Phase 2| Coat Care

   Things hadn't been going exactly to plan with the new mare, who Briar had been calling Berry. She had a hefty appetite, and with her specialized feeding plan, she had been gaining weight consistently, and her coat condition was remarkably better. Briar had been spending hours every day grooming the mare and treating her coat with special creams and salves. During the last week, Briar had begun some light groundwork with the mare after Dr. Denes gave the all-clear. Berry was very willing and quick to catch on to whatever Briar asked of her, usually lunging at a walk trot and some other fun obstacles. But in the last few days, after lunging a few minutes, Briar had noticed a slight lameness in Berry's right front leg. She called the vet after the second time it happened and he recommended avoiding any more work until he came out to the farm in a few days to check her out. 

   Briar was quite discouraged at the possibility of something else being wrong with Berry. She made her way to the quarantine barn, where Berry was still staying. The mare was out in the field, grazing on the lush grasses. As soon as she spotted Briar she lifted her head and whinnied happily towards her before ambling over to the fence. Briar greeted the mare with a gentle scratch behind the ears. "Let's go get you cleaned up," Briar said, opening the gate, haltering the mare, and leading her out for their daily grooming session. Berry, who loved to nap and absolutely loved getting attention from Briar, was perfect at standing tied for the hour or two Briar spent fussing over her. Grabbing the grooming box full of brushes, sprays, and creams, the two headed to the hitching rail and began. Berry let out a relaxed sigh as Briar began hosing her off. She brushed and cleaned every inch of the mare. After finishing, she stepped back proudly and admired her shining coat. Next was her mane and tail; using a special spray, Briar began combing and brushing the hair until it was smooth and shiny. She smiled proudly, remembering how terrible Berry looked when she first arrived. Although her mane and tail were still quite patchy they were already growing much healthier. 

   Briar furrowed her brows a moment as she examined the mare mane. She had been debating giving it a short trim so that it would grow back healthy, but she still hadn't made up her mind. With a sigh, she plopped down next to the mare and moved on to examine her lame leg. She ran her hands up and down the leg, feeling for any bit of heat or swelling. She thought she felt a small lump but she couldn't be sure. She looked up at the napping mare's face and gently patted her shoulder. "We'll have to wait and see what the vet says," she sighed, worried. Moving to her feet, Briar ducked inside the barn, grabbed a handful of Berry's favorite treats, and went back to give them to the now-awake mare. Berry inhaled the treats, making Briar laugh. Giving the mare's neck a few more pets, she untied her and led her back to her field, stepping out and watching as Berry wandered a few paces before letting herself down into the grass to roll. Briar let out a soft groan. Oh well, she'd clean her again tomorrow, and Berry would roll right after again, just like always. Briar smiled as she headed back to the barn to clean up all the grooming supplies and move on to her next task.