What's up Wednesday

 

Wednesday already. Where does the time go? I can't believe summer is basically over. It went just as fast as this past week! 

We had a pretty quiet week with not much at all on the calendar. And it was much needed! It takes me awhile to get back into a routine after the marathon braiding weekends. So I was happy to have nothing to do but horses for a few days.

Shiny had her usual rides with her kiddo last week (Wednesday and Friday) but this week her kiddo couldn't make it today. I think she'll be here either Friday or Saturday though. I'm actually kind of excited to steal Shiny back for a jump school tomorrow. I haven't jumped her in awhile, and neither of the boys have been jumping either... I fear I'm becoming a dressage rider.... Which, nothing against dressage, but I'm not sure I have the attention span for it. Anyway, I'm excited to jump a couple little courses with Shiny. 

She's been going great lately for the most part. But, I was a little concerned because she's started kicking out again for the canter transitions. Then I also noticed she's been a little looky at things and not spooky really, but kind of looking for an excuse to think about spooking. These are Shiny's little tells that she needs to have a little gallop and buck. So I let her have a free lunge today, and when I rode her later she didn't kick out at all. So hopefully that's all that was about. The weather has definitely changed, so I'm not surprised she was feeing a little spicy. 

I mentioned on Thursday that Eros is trying out Al's saddle for the time being. He's also started using the equiband once a week. Just the belly band, not the one around his bum. Between those two things, he feels like a whole new horse. Like the horse I had before the latest injury. It's lovely! He's more forward, he's lifting his belly (and his withers!), and he just feels a lot better overall. So I guess I need to get the fitter out sooner than later. I really had hoped I was done with saddles for awhile! But horses, amiright? You'd think at his age he'd be done getting wider... The dad bod strikes again!

I'm planning to jump him a little tomorrow, and will bust out the Pivo so maybe next week we'll actually have some media. He's not doing much with jumping just yet. I'm taking things really slow. Last week he trotted four single jumps (two each way) on two different days. This week, I'm hoping to maybe do a little mini course. But we'll see how excited he is. I plan to have the jumps small, like under 2'. So nothing exciting... but sometimes E brings his own excitement. Fingers crossed it goes well and he stays sound. 

Al was not sound last week. He seemed to get a bit better as the week went on and by Sunday, I thought he felt pretty good. I had touched base with our vet I think on Friday and let him know we'd probably be scheduling an appointment. By the end of the weekend though, I was feeling more hopeful. On Tuesday, I decided to tack him up, but throw him on the lunge line first so I could see what he looked like. He looked good. Like really good. Both ways. So I hopped on and he also felt good. Yay! I noticed too that getting on after he was warmed up, he was much more willing to move forward. So my current plan is to toss him on the lunge line for a few minutes before riding. Let him warm up without me. Then I can get on and put him to work and he's already loose and ready to go. (I think he's been talking to Shiny... they both come out like they couldn't possibly be expected to move their legs.) We'll see if it holds up as successful. You never know with Al. 

I popped him over a handful of raised cavaletti today and that went very nicely. So as long as he's on the same trajectory tomorrow, I may hop him over a few jumps too. Nothing crazy. Little ones like Shiny and E are doing. Baby steps. 

Speaking of jumps... I'm not making any new fill this year for fall. I'm pretty happy with what's in the ring for this year. But I did find something I couldn't resist adding to the skull jump... 

Do you see what's new? HANDS! Joann Fabrics had a sale email go out with Halloween decor, and I couldn't resist the hands. They're perfect!

And that's about it from here! Did you all have a good week/weekend with your horses? Anything exciting on the horizon?

What's Up Wednesday

 

Just a short update today as I have very little to report. First and most important... I discovered I can get a margarita with my Mexican food delivery and that's probably the highlight of my winter so far. 

It was strong. I had to dilute it. So solid purchase if you ask me. 

In horsey news... 

Al is still off but is improving. My farrier came out last night and put the testers on him. He didn't find anything with the testers, but said he still isn't ruling out abscess. So more waiting. The vet will be out at some point next week too. On the bright side, his dermatitis is nearly healed up since he hasn't been in work. So I guess that's the positive here. 

