Feeling Isolated (Cara)

[Lindsey Bradshaw]

Lindsey walked down the aisle of the White Oak Barn, seeing her Groningen stick his head out over the stall door, while Titan neighed humbly. As she neared and stroked the Chestnut's snout, she saw that Titan had his rear turned to her.

Ok bud, I can't watch you do this anymore, we have to do something. Lindsey said, letting go of the chestnut's head she was holding, and moving over to the purple halter of Titan's.

Grabbing the black and white lead rope, she held in her hand, Lindsey then unlatched the stall door, and slid her hand along his rear, and then ran along his flank. Attaching his halter to his head, and then clipping on the lead, Lindsey turned his body around in a circle and led him out of the stall, and down the aisle of the barn.

Taking him outside and down to the pasture's, she chose pasture two, one she hadn't used in awhile. Letting them both into the pasture, she unclipped his lead, watching as he went straight to the corner again and snorted, lifting his head and feeling aware. She stood there, wanting to observe his behavior before anything happened.

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

Cara ran her hand down Tonka's neck as she led the tiny gelding out to the pastures, knowing that keeping the hand that wasn't holding the lead on his neck stopped him for trying to act like a two year old and trying to race off - a typical pony trick that the twenty plus pony still did.

Reaching the pastures she glanced over at the gate to the mare's pasture as she heard a gentle nicker and saw Jewel standing at the fence, bobbing her head up and down before she wheel around and raced off down the pasture toward the trees. Cara had a feeling that the pretty Gypsy was still looking out for Bunny, her constant pasture buddy until the mare got sick. The girl bit down on her lip as sorrow washed over her in waves that threatened to drag her down and drown her if she let them get hold of her. She shook her head to rid the emotions and turned the gelding she was leading toward the pasture she wanted.

Reaching the gate, she halted the gelding and swung it open before leading Tonka through and then after closing the gate and turning the skewbald pony to face it, she removed his halter and stepped back as he wheel around and ran into the middle of the horses who had been grazing, scattering them all before he kicked up his hind legs and then dropped his head to graze.

Standing at the gate, Cara then noticed Lindsey standing there as well. "Hi." She said softly. She hadn't spoken to the other girl since the day that she had said her farewells to Bunny.

[Lindsey Bradshaw]

Lindsey had been watching Titan closely for awhile now, not making any progress out of his corner, then she finally decided to get out of the pasture. Walking outside of the gate, and then latching it back up, Lindsey watched from a few feet back if there would be any change in him. None.

Hearing the familar clacking of hooves on the pavement of the walkway to the pastures, Lindsey turned her head, seeing a familar dark haired brunette. It was Cara, the girl that she had almost all her classes with, and the one that had said her goodbyes to her mare. Such a shame, a pretty mare too.

She had a smaller looking gelding, and as she unlatched the gate, revealing a nicker from another horse a few moments earlier, Titan arched his head, feeling alert. As he noticed that the horse was in the same pasture as him, Lindsey could see his body tighten up.

As Cara greeted her with a casual "Hi", Lindsey replied back, Hey, Cara. How have you been? she asked her, not knowing if the girl perferred to leave or not.

Titan seemed fine, but then again he seemed as if he wanted to bolt, but he knew that he couldn't.

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

Cara's eyebrows shot up in reply as the other girl not only returned her greeting but followed it with a question. "I've been better." She replied with a shrug. "How are you?"

She followed the girl's gaze and looked at the dapple grey gelding who was in the corner of the pasture all by himself. The small teen frowned as Titan, she recognised the gelding instantly at the taller girl's Irish Warmblood. "How long as he been like that?" She asked, knowing that it wasn't normal for the tall horse to be isolating himself like that. She remembered treating the gelding when he was recovering from a pulled tendon and although very wilful and as stubborn as a mule, the gelding had been a delight to have around as left to his own devices, he had got along with most of the other horses at the clinic.

She glanced over at the gelding that she had brought out to the pasture and the little Skewbald was walking confidently toward the water's edge, keeping quite a distance between him and the gloomy gelding. It was almost as though the aged Shetland didn't want to chance the younger gelding's blue mood rub off on him. The pony flicked his flaxen tail back and forth as he drank from the fresh water.

[Lindsey Bradshaw]

Hearing that Cara had been doing good; but could of been better, Lindsey turned her way as the girl replied to her wiith the own question. Pretty good, rough times here and there. Lindsey was honest with her, it wasn't the best time for her right not; or Titan.

As Lindsey watched Titan, she was grateful that he didn't decide to play mean to Cara's Shetland; that wouldn't be good. Then perking her ears towards the question that lingered for a moment, Lindsey replied to her, now leaning against the gate. Only a few days. I thought maybe it was coming back from the Clinic and getting settled again; but he's isolating himself from everything. Horses, riding, me. Lindsey told Cara.

Maybe she could help.. Lindsey thought to herself in her head. Afterall, she was a vet student for a reason; there had to be something useful for this situation.

Seeing the other gelding of Cara's, Lindsey watched as the pony moved over to the water trough; taking in the nice refreshment, but seeming cautious of Titan. Lindsey didn't want to feel like her horse was always the odd one out; not this way.

