Steady improvement, first show together, no setbacks!

Busy fall! I got brave, hacked off the poor boy's mane, gussied him up and casted his forehoofs, and off to a show we went, end of Sept. Just entered the walk trot classes, which were at least 12 riders each. Wow. Horsemanship got us a 5th under one judge, Pleasure 8th under one judge, and 2nd in one trail class. I definitely need coaching to be competitive in classes that big! Jester is not an autopilot show horse! He behaved himself for the most part. He blew one class for us by jumping sideways in protest that he couldn't see his girlfriend, my friend's paint mare, who came along. They did great- placing over us in one class, at their very first show! I learned that hoof black covers casts quite nicely, that Jester chews on reins when nervous, that he needs a good half hour of work before showing to get his mind settled, that I prefer daytime shows, and that tail extensions are harder to put in than they look. (and remember to take off the wrap and noseband :) ) I'm encouraged with the effects of casting for thin soles. Jester gained concavity, and though I don't have radiographs, I believe there is more sole thickness as well. So far, it seems the protection they provide to the sole, and the stimulation to the caudal foot (rear half) are superior to boots and pads for thin soles. One drawback is that they do come off unexpectedly. I had to apply a new one upon arriving at the show, as Jester pulled one off in the trailer. Sure glad I packed the casting kit! He continues to serve as my primary lesson horse, and loafs around most days. He does well without boots as long as there aren't any rocks or large gravel. He hobbles over those. But not nearly as badly as just a few months ago. He still goes best to the left, and right lead lope is hard when he isn't warmed up. There's a bit of odd motion remaining in his hindquarters at the lope, more noticeable to the right. It does slow him down. His herbal anti-inflammatories and lots of stretches seem to help. He is just fine for trails, even rocky South Mtn. He is happy and content, having regained his weight and topline, loving his cinch chix full bale hay net and twice daily soaked rations. Plastic bags are losing some of their terror inducing qualities too! Leave a comment and I'll read it to him :)

September! Wow Jester has been here over a year now!!

The summer sores are subsiding.He continues to be uncomfortable without boots on his fores, but there is some concavity forming that has NOT been there before!!! I boot him for turnout about half the time. I keep lowering the RF heel, little at a time. He still has dorsal flares I thought I was winning on those, but I have to wait for more concavity/sole thickness. Hind hooves are fairly stable and healthy. I mostly refresh the breakover and groom the bars and frogs. He is wearing fly boots on his fore legs. Far less itching on those lower legs :) The face wounds are no longer oozing. I will not miss massaging the fluid out of his face to get the encysted habronemas and the plasma type goo out. No more swelling. The lesion on his cheek is still proud. I am using Wonder Dust on it. Wonder dust is what I ended up using the most, and wrapping the edges of the fly mask with bandaids to prevent chafing. At least the left side of his face looks great! I'm increasing his pellet intake, trying to bring his weight up to "bloom" level. He's not skinny, just not in full flesh. Finances permitting, I'd like to show him once this fall. We can easily do Walk Trot classes!

Summer Woes and Whoas

UGH Jester is fighting habronemiasis again... 2 lesions on the head, one on a foreleg. If you are not squeamish try an image search. I am using every method I know to control them, and I'm winning on one of three so far. The leg :). Here is a partial list of the remedies he has been receiving-oral: ivermectin, Apple Cider Vinegar, bute. Topical: Fresh Aloe Vera, fresh onion, fresh crushed garlic, NuStock, Biozide gel, Banixx (worked great on the leg to knock down the inflammation), NoThrush, DE, SWAT, leg wraps, clay poultice, ice packs, Homemade fly spray with Avon SSS, ACV, water, eucalyptus oil, and tried adding garlic juice too. ACV is providing some systemic relief. Keeping the flies out of the face lesions is the toughest challenge. I HATE oozy proudfleshy bloody gooey wounds that don't want to heal! Apparently so does he, since he walks off every time he sees me coming with something new in my hands. Did I mention his eyes are off and on gooey too? Summer is definitely not his best time :( Hoofwise, I am somewhat stumped. Every time I back up the flared forward toes, he loses all concavity at the tip of the frog and flattens out and gets gimpy. On go the boots again. Just on the fores, fortunately, and once booted, he's good to go, even riding! It takes him some warming up to be able to hold a lope, he isn't getting much work above a jog these days. It is rather sizzling out!

