Hi RF folks...I'm LostCreekReefer with a 270 gallon tank in western Montana. I am also a veterinarian, dealing with all kinds of animals and their people. I had a funny one today:....that I am still laughing about...I will be all weekend...
So, We had a 'conversation' with a horse owner over the phone today while we were doing several procedures here in the clinic....the horse owner would talk to Kezzia who talked to me who relayed things back to the lady with the horses...you get the idea. So our horse owner called wanting me to come out and look at her 3 horses that have been standing around the horse trough, not drinking (much? at all?) for 2 days; her thought is they all have colic (horse-sized stomach aches). Kezzia relates this to me. My 1st question is: Do they have a stock tank heater back in the horse trough? (because it's getting to be winter-esque in Montana, and the horses drink water way better than ice). Answer is yes, there is a stock tank heater in the trough (for the above stated reasons) = good horse husbandry! Cool! My next question is could the stock tank heater maybe be shorted, which would electrify the water, shock the horses and they do not drink that kind of water at all, at all. Our horse owner replied that she'd tested for that, stuck her hand in the water, no shock at all. My next question to the horse owner was: Perhaps were you wearing boots? Maybe rubber, insulated boots? Maybe? So Kezzia relayed my (lame) question to the lady and she was a bit put off by it. So she said all right....and took off her boots. So, now standing bare footed, on the dew covered ground she re-stuck her hand in the horse trough, thus completing the circuit! Kezzia's face turned red, she tried (unsuccessfully) not to laugh as the woman screamed GOD BLESS AMERICA followed by SOME OTHER OBSCENITIES THAT I will not repeat as the water shocked the crap out of her. Guess I **CAN** diagnose over the phone. I felt bad for her, but at least the horses will get water (in buckets) now! I love my job! This is a true story!
So, We had a 'conversation' with a horse owner over the phone today while we were doing several procedures here in the clinic....the horse owner would talk to Kezzia who talked to me who relayed things back to the lady with the horses...you get the idea. So our horse owner called wanting me to come out and look at her 3 horses that have been standing around the horse trough, not drinking (much? at all?) for 2 days; her thought is they all have colic (horse-sized stomach aches). Kezzia relates this to me. My 1st question is: Do they have a stock tank heater back in the horse trough? (because it's getting to be winter-esque in Montana, and the horses drink water way better than ice). Answer is yes, there is a stock tank heater in the trough (for the above stated reasons) = good horse husbandry! Cool! My next question is could the stock tank heater maybe be shorted, which would electrify the water, shock the horses and they do not drink that kind of water at all, at all. Our horse owner replied that she'd tested for that, stuck her hand in the water, no shock at all. My next question to the horse owner was: Perhaps were you wearing boots? Maybe rubber, insulated boots? Maybe? So Kezzia relayed my (lame) question to the lady and she was a bit put off by it. So she said all right....and took off her boots. So, now standing bare footed, on the dew covered ground she re-stuck her hand in the horse trough, thus completing the circuit! Kezzia's face turned red, she tried (unsuccessfully) not to laugh as the woman screamed GOD BLESS AMERICA followed by SOME OTHER OBSCENITIES THAT I will not repeat as the water shocked the crap out of her. Guess I **CAN** diagnose over the phone. I felt bad for her, but at least the horses will get water (in buckets) now! I love my job! This is a true story!
