Lots of exciting stuff around here. Or not. Stuff around here.
D went out of town for about 36 hours this past weekend. Now he's in love with the city of Boston. During that time, I stayed mad busy. Washing our cars, mowing the entire lawn (it's a third an acre), cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. Walking the girls and playing with the still-gimpy pony.
 |
| We will not look at you and this will be the best you can do. |
As far as Archie goes, he's about 90%. On Friday, I felt the tiniest bit of off tracking right in the sand. When I asked for eyes on the ground on the grass, there was a head-bob. So Saturday, I walked him mostly on the sand to the river and back, meandering. I asked him to trot at the very end on the grass and felt just the slightest off. So to reward his recovery, I made him stand for mane pulling.
 |
| Just started and already offended. |
I had a nightmare about his hoof falling off on Sunday. I was back at the barn in Augusta, where I'd worked, and had just brought all the horses in during a thunderstorm. I went to check on him and his hoof was falling off in clumps. In my dream, I remember pulling him out of his stall to show him to the barn manager. So even though I traditionally take Monday off, I had to see him.
You may be asking yourself (legitimately, because I ask myself this shit sometimes, too): if the ponykins is off, why are you still riding him? It's because the "off" hasn't be replicated on the lunge or in hand. With my tub off his back, he's asymptomatic. And then there's the question of "herbs". I recently switched Archie from the SmartFlex Senior that he's been on since 2010 to the version without herbs. Would he be less ouchie with the herbs?
Fortunately, his soundness improves every day. We did a short 25 minute ride with some trotting and he powerhoused through the laps with no hitch and felt pretty good on the grass.
.JPG)
18 comments
Yay for small improvements :)
ReplyDeleteSo basically Stampede and Archie are slightly off walk trot ride friends? Let's hope both our troublesome boys can get back to full power soon! Well Phoenix should too, but he's just sitting around with a lump on his hock...
ReplyDeleteI got an angry tranter the other day. Have you gotten that yet? I'm thinking we're going to be competitive power walkers. Short shorts and twisty hips.
DeletePrancer-cize...??
DeleteHaha, no tranter for us. For some reason he's been pretty lazy for a horse who is barely getting worked (knock on wood). I do sometimes get the prancy trot on the lunge if he gets excited though, so fancy.
DeleteA little footsore from the abscess is better than The Great Leg Injury of 2015, no?
ReplyDeleteDude, I'll take it.
DeleteHow do you like the SmartFlex Senior?? I have been thinking about putting Wes on it.
ReplyDeleteI think that out of all of them, it's the logical choice. I've had him on it before he was technically a senior because of the level of support and the pro and pre-biotics. The vet who did his PPE recommended MSM for his jacked up joints and senior has the most. I'm not going to say that it's a miracle drug, but I think it's worth it. :)
DeleteOmg, I had a dream where pongos foot falls off too and it was awful!!! What's up with that???? Horse dream interpreter needed!
ReplyDeleteOh brother... I HATE those bad horse dreams.
ReplyDeleteI had a dream once where my horses foot went through the floor of a trailer while we were driving, it was horrific and now I won't put her in anything but new trailers with aluminum floors/boards on top. Stupid fear but it stays with you....
I love the tree in that picture by the way. You must live in a beautiful area
poor Archie... getting his mane pulled is clearly vury traumatic! hope he's all better soon!
ReplyDeleteEeeek foot dreams!!
ReplyDeleteI'd rather have the dreams, even the bad ones like yours, than not have them. Lucero, my first horse, stayed behind in PR when I moved to the US. He was retired and my mom would check on him; he still belonged to the family. Periodically I would have random dreams about stuff happening to him. My mom would check on him and usually something about his management would need to be changed. It was eerie: like he would tell me. This was over the course of 8 years. Except for the day he died: he didn't tell me then.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Archie is continuing to improve! And given his arthritis and other issues, it is excellent that you are riding with this slight lameness. I've seen arthritis worsen in horses that are stall-rested due to other issues. I have always loved the way you manage him!
Improvements are improvements.
ReplyDeleteI forget if I've told you or not, but I LOVE my bridle charm. LOVE. Like probably-going-to-order-another-because-I-have-no-self-control.
Now if my horse would just get his shit together so I could use it...
Hehehe loved that video! Glad he is doing better and hooray for your super productive weekend. I think I need my husband to go away for a weekend in order for me to finally clean out the garage.
ReplyDeleteTape on the nose is the most amusing trick!
ReplyDeleteI used to have nightmares about improbably veterinary emergencies with my old horse. They're the worst!
ReplyDeleteThanks!