First flying lead changes!

Took a short ride on Sunday night. In a grassy field, on a whim, I asked Jester for flying lead changes- I had no idea if he knew them- and he does- and they are beautiful.... right to left is easier for him, and smooth!! left to right was not automatic, but I tried several times and he did one nice one so I quit and walked him home. Good grief, it was over 105F! Total ride: 30 minutes

Amazing! First ride to S. Mtn.

Hey guys, it's me, Jester. Did you hear my news? My feet don't hurt anymore. I love going out for rides and showing off my gilded coat and regal appearance! I even went to South Mountain last Saturday morning with the prettiest little mare in the world... That paint cutie in the opening photo. We passed by a canal, a park, a scary fire hydrant (I'm sure it was going to bite my hind leg off), and lots of cars. Then we got into a wonderful place with soft and hard trails, ups and downs, and even stairs to climb. I hopped up them like a bunny. That was a blast! I felt so good afterwards. I got a shower and a bucket full of delicious feed, and the rest of the day off. What a day! What a life! I get to give kids riding lessons three days a week, have longer workouts once or twice a week, and munch munch munch all the grass I want. Oh, yeah, there's this little pony here keeping me company-her name's Taffy. What a brat... likes to nip at me to make me move. Ah, well, at least I don't get all stiff from standing around too long! Enjoy my photos. Don't I look terrific?!

Still pinching myself

May 26, 2013. Jester is not lame anymore. JESTER IS NOT LAME ANYMORE!!!!!! Woohoo!!!! He does creak in the hocks, needs warming up for at least ten minutes to be able to lope well, but he can do a collected and balanced walk, jog, trot, lope and canter. An old friend of his came to ride him today. He wore fore boots only. We rode about two hours, including half an hour or so of putting him through his paces. What a thrill to see him move so well!! I rode him twice more last week, with no evidence of sore feet. I lowered the RF heel twice more, and refreshed his breakover on the hinds. He grows quickly on the hind toes. The RF is the only foot that is distorted now, and lands flat or slightly toe first. He moves freely and willingly at all times. May 31, 2013 Jester has a new job- he is now teaching kids to ride and handle a horse. He has two students, a ten year old boy and a nine year old girl. He prefers the girl, but he behaves well for both. So now he is earning his keep :) Since his favorite speed is zero mph, he is perfect for beginners. Such a babysitter! June 5, 2013 Appetite is good, he's dealing well with the heat (105+ high temps daily now). He enjoys his twice daily bucket of 3 lb Lakin Lite, 2 lb Integrity Senior non molasses version, once a day Smart Flex Senior (great stuff), a tablespoon of chia seed once a day, and a tablespoon of salt mixed in and all presoaked. He also enjoys bermuda pasture free choice and 2-3 flakes bermuda grass hay per day. Taffy is his only turnout companion now. His favorite buddy the paint mare has gone to her owner's home, along with Honey my QH for company. He loves it when the little paint comes for a visit, though he did whack her with a hind foot once on a trail ride... She was too close for his liking. Taffy tolerates him: he follows her, not the other way around. Are any shows on the horizon for Jester and me? Time and money permitting, September or October may find us strutting our stuff. With more weight and conditioning he'll be ready at the ripe young age of 15. With healthy hooves and a gleaming coat, he is stunning. He lives up to his official name: First Class Contender.