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

Cara frowned at the news about Titan. She could remember what he had been like at the clinic, and it was nothing like that the other girl was describing now. She looked over at the dappled horse again, watching as Tonka walked away from the stream he had been drinking from and back out into the sunshine from the dappled shade that the Willows offered.

She gave Lindsey a sideways glance and then turned her attention back to the horses in the pasture. "I wonder if he's feeling a little blue from the change in his routine?" She said, the question being completely rhetorical. It was not normal for a herd animal to break themselves away from the others, as there was always safety in numbers and being alone normally meant death in the wild... On that sad thought, that was one of the reasons that a horse would spend time away from the herd, was because they were dying, that couldn't be what was up with Titan though as Dr Carr had given him a complete health check before he was released from the clinic. "There are a couple of things you could do." She said as she finally turned to actually face the other girl. "You could work him into a new routine: a gentle hack, schooling him over some jumps, nothing more than cavalletti, so you aren't straining his tendon. You could even work him at liberty over proper jumps - there's less strain on his legs if he's not trying to get the weight of a rider over the jump as well as his own." She drew in a shaky breath, not quite knowing where the words were coming from. "I could also give you a list of herbs that you could offer him in case he is lacking vitamins or minerals." When the body was lacking in something it grew confused on how to express it, and sometimes resorted to coming out like depression. She blew out a long breath, she could feel herself shaking from talking so much, just a gentle tremble that she hoped wasn't too obvious. "You could also try some stable... barn toys."

[Lindsey Bradshaw]

Seeing the frown on Cara's face when Lindsey told her the news, she spoke up before the girl started to talk; if she did. I know that he wasn't like that at the clinic, as I had visited him and he seemed as happy as ever. Lindsey told Cara, moving her gaze to Titan and back. She wondered if he was possibly coming down with something? That couldn't be it though; as they usually show diffrent signs before this.
Hearing the question from Cara after Lindsey had spoken, she nodded considering it. He had been having a change lately. The thought came to her that whenever animals in herds, like horses, were away and isolating themselves was because they were dying. That couldn't be the case with Titan; as Dr.Carr would of noticed something; and Lindsey assumed gave him a check before she released him from the clinic.

Hearing some advice from Cara now, as she turned to face Lindsey fully, she listened carefully to what Cara had to offer. After she was done, Lindsey nodded and then replied to her, Yes, I could work him into a new routine; easily, with time. The herbs would be a great help also, thank you. I will, thanks for all that. Lindsey said to her, meaning it. If Cara hadn't said that; Lindsey wouldn't of known what to do. She would of eventually figured it out, as she's smart enough, but horse's change fast; sometimes faster than expected.

If she hadn't said something; who would know where Titan would be in a few months, weeks, or even days? It could of been really good, or bad; Lindsey was just thankful that Cara had told her. I suppose the store downtown sells barn toys; which would be easy to pick up. Would you like me to come pick the herbs up from you, or do you perfer something else? Lindsey asked her. The least she could do was come and pick them up; afterall Cara helped her so much already.

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

Cara nodded at Lindsey's words about the gelding's attitude in the equine clinic, as he'd been a box of birds there, other than the sore leg, and Dr Carr would never released him if he had seemed as depressed and dejected as he looked now.

She nodded again as the other girl said that she could set up a new routine, not wanting to offer any more suggestions of what she could do as she didn't want Lindsey to feel like she was having her toes stepped on, and she knew the other female was more than competent of working out her own routine.

The small girl shrugged at the feed store selling toys. "Or you could just create your own." She suggested. "I'm sure there are enough things lying around the campus that you could create something out of that would catch his interest." She thought about the herbs. "I'll find out what I have got in stock." She said. "I'll bring them to you, and if we don't happen to be in the barn at the same time, I'll leave them by Titan's locker with your name on them." And, as much as she didn't want to, she added. "You might also want to ask Dr Carr to come an take some blood, just to make sure that there isn't anything hiding."

[Lindsey Bradshaw]

Having a couple nods out of Cara, and then seeing the wheels in her head thinking out things to say; Lindsey waited her response. Cara was always helpful and had the right things to say all the time.

Hearing that she could make her own toys, Lindsey nodded. I suppose that would work; he gets easily entertained, or use too. she said back, starting off. Oh yes, there are many things. Ok, that sounds great; thank you. she said back to the herbs suggestion. She was happy that the girl was being so genorous to her; and Titan.

Sounds good, and I'll schedule an appointment with her as soon as she gets available. Lindsey told her, then thinking to go as soon as possible to the Clinic. I better get going, schedule that appointment. Lindsey said sarcastically and opened up the gate with halter in hand. Walking over to the corner; Titan meeting herself halfway; he walked into the halter himself and let her lead him out of the paddock; head low. Cara, I'd also like to apologize about the barn a few weeks ago. Lindsey said referring to Bunny. I'll see you around. she said, turning and then leading Titan up to the barn.

OOC: I'll schedule an appointment with Dr.Carr?