Day one: First treatment

All pieces available ?

• Gloves ... Check
• Sedative gel ... Check
• Imiquimod cream ... Check
• Willing horse ... Hmmm .....

After a great ride, blue gel under the tongue and waiting ... and waiting. Beamer is getting impatient and does not understand why I stuck that goo under his tongue and why he's still on the cross ties after 30 min. I on the other hand figured the gel was not working as he is shaking his head and pawing the floor so I start treating his better (left) ear. Cream on thumb and swipe and done. Hey, that's easy. Lets do the other one.
Well, there is some junk removal necessary so we're getting into a little fight as Mister B is clearly NOT sedated. Finally got that one halfheartedly done too and there goes the head and the eye lids and almost the rest of his body, down. He's standing crooked and is leaning into the cross ties BIG time ...
I guess I should have had a little more patience as he is clearly out now. Good time to clear out the right ear a little more. Pull of some gunk and snuggle with him to give him that mommy-loves-you kinda treatment. I truly hope it's that later part he will remember.
So now starts the waiting until the lights go on again. When the audience suggests he is not so doped anymore I try to get him back in his stall. The turn goes a little unbalanced and walking is not so coordinated but we make it. There he rests his head against the wall and takes an other snooze. Oh boy, maybe next time I should use half a tube ...
We're now a good 90 min after the sedation set in and it's feeding time. He is not responding to the sounds of feeding which is a sign to me he's not fully arrived yet. An other 30 min and he starts to look for pieces of hay on the ground still not moving his legs. 15 min after that he will eat some hay out of my hand and will clumsily follow me trough the stall. Okay we're back in town and I feel it's safe to give him his hay. He's eating slowly but chewing well. At that point I'm not too worried of choke anymore and give him his grain and call it a day.

Lessons learned,
One, do listen to the recommendations of the vet when it come to sedating animals (yes, I was told to maybe start with half a tube or 2/3 ....)
Two, Be patient. When the manufacturer says it takes 40+ min to kick in, guess what, they are right ...

I sincerely hope Beamer will forgive his amateur nurse ....