photos

Full of life

Jester is such a character- loves attention and his twice daily bucket of feed! I left his feet alone for 3 weeks, and all I did after that long was toe breakover on the hinds, a little beveling on the lateral quarter on the right hind (his perennial flare) and lowered the heel on the right fore. He seemed tender for a day. Only a day! Now he moves stiffly only if he's been standing for a while or his feet are packed with muck. Once he warms up he moves fluidly. More flat landings with the right fore. Heel first or flat with the left fore consistently. His coat is a stunning gleaming deep golden....but his face is marred by fly bites- he was infected with habromenas again. ugh... So two oral doses of ivermectin 2 weeks apart, NuStock and absorbine liniment topically, and he seems to be beating them. If I forget his fly mask he will nudge me to ask for it. I have ridden him just a couple times in the past month, hoping he would put on some more flesh (he has) and continue healing. He is still turned out on the pasture except to have his bucket or overnight with his bucket and haynet. I haven't put boots on for turnout for over two weeks. I used fore boots just to ride on the property. We played around with walk trot, transitions, pivots, sidepass, and back. What a joy to ride! I asked for a few strides of lope- left he would do. He needs more conditioning to do the right... and maybe other therapy. His sacro-iliac/psoas issue is rarely evident. The only item left seems to be the right hind fetlock joint. Radiographs will be helpful once I save some pennies! Will try to add some photo and video...

8 month report

Jester got a trim last week, and all the old wall is now HISTORY. He has another couple months to grow out the laminitis rings from Sept-Oct, but his front hooves are so much healthier now. He spends at least 12 hrs a day booted on fores, as he is still thin soled (and I'm not cutting that sole away!!!) on the fores. Concavity slight, but he was pretty uncomfortable after the trim (now I know why I have been doing mini tweaks instead of full balances). He isn't a spring chicken anymore, likes little by little changes. He is very happy and mobile with boots, and still mobile without, but not so happy about it. I have only ridden him once since then, and he was definitely "off". He does so much better if he's had several hours in the boots before I ride. Overall health wise, he looks good, I want him to gain more weight, he's still slightly ribby. He's regained muscle most everywhere else. His eyes are doing well- only needed meds once this month. The flies irritate his lower legs- but he rubs his eyes on them so I hesitate to put chemical fly repellent there. He is a happy, friendly guy, only occasionally opinionated or pushy and he responds well to strong leadership and verbal reprimands ;)time for more pics... I know....He's still shedding his winter fur. Walk? check jog? usually. trot? usually. Lope? Eeyore says "if I have to".... and the left hind does its bouncy motion :(

About the same....

Jester is shedding... and shedding... Can't wait to see his deep golden summer coat! He continues to do full body shakes. Still most comfortable in front boots. He does best if I can keep him booted 12-18 hours a day on the fores. This requires monitoring of the heel area- he already abraded one heel slightly :( I tried riding in a plowed field without boots, it went ok. Soles are still thin, but no abscessing, no heat. Right fore and left hind have the shorter strides and left fore right hind reach farther. I'm doing stretches and percussive massage to his hindquarters. I was ill for 10 days so only got out to ride twice, about an hour each. It's fun to ride his big floaty trot in the deep footing. Sweet boy, comes up to me whenever I go out to the pasture, looking for scratches. I don't halter him or tie him for booting, hoof picking, grooming, saddling... He usually stays put... and gets a reminder when he doesn't! I don't know how long it will take to rebuild the muscle in his hindquarters... He needs it! His loins aren't sore anymore, but he raises them when asked to back. Backing up is tough. Flies are out, already had to put one does of eye meds in to ward off inflammation. I'm glad he tries to cooperate.

Steady!! and a new capsule in 7 mo.

