So I usually don’t ride on Sundays but today was an exception because A) It was beautiful outside and B) because we started him back yesterday, so I figured another day off wouldn’t be the best plan for his rehab. Tore myself away from my Lifetime movies to give him a nice long grooming (he is shedding like crazy!) and then tacked him up, got on and headed to the ring. Almost immediately he decided to take off and I had to make a sharp circle to slow him down (which I’m sure was really good for his stifle) and then I thought “What the heck” and just skipped the walk and picked up a trot. Speedy Gonzales is whipping around a 20 meter circle and my hands are jiggling all over the place. My hardest vice to break on this particular horse is my hands…his trot is SO bouncy and thrusty (which isn’t a word) and my arms bounce with him…it’s heinous and ineffective and I need to find a solution, but that is the topic for another blog! Anyways, we did about 10 minutes of trotting, changing directions and doing 20 meter circles around the jumps. He had a few more bolting incidents but nothing too bad, thank goodness. We practiced putting his right hind underneath him…he likes to put it to the inside tracking right and to the outside tracking left, so we do a bit of counterbend tracking left to straighten him out. You can tell it’s a strain on his stifle because his trot ALWAYS slows when I ask for counterbend and he tries to stall out on me. That immediately makes me worry that I’m hurting him and then I feel like a bad Mom..but then I remember that it’s never going to get stronger if he doesn’t work on it. So we kept working, and then after 10 minutes we were both sweating and I called it a day. He got a Bigeoil bath which burned my eyes and made him frisky, then let him graze for a while to dry which resulted in him trying to mount his friend over a paddock fence and striking at me. Crazy man. Tomorrow he begins his first round of Adequan. Fingers crossed that it will maintain him….and also that we can get him reshod in the next day or two because his toes are getting quite long (my fault) and I definitely don’t want that to get out of hand right when we’ve gotten them under control!
This weather is beautiful and amazing and a blessing and I’m excited to see what the week holds….God Bless!
-Ry
Monday, February 28, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Updates!
So I wrote this yesterday on the way home from Florida, thus there will be an "update" at the bottom on today's findings!
The horse trials in Florida this past weekend was a great success and a super learning experience for me. It was my first time EVER packing for 6 horses to go 9 ½ hours from home for 5 days….and naturally, I forgot a few minor things (like a wheelbarrow, haha) but overall we stayed super organized and on top of things the whole weekend. Every single one of the horses behaved beautifully and showed that I think we’re in for a really fun season. Florida is GORGEOUS and I wouldn’t mind visiting again J There are palm trees and Spanish moss everywhere and everyone we met was super friendly. The courses were beautiful and everything was close to the barn area…a very well run event that I’m sure we’ll return to next year. Good start to the season, thank the Lord, and we are well prepped for Southern Pines coming up. Now if only the beautiful Florida weather will transfer back to NC…
So on the Aidyn front, we have unfortunately found a stifle problem (torn meniscus) that can be treated by injecting the stifle and then starting a regimen of Adequan and Legend. Yes, this is expensive, and I have to admit my first thought was “panic” and my second thought was “give him away.” After talking to C and my vet at length about our options, both agreed we should pursue this treatment and see if there is improvement, and if so, see how much talent he continues to show for the sport. If he feels better after the injection and the joint supplements, he will at least have a CHANCE at proving himself as a sport horse. If he turns out to not be “worth” the cost of upkeep, we will cross that bridge then…and if the regimen doesn’t work the way we hoped, well, we will cross that bridge as well. Best case scenario is that the injection works, the Adequan and Legend maintain, he starts improving and becomes a good event horse for me. I’m trying to focus on that scenario and not the others, because frankly, the thought of ANYONE else having MY horse makes my stomach turn. Obviously if I was a bottomless pit of money I’d just keep him forever regardless of his performance or soundness, but I have to be realistic when looking at the amount of money I will be putting into keeping him sound and happy.
So anyway, for now, the plan is to inject the problematic stifle tomorrow morning and then put him back into work (in addition to putting him on monthly Adequan and Legend shots) and see how he progresses. I’m a little disappointed in having yet another setback in his training but if I’ve learned anything at this job, it’s to take things slowly and you’ll be better off in the end. I’m not going to rush him or do anything with him that’s not in C’s program for him. Yes, he’s had a LOT of setbacks since I got him…his gelding, then an infection after his gelding, then a hard winter, a very serious hock injury, a brutal summer, shipping here and needing time to settle in, numerous hoof problems (that thank the LORD seem to finally be resolved!), another bad winter, and now this. But we will work through it only as quickly as his body and mind allow and we will set our sights on a promising outcome. And I’m sure Aidyn would never protest to another break from work. He is the Glutton King. C calls him “Snausage” and everyone in the barn can tell it’s Aidyn from the sound of his hooves on the concrete..he is the SLOWEST walker I’ve ever met in my life.
