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 ;)