Improvements are more subtle now... Full body shakes after rolling instead of just the neck, kicking up his heels at me during liberty work, moving more and standing around less. He had a lovely massage from Ms. Keller and relaxed well. I have some new techniques to add to his therapy. Daily exercise is the best thing for him now. I left the boots on over 12 hours once, and sure enough, they rubbed the heel open on one foot. This round will be easier, I know better how to resolve it. Jester is loving the spring weeds in my backyard... he's a nice decoration... Buckskin looks great against a green background ;) Trim- I lowered the fore heels and hind toes as much as possible, backed up the fore toes and this time the shoe pull ring disappeared. That means in 7 months he has grown a whole new capsule on the fores. WOW!!!

Only good news

The heat in the feet and strong pulse disappeared entirely within a week. The magnet therapy finished, I began working him on the ground- walk and trot at liberty for 10, 15, 20 min. He always prefers to stand, but will go when urged. Last Friday he gave a teen a ride around the pasture. Well, he didn't go faster than walk and whoa, and mostly whoa. It was good for me to see what a babysitter he can be! I don't have to worry about him running away with any rider :) The next day I rode him out, here's my post from FB: Jester had 2 wks off for his intensive psoas iliacus therapy and he feels good. Still slightly choppy on the right but loosened up well on a one hour ride up and down little bumps "hills" in the park and across scary metal grating bridges (took some backing over them again). He softened into a lovely jog for me and picked up both leads. Lope isn't "there" yet but he tried hard and is no worse after trying. - about 10 strides right now, more left :-)....practicing stand on a loose rein while I text. Yesterday he was ridden by a young teen in the pasture. His favorite speed for her? Whoa. The tail swish and kick out when asked to lope is GONE. I rode him again last night, using a therapeutic configuration with the CorrecTor (http://www.thecorrector.net/id9.html) under the saddle, to help him with his asymmetry. I am going on the premise that he is right lead dominant, with a weak right hind leg. He wasn't very smooth- quite choppy at the jog and hitched his stride a couple times at the trot. I warmed him more and asked for canter. He did it! both leads! And did not pull up lame!! He still "pulls" to the left on the left lead, but when I rode in a two-point he moved up into a hand gallop. WOW! The more warmed up he was, the better he moved. By the end of a one-hour workout, including much improved bridge crossings (I didn't have to dismount and lead him over the first one this time ;) )and some leg yields he was jogging smoothly. This morning he is moving fine at the walk... haven't seen trot yet. His diet has changed again- I switched his pellets to plain alfalfa from Mountain Sunrise. No Molasses for this inflammatory sensitive guy. The Lakin Lite has just too much for him now. He has filled out well too. I'm happy to see him looking good, and can't wait to see his spring coat. He is already shedding. His eyes are doing fine. No flare ups. Hooves are 1 cm at the toe from a completely new hoof since last August. He will need another 2-3 months to grow out the laminitis rings from Sept-Oct. He wears Renegade boots at night and when ridden now. I don't anticipate any more heel rub wounds now that he is much more balanced. Time for a photo or two or three... It is curious to see all three with the hoof on the same side closest to the camera.

Just how sensitive can a horse be?!

Just when things are going along swimmingly.... Jester was responding very well to his magnets and laser and poultice... until the weather warmed up to over 80 last Friday. He displayed the sucked back posture while turning around in the stall, and he had sweaty patches- on the right side only, from the crest of the neck down across the point of shoulder and through the front legs to the elbow, and along the muscle crease in the hindquarters. Just those spots! I immediately checked the feet. Heat and digital pulse... My first thought was that he was reacting to the molasses in the pellets. So I prepared a paste of ground flax and activated charcoal and administered it orally. Then cleaned and poulticed his fore soles, protecting them with hoof boots. Poultice to the sweaty areas rounded out the inflammation first aid. By morning, he was much better. The heat in the feet has been intermittent since then, but he is comfortable and even sassy. I ponied him out for an hour's walk and a little jog on Sunday, with front boots. He had attitude, even trying to bite my Honey on the rump (only tried that once- I let him know that wasn't acceptable). Hopefully the attitude is "I'm feeling good" and not "I hurt". His eyes show enthusiasm so I am going with the former! Yesterday he got a little bit of spa love. I washed his mane and tail, and all the poultice off with a lovely natural shampoo made by my neighbor. He smelled so nice! He stood so nicely for the hosing off, I think he likes a bath, as long as his face isn't included! His movement is more and more fluid. I can't wait to start him back to conditioning. Another week of magnets and taking it easy ;)

6 months is that all?!