Now as far as my goals, they’ve been both changed and reinforced by this opportunity to manage a barn who is totally focused on competing. I want to compete again. I thought for sure I wasn’t interested anymore but truly, I can’t wait to be galloping cross-country again. I can’t wait for that adrenaline rush again. Would I like to do the upper levels eventually? Absolutely, but more than anything I want to learn more about training an event horse from all angles. And the rehab side of the sport continues to interest me more and more. I *love* working on the horses and helping them to feel as good as they possibly can. I have no idea how all of that fits together but for now, I’m happy as a clam, I love my job, and I love my horses very much. So if optimism can help Aidyn succeed, he’s a shoo-in!
*UPDATE*: Dr. H came to inject Aidyn's stifle today. He said that 1 out 10 stifles have fluid come out, and naturally Aidyn had fluid come out. Luckily the fluid was good fluid. When injecting where the miniscus is, Aidyn was very unhappy, which solidified Dr. H's diagnosis of that being torn. The protocol is one day stalled, then no work until the weekend..Bute in the morning, then Prevocox daily for two weeks, and he starts Adequan doses on Monday (IF I can manage to make money appear in my bank account by then). Just kidding, I will starve if I have to. Anyway, keeping my optimism up and I will do everything I can to make this work for him.
PS...the Truvia commercial just came on. It made me happy.
God Bless,
-Ry
The horse trials in Florida this past weekend was a great success and a super learning experience for me. It was my first time EVER packing for 6 horses to go 9 ½ hours from home for 5 days….and naturally, I forgot a few minor things (like a wheelbarrow, haha) but overall we stayed super organized and on top of things the whole weekend. Every single one of the horses behaved beautifully and showed that I think we’re in for a really fun season. Florida is GORGEOUS and I wouldn’t mind visiting again J There are palm trees and Spanish moss everywhere and everyone we met was super friendly. The courses were beautiful and everything was close to the barn area…a very well run event that I’m sure we’ll return to next year. Good start to the season, thank the Lord, and we are well prepped for Southern Pines coming up. Now if only the beautiful Florida weather will transfer back to NC…
So on the Aidyn front, we have unfortunately found a stifle problem (torn meniscus) that can be treated by injecting the stifle and then starting a regimen of Adequan and Legend. Yes, this is expensive, and I have to admit my first thought was “panic” and my second thought was “give him away.” After talking to C and my vet at length about our options, both agreed we should pursue this treatment and see if there is improvement, and if so, see how much talent he continues to show for the sport. If he feels better after the injection and the joint supplements, he will at least have a CHANCE at proving himself as a sport horse. If he turns out to not be “worth” the cost of upkeep, we will cross that bridge then…and if the regimen doesn’t work the way we hoped, well, we will cross that bridge as well. Best case scenario is that the injection works, the Adequan and Legend maintain, he starts improving and becomes a good event horse for me. I’m trying to focus on that scenario and not the others, because frankly, the thought of ANYONE else having MY horse makes my stomach turn. Obviously if I was a bottomless pit of money I’d just keep him forever regardless of his performance or soundness, but I have to be realistic when looking at the amount of money I will be putting into keeping him sound and happy.
So anyway, for now, the plan is to inject the problematic stifle tomorrow morning and then put him back into work (in addition to putting him on monthly Adequan and Legend shots) and see how he progresses. I’m a little disappointed in having yet another setback in his training but if I’ve learned anything at this job, it’s to take things slowly and you’ll be better off in the end. I’m not going to rush him or do anything with him that’s not in C’s program for him. Yes, he’s had a LOT of setbacks since I got him…his gelding, then an infection after his gelding, then a hard winter, a very serious hock injury, a brutal summer, shipping here and needing time to settle in, numerous hoof problems (that thank the LORD seem to finally be resolved!), another bad winter, and now this. But we will work through it only as quickly as his body and mind allow and we will set our sights on a promising outcome. And I’m sure Aidyn would never protest to another break from work. He is the Glutton King. C calls him “Snausage” and everyone in the barn can tell it’s Aidyn from the sound of his hooves on the concrete..he is the SLOWEST walker I’ve ever met in my life.
Now as far as my goals, they’ve been both changed and reinforced by this opportunity to manage a barn who is totally focused on competing. I want to compete again. I thought for sure I wasn’t interested anymore but truly, I can’t wait to be galloping cross-country again. I can’t wait for that adrenaline rush again. Would I like to do the upper levels eventually? Absolutely, but more than anything I want to learn more about training an event horse from all angles. And the rehab side of the sport continues to interest me more and more. I *love* working on the horses and helping them to feel as good as they possibly can. I have no idea how all of that fits together but for now, I’m happy as a clam, I love my job, and I love my horses very much. So if optimism can help Aidyn succeed, he’s a shoo-in!
*UPDATE*: Dr. H came to inject Aidyn's stifle today. He said that 1 out 10 stifles have fluid come out, and naturally Aidyn had fluid come out. Luckily the fluid was good fluid. When injecting where the miniscus is, Aidyn was very unhappy, which solidified Dr. H's diagnosis of that being torn. The protocol is one day stalled, then no work until the weekend..Bute in the morning, then Prevocox daily for two weeks, and he starts Adequan doses on Monday (IF I can manage to make money appear in my bank account by then). Just kidding, I will starve if I have to. Anyway, keeping my optimism up and I will do everything I can to make this work for him.
PS...the Truvia commercial just came on. It made me happy.
God Bless,
-Ry
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