handsome. But act like most males.
ReplyDeleteBlue hands! Mine are gray today but it's paint and should wash off. The visitor is sure a handsom fella!
ReplyDeleteWell, at least purple is a nice colour - not like some others that it could have been!
ReplyDelete