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| http://xkcd.com/1376/ |
- Pentosan, to be ordered on 11/13 because monies.
- New leather pads and keeping the aluminums, week of December 4th. I've already texted my new farrier (poor guy) and he'll have a call with my vet to discuss all the changes. Did I mention that Archie has a negative palmar angle on his better left front? He does. I told the dude he was walking into a hot mess. Pourable pads are also an option, but my vet prefers leather for the breath-ability. Not sure how that's going to work in Spring and Summer, given the rain and my horse's inability to go into a stall. Will worry about later.
- Hock injections, some point (hopefully) in December. The vet explicitly said that his hocks were in the condition he would expect for an 18 ½ year old OTTB. But he's sore. So why not make him comfortable?
- Reintroduction of circles, after leather pads and before or after hock injections. I clarified this with my vet and once Archie is comfortable again (because he will be, goddammit), he can work circles at my discretion. For now. Thankfully, the biggest pasture is empty right now, so we'll be able to ride in it and there won't be a lot of turning.
- Dressage-something. Part of me wants to go all-out and find a better-fitting dressage saddle. In brown, because I just fucking bought a brown bridle. Anyone ever spray-painted leather? Part of me wants to say fuck dressage, fuck expectations, we'll just retire to the damn trails that I'm currently too anxious to ride in. Anger stage much?
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| Spare 4 grand, anyone? |
- Jump lessons. I have to reconfigure my budget (goodbye, Colic Care) to account for the cost of the shoeing changes and the injections and Pentosan, but if there is some flexibility there, I hope to take monthly or bimonthly jump lessons. I needed to anyways, because have we seen my eq? The main thought is that I'm not doing this for the day that Archie takes a fence again. I'm taking a depressing, realistic, heart-wrenching step to prepare myself for my eventual future horse. Because I'm not going to risk Archie's comfort just to make myself happy.
- Hopefully distant future: chemical fusion. We talked very, very briefly about a surgical fusion ($5k!) and then he mentioned that he's getting pretty damn good at doing a chemical version. Said that he'd actually almost finished one on my BM's horse who is off eventing with TE. I don't see this as a cure for his ringbone, I see it as another treatment option. Which is just to reiterate that even if Archie were comfortable enough for jumping again, I'm just not going to ask him. Let's preserve what little we have left and focus on comfort and muscle-building (to reduce strain on all his other joints).
I teared up a little bit at the appointment and then sobbed like a drunken baby for most of that night. At one point, the husband just came over and put chocolate in my mouth. I can't say that I've "accepted" it, because I've taken no significant steps towards what our future will be like. That starts tomorrow, when he gets his first ride and I figure out what the fuck I'm doing. Maybe there will be no game plan for a while. Maybe we'll just walk around and work on contact, because I'm afraid of pressure caused by lateral work, too.
I appreciate all the kind words. Some of y'all mentioned mourning and that's exactly what it is. I'm mourning the loss of part of our future and I'm mourning this first step into retirement. I'm just devastated and I think that's okay. But I'm poor fucking company, so don't be offended if I don't respond or shut down. Defense mechanisms for the win.
I appreciate all the kind words. Some of y'all mentioned mourning and that's exactly what it is. I'm mourning the loss of part of our future and I'm mourning this first step into retirement. I'm just devastated and I think that's okay. But I'm poor fucking company, so don't be offended if I don't respond or shut down. Defense mechanisms for the win.
I did go out last night and visit with him. It's been so fucking hot here that I folded and gave him what I'm calling a baby trace. It really just looks like he wind-shield splattered a dragonfly. No biggie. Hair grows.
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| ....I might have shaved junk on my pony. |
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16 comments
Sounds like a good plan. I'm happy to hear that you're planning to do jumping lessons! You deserve some fun after dealing with all the soundness issues this year :)
ReplyDeleteI get Val's Pentosan through Wedgewood Pharmacy - 100ml (250mg/ml). This works out to 15 doses at $160. My vet calls the scrip in to them. Hope this is helpful :D
ReplyDeletePS - slightly less total doses if you start with a week of loading doses...
DeleteYes, that absolutely helps! I'd read about the dosing (it's comparable to the loading methods of Adequan), But that still leaves like.. a lot of months covered!
DeleteBrown Dressage saddle is gorgeous. You don't need to think about the future now, not unless its totally forced upon you. Sometimes it feels good to sink into a void of nothing for a bit. Just never stay there.
ReplyDeleteStill many sympathies but it sounds like y'all are on the right track. I get my Pentosan from Wedgewood too. And if you ever want to jump, just come to Texas and I'll throw you atop Henry.
ReplyDeleteI misread your photo caption as 'I might have shaved junk on my p***y" (hint... it's not pony). I'm not sure what kind of person that makes me.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm....dragonfly vajazzle????
Deletesending hugs :( i love all your plans tho and have my fingers crossed that getting Archie comfortable again proves quite easy (and doesn't break the bank...)
ReplyDeleteGood, logical plan! If you were closer I'd come drink and cry and then make stupid jokes with you. It's definitely a sort of mourning. Hugs for you and Archie!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you got a handle on it. Again, sorry for your loss. Drink as much as you need!
ReplyDeleteTotally in love with brown dressage saddles. That is prettiest one evar!
If nothing else, you've got a rock solid plan and a great team going forward. And if a drool worthy brown dressage saddle doesn't magically fall into your lap, my $600 synthetic Tekna is still something I would recommend to absolutely anyone that doesn't have thousands of monies to blow on things for their bum.
ReplyDeleteWay to have a giggle even when devastated, junk on your pony;) I'm really impressed with your plan making, even though it is hard and you still don't feel great give yourself a pat on the back!
ReplyDeleteA++ clip job. Hugs for the rest.
ReplyDeleteSo many hugs. You are doing everything you can!
ReplyDelete*Hugs* to you and Archie. It sounds like you have a solid plan. I've had a couple friends that used Pentosan and stopped because it was leaving little bald spots at the injection site. That's really what made me go with Ichon. I'll be looking forward to hearing how it does for you!
ReplyDeleteThanks!