I started out telling myself I would give him 6 months and then re-evaluate. It really seems to me he's been here longer than half a year. Jester has enjoyed much daily attention, turnout, good food and supplements, and a variety of professional treatments. Most recently, his favorite bodyworker gave him laser and massage to his remaining tight spots. Right pectoral muscles, and psoas-iliacus muscle on the hind quarters. He has targeted magnet therapy for two weeks, in addition to with poultice on his chest and shoulder, and doing friction massage on scar tissue in the right hindquarter. We are anticipating a return to upright and free flowing movement in the hinds, and a return of his lovely lope. Giving it our best! And Jester really likes his massage. Re-evaluation? positive.Jester moves well on his feet- but he doesn't like it when there's a bulge of dirt and/or manure on the sole. He isn't getting worked now- just turnout 24x7, with company part of the time. He does wander the pasture more and more! Trim notes: every 2 wks, refresh fore breakover, lower medial heel on hinds, hind breakover refreshed. LF toe Sole abscess tissue nearly grown out- new sole completely covers area beneath it. Hoofs retain rippling from halfway point downward, but mushroom flares are nearly gone!! Another month max :) Looking forward to getting rid of that lamellar wedge and seeing the true hoof emerge. Diet: Just phased in Lakin Lite, (with much trepidation, since it contains molasses)... Added SmartFlex Senior (1x/day). Current bucket is 2 lb Integrity Lite, soaked, 2 lb presoaked Lakin Lite pellets, a handful of black oil sunflower seeds, CA Trace vites/minerals. He loves his twice a day bucket, and all day grass hay. Coat is shiny and soft! He has a little more energy since getting back to Lakin Lite (fortified alfalfa+bermuda pellets) With his favorite tree friend- it's hilarious how he likes its company. He'll stand by it when the mares are out with him. Security blanket tree? Today hooves today- hinds- note cracks in outer wall- still growing out old weak wall L fore with old abscess visible.

R fore better...

Looking better in the hairline and toe- took the breakover back a bit

Trim adjustment. time to call the bodyworker

Got working with the rasp on Sunday... backed up the right front toe, and took the heel down still more. Did some cosmetic cleanup on both fores... and backed the toes on the hinds. He was sore with the adjustment on the right fore, so I gave him more boot time for a few days, off and on. Lands flat on both fores now :) So now the focus is shifting to the lack of hindquarter coordination at the lope. Will get the bodyworker here soon.

The long awaited updated hoof portraits are here!

The following pics will show a typical high-low fore hoof asymmetry. The right heel is coming down slowly..... The heel shows the scar from the rub turned proud flesh which has healed. The forward flare is still present, and the angle change apparent when shoes were pulled (lower 1/3 of fores). Hinds have weak wall at ground level, probably extending as high as the rings on the outer wall... thus the chipping and exaggerated bevel. There is slight concavity at the tip of the frog, and frogs are beefier. Still a heel crack in the central sulcus- continuing NoThrush therapy. See if you can identify the laminitic rings which appear to be wider apart at the heel than the toe... Backing the toe to keep it out of active wear is normalizing this higher up. There are signs of sub-solar abscessing, and icky pockets of black goo behind the bars on one hind. Bars are beginning to stand up where they belong. Flares are mostly in the lower third of the hoof (which is what is left of the hoof he wore last August when he came to me. Collateral groove depth is good, sole is stable on hinds and only has a couple small spongy areas on the fores. I want to see the anterior/posterior balance improve... heels lower and toes higher... once he develops more concavity (movement, diet and trim!) I expect to see a more normal lateral hairline (aiming at 30 degrees for left fore, and right fore yet to be seen). The rear view of the fore hooves shows the heel rocker I keep on the right fore. On the hinds, I want to see the toes tighten up, with less forward flare (keeping toes backed up on hinds too). Left hind was negative palmar, so I have focused on exfoliating the sole around the frog ahead of the bars and keeping the toe out of weight bearing. Overall, lateral cartilages are relaxing, digital cushions are coming back, slowly, and he is comfortable and rideable. I never ride him faster than he moves at liberty. So when he galloped around the pasture, missing his buddy mares who had gone for a ride, I knew it was time to try loping him. Jester speaks... He teaches me to listen. And Jester, just being a horse... Yesterday I saw him roll on the right side, and get up and shake his whole body TWICE! He has only shaken his head and neck for so long... such a little thing but such a good sign!