Eros is perfect in every way. We had some saddles come in for him to try on Friday. Neither is a perfect fit, but we're getting closer to figuring out what will work so that's promising. We have another coming soon to try next. I had hoped the rep was coming out Monday with it, but she had a scheduling conflict so TBD when she can get here. Soon though!

This is the one I found the most comfortable. It's not quite wide enough on his shoulder though.

This is actually the one that originally came in for Al that didn't work. 
On Eros, it doesn't really work for either of us. Funny how different 
a saddle can feel on each horse.

So we're still looking, and may end up ordering something. But we're getting closer!

Shiny is doing much better after her little leg booboo last week. The swelling is gone and she's feeling sound. I do think she has a little bruise as she gets annoyed when I palpate on it still. I think she'll make it though!

And that's really it from here. Hopefully we'll have some more fun stuff (and maybe media?!) next week. Time will tell! While it makes for boring blog posts, I don't mind a little quiet time during these winter months. 

How are all of you doing? Horses good? Working hard or enjoying some quiet time?

Truthful Tuesday: The one with Shiny's foot

Well today's confession is that my pony had a GIANT PIECE OF WOOD in her foot and I couldn't see it. So that explained the abscess that wouldn't pop completely. Warning some photos below are a little icky, so if you're not into that feel free to not continue.
So backing up, Shiny had that abscess that just wasn't getting better. It would start to come out, but not all the way, and she continued to be pretty painful on it. We had the farrier out twice, and then while I was away one of the local vets looked at it. He put her on an antibiotic and some Banamine, but it still wasn't resolving.
I had her scheduled with my regular vet for Friday for something else, so I had him look at the foot. We started with x-rays. Not sure why the other vet didn't start there. But anyway...

The x-ray didn't really show the wood. We thought that black spot was the abscess on first look. But I actually do think it was the splinter as seen from above. All of that kind of shaded area along the right side is inflammation. And all that inflammation has caused some bone loss on her coffin bone. Because why wouldn't it right?
So after the x-rays Doc blocked the foot to try and do some digging. And whilst trying to dig out the infection he found the splinter. It was HUGE.

When he first pulled the smaller piece out I thought it was bone! So gnarly. So what we figure happened was she must have kicked the wall and managed to wedge this piece of wood up into her foot. She's barefoot, so if she'd been shod this probably wouldn't have happened. The piece went in so far that it was flush with the foot so you couldn't see it. It just looked like hoof. And then the abscess probably pulled it farther up as it tried to find its way out through the coronet band.

So prognosis is good, and she's feeling SO much better without that wood stuck up in there. We have to wait for the hoof to grow back before she gets back into work, and we'll have to wait and see how much that bone loss will bother her. But hopefully she'll be ok in a bit.
It's not surprising that it wasn't JUST an abscess. But sheesh. I hope little miss learns a lesson from this... Don't kick the walls!

Truthful Tuesday

Today I'm feeling terribly guilty about Rio's sore foot. He's so uncomfortable and it's been going on for a week and a half already. It kills me to see him in so much pain, and there's nothing more I can really do to help him at the moment. I've had the vet out twice. And the farrier once so far. They're both coming again this week to work together on it. What a process!

He has granulation tissue growing where the abscess was which is apparently a somewhat rare complication. Of course it would happen to him. So we need to get that tissue to dry out so the foot can heal. Lots of wait and see. And FYI, do NOT google images of granulation tissue. Just don't do it.

To complicate things further, since he doesn't want to stand on the sore foot, he's putting so much added stress on his right front leg. The one that in years past has torn the suspensory ligament three times, and the check ligament twice. I'm terrified it's not going to hold up. But again... nothing I can do. Other than keep it wrapped.

And here's where I get extra guilty feeling. He is a TERRIBLE patient! And I had to scold him yesterday for being such a nudge. He thinks I'm going to poke and prod at his wound while I'm trying to dress and wrap it (I'm NOT!) so he tries to lay down on me the whole time. I really wish he'd help me to help HIM. Sheesh.