More lope progress!

Friday between rain showers, Jester took me out for a work session. I wanted to see how well he could do in a training/conditioning ride. In a plowed field, albeit not plowed recently, we did walk, jog, trot and transitions, some pivots and sidepassing. When asked for a left lead lope, he tried the balky cranky act, but I didn't give in and away we went. He is so smooooooth... though I could feel a drifting to the left, with the left hind leg out of "true"... It doesn't track quite right, winging a bit on the forward motion. After a couple tries at left lead, I cued him for right. I was amazed! He picked it right up, and maintained it for about 6 strides. I could really feel the wacky movement this time. He does seem to move better the more I ride him, and I'm avoiding circles or sharp turns. No instant cures with a 15 year old... but we are seeing definite progress. Oh, did I mention I did not boot him for this ride? He worked just fine in the field and walking on bare asphalt. Walking on the dirt road a short distance was ok too as long as he didn't step on any large gravel- but even then he just flinched off it and went back to walking fine :) These past few days he has had more stall time than usual- He likes to get in out of the rain ;) I learned some more of his history today, he really is a special guy.

A happy face and a video

Longest ride yet! Better and better

About two and a half hours of meandering the local neighborhoods and canal trails were no problem for Jester today. He carried a dear friend who even got him cantering in the park :) He pulled his stubborn act on her, but she convinced him that he really did want to do what she asked (leave the other horses and lope). He also is gaining confidence crossing the metal grating bridges over the canal. He wore front boots. Drum roll..... loping!!! better quality video coming...

First bootless ride

Jester has been comfortable all week and I tried him out bareback with a stiff rope halter in the pasture so I decided to take him on a short ride without boots yesterday. He was mostly comfortable, except when he would step on large gravel- 1 inch or so, over hard dirt. The one thing that was quite different was that he was NOT confident! He frequently balked and did not want to try walking across wet pavement. bounced my heels on his sides, urged him with my seat, swatted his hindquarters, backed him and pivoted... Eventually he started up again, and the further we went the better he was. After half an hour riding walk/jog he still wasn't sore, and though he walked very tentatively over uneven ground, he moved freely over deep footing and flat pavement. His right side is getting stronger, but still has a shorter fore stride, and the right hind still has strengthening to go. Stretching, massage, castor oil wraps on joints... little by little! Eyes are good most days- no swelling, just watery at times.

Trim tweak... more lope strides...

Jester lands flat or ever so slightly heel first on the left fore now :) Right fore is still toe first. The bars on both fores are beginning to stand on their own woohoo! instead of being fused in with sole. I shaved off a bit to keep them heading upright, rockered the toe, especially the RF, and rockered the RF heels towards the heel to encourage heel first landing. His frogs are looking better, hooves are quite a bit less contracted, and concavity is building well!! Tips of the frogs on both fores are receding up into the hoof, indicative of increased healthy laminae-P3/coffin bone connection. Movement wise, he is now comfortable without boots as I hand walk him on grass, dirt and over some gravel/packed dirt. He winces still, when he steps on a rock with his frogs. In the round pen, he prefers to be lazy and hang out with me in the center. With urging he jogs, lots of kissing and clucking and spanking the ground with my training stick gets a working trot. He will canter- briefly- while I get a workout with him... no videos of that yet, ha! He can sustain the left lead for a complete lap, and we're up to 3 strides in a row of right lead, then he switches to crossfiring or counter lead. More stretches and groundwork- we practiced showmanship moves on the way to and from the round pen. He is much quieter going out alone now- I always give his feet something to do when he gets noisy (hide that hiney!!!) For a 15 year old (birthday coming up 1/29!) he's coming along fine. Still don't know if the hindquarters will come back to 100%, but we're giving it a shot. Vet and Chiropractor were optimistic that with his fores back to health, the hindquarters can heal. How much remains to be seen. Every day I ask him to raise his low back, and stretch and massage things... Did I mention the heel abrasions are both completely healed?!!! WooHoo!! Sometimes I wish I had blogged on FB so that there was a like button and easy comment functionality. Anyway, I love to hear your comments and I will read them to Jester if you want! Time to take him out for a ride!

pretty boy. New Videos

Have we turned the corner?!

Jester has worn fore boots about half the time since Dec 27- his heel rub which developed proud flesh had prevented wearing boots in turnout for about 2 months :( but it's all but healed now, thanks in great part to NoThrush powder that I applied directly to it. Copper salts are listed on the bottle, and that ingredient alone could be the key. Well! I have had him out on the pasture side as much as possible, where he has always been more comfortable, and took the boots off Friday night. He was quite stiff while I was away at Christmas, but now- just under 2 weeks later- he's a new man oops gelding! Moving comfortably on the hard dirt as well as the dormant dry pasture, even without the boots. I rode him booted last Thursday, and he felt great at walk, jog and trot. Pivoting to the right is good, Pivoting to the left he crosses behind with his right fore still. He did chomp on the reins some before I rode, but quit when I spoke firmly to him. Wow. Now today was amazing. I took a friend out for a short ride-we rode the two mares. Left alone without another horse in sight, Jester began neighing, his usual bugle reverberating through the neighborhood. What I did not see was that he began to trot and gallop back and forth, kicking up his heels, and kept it up nearly half an hour! My husband was surprised to see it! I hope he gave himself some chiropractic while he was at it :) Can't wait to get that boy into shape and see what he can do. Short round pen sessions and longer ponying are in his future! (under saddle he just wants to be slowwwww, like a good show pony haha). His appetite has improved markedly- I had him on 1 flake alfalfa am/pm in addition to his bucket of concentrate (integrity senior/beet pulp/bermuda pellets/CA Trace/Sunflower seeds/Devil's Claw Plus and free choice bermuda, which put some good weight on. Now he is devouring his 2-3 flakes of bermuda per day and the concentrate mixture, minus the Devil's claw. I wanted to see if his body needed a break from the herbs. So far so good! Does he move perfectly yet? no. Better than I've ever seen him? Yes!

No News is Good News!

Did I really take all of December off of blogging?!?! Yikes! Well no bad news all good news... I'll post it little by little Good- Vet flushed his naso-lacrimal ducts and prescribed antibiotic/steroid opthalmic ointment. His eyes are no longer puffy, and the discharge is minimal. Better- He has put a good amount of weight on- looks near normal now... still needs muscle and another 50 lb or so. Right hindquarter muscle is catching up to left- asymmetry is less noticeable. He will canter on the longe in left lead...no right lead yet. Best- We have attitude and affection! Jester is so much more cheerful and a little obstinate lately! I know he feels better. As long as he has lots of movement/turnout he isn't stiff. After half an hour of walk-jog-trot riding yesterday, he hung around as I untacked (no halter) in the pasture. Then he stretched his neck out and rested his muzzle on my shoulder-so amazing to have him ask for rubs and attention.