What a difference a weekend makes! I go from having 2 horses that I'm basically doing nothing with to having 2 horses that need jobs. Yesterday Margaret showed me some stifle building exercises for Megan. She'll do them with her 2x during the week and then I'll do them both days on the weekend. We also agreed that Lily needs a job, too.
Next weekend we'll hop on Megan (for the first time since early August) and see if we can do the exercises from her back which will be better for her and far more fun for me. We're going to disregard the lameness as emblematic of her hind end weakness and work her at the walk on the hill and over cavaletti very gently to build strength and then see what happens with the lameness.
Lily will get fitted out for her very own bridle and will start more regular ground work in preparation for getting on her in the future. Fun, fun, fun!
Monday, November 27, 2006
Saturday, November 25, 2006
At Least She Looks Good
So another day of Megan looking not quite right in the front. She was pretty clear that she wasn't interested in going forward especially with her left front leading the way. Color me befuddled, which isn't a very pretty color, kinda muddy...
Since working her was cut short, we spent some time in the beauty parlor. She now has a lovely, banged, completely tangle free tail, so we have something to show for the day.
Lily couldn't miss out on the beautification so her tail got the works, too. She's learning to stand on cross ties and this was a great opportunity to just have her hang out and learn the ropes. She has the prettiest tail, so thick and heavy. It's going to be gorgeous when all the sunburned orange grows out. It's blue black on the inside. It's now also tangle free and freshly banged. I got them both to trot away from me so I could admire their lovely tails... Hey, sometimes it's the small things that count.
Since working her was cut short, we spent some time in the beauty parlor. She now has a lovely, banged, completely tangle free tail, so we have something to show for the day.
Lily couldn't miss out on the beautification so her tail got the works, too. She's learning to stand on cross ties and this was a great opportunity to just have her hang out and learn the ropes. She has the prettiest tail, so thick and heavy. It's going to be gorgeous when all the sunburned orange grows out. It's blue black on the inside. It's now also tangle free and freshly banged. I got them both to trot away from me so I could admire their lovely tails... Hey, sometimes it's the small things that count.
Friday, November 24, 2006
I Love My Girls
Went to the barn and worked both girls today. They were both wonderful. Okay Megan was lame, but she was very, very good. Lily just outdid herself on all fronts.
On Wednesday, when Bootcamp v2.0 for Megan kicked into gear, things looked pretty good. When I first lunged her to the left she took 3 or 4 REALLY lame steps, but then worked sound. I thought she might have hit herself or something. Nope, today she was consistently clearly lame on the left front. (I knew it was the left front even if I don't have my vet degree by golly.) She was sound to the right and sound going straight, but on the circle to the left, there's not doubt that we've got a problem of some description. We'll see how it looks tomorrow.
Since we couldn't do much lunging, I took her for a walk along the powerline for the first time. She seemed to thoroughly enjoy our little trail walk.
Lily comported herself very well when Megan was working and almost as well when it was her turn. I haven't lunged Lily in at least a month. I've pretty much just been petting her, grooming her and leaving her to grow. The first few lunge attempts were pretty sketchy at best, but for whatever reason during the last month of no handling the concept of lunging sunk into Miss Lily. She walked and trotted nicely in both directions and only occasionally got overwhelmed by the distraction of Megan calling and running and bucking like an idiot (nice on the lame foot). I was extremely pleased with Lily.
On Wednesday, when Bootcamp v2.0 for Megan kicked into gear, things looked pretty good. When I first lunged her to the left she took 3 or 4 REALLY lame steps, but then worked sound. I thought she might have hit herself or something. Nope, today she was consistently clearly lame on the left front. (I knew it was the left front even if I don't have my vet degree by golly.) She was sound to the right and sound going straight, but on the circle to the left, there's not doubt that we've got a problem of some description. We'll see how it looks tomorrow.
Since we couldn't do much lunging, I took her for a walk along the powerline for the first time. She seemed to thoroughly enjoy our little trail walk.
Lily comported herself very well when Megan was working and almost as well when it was her turn. I haven't lunged Lily in at least a month. I've pretty much just been petting her, grooming her and leaving her to grow. The first few lunge attempts were pretty sketchy at best, but for whatever reason during the last month of no handling the concept of lunging sunk into Miss Lily. She walked and trotted nicely in both directions and only occasionally got overwhelmed by the distraction of Megan calling and running and bucking like an idiot (nice on the lame foot). I was extremely pleased with Lily.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Why can't it ever be simple?
Today was Megan's recheck at the University. I was hoping for a simple, she's cured go forth and enjoy or she's continuing to improve maintain the status quo and we'll see you in a month. I got option 3 which is she's continuing to improve, but now we see this other problem and we really don't know exactly what issues we're dealing with so try this. This being continue to medicate and start working her consistently to see if the new issues resovle with conditioning. That's not really a bad news report at all, but it's more complex than I'd like.
The "new" issue is actually the issue we initially went to UGA for 3 months ago. She's ever so slightly lame. We thought it was the left front, but the vets see it in the right hind. She's also really loose in her stifles, but that's because she hasn't been working at all. So the Rx is, work her, but don't ride, regularly for the next month to strengthen her stifles and continue to treat for EPM and take her back in a month. Sigh, I'm really over the all day treks to Athens.
As for the neuro issues, she's now grade 0 (no deficits) in the front legs, grade 0/1 in the left hind leg and grade 1/2 in the right hind leg. This is improvement in all but the right hind. I personally think they are seeing things on that one. Her entire right hind leg is crooked (her toe points to the outside) so mechanically it just tracks differently. I brought this up, but the vet disagreed. We may have to agree to disagree if she continues to imrove in all legs BUT that one.
Megan has become quite the star about the vet school. Today she unloaded at the same time as a llama and didn't even flinch. She was stalled across from a couple of very amorous cows and didn't get worked up over that either. (At least we had cow porn for entertainment.) She did all her tests with a totally ho hum attitude -- just another day at the docs.
The "new" issue is actually the issue we initially went to UGA for 3 months ago. She's ever so slightly lame. We thought it was the left front, but the vets see it in the right hind. She's also really loose in her stifles, but that's because she hasn't been working at all. So the Rx is, work her, but don't ride, regularly for the next month to strengthen her stifles and continue to treat for EPM and take her back in a month. Sigh, I'm really over the all day treks to Athens.
As for the neuro issues, she's now grade 0 (no deficits) in the front legs, grade 0/1 in the left hind leg and grade 1/2 in the right hind leg. This is improvement in all but the right hind. I personally think they are seeing things on that one. Her entire right hind leg is crooked (her toe points to the outside) so mechanically it just tracks differently. I brought this up, but the vet disagreed. We may have to agree to disagree if she continues to imrove in all legs BUT that one.
Megan has become quite the star about the vet school. Today she unloaded at the same time as a llama and didn't even flinch. She was stalled across from a couple of very amorous cows and didn't get worked up over that either. (At least we had cow porn for entertainment.) She did all her tests with a totally ho hum attitude -- just another day at the docs.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
What, Pray Tell, is a Pas de Deux?
Sorry for the jargon Katie! A pas de deux (pa day do) is a test performed by 2 horses where they mirror each other's movements. It's a rather amazing thing to watch, very harmonious and beautiful -- if all goes well.
Lily (I always want to call her Lucy for my old, much loved mare) and Megan were trotting around me side by side in a perfect circle even though I had nothing to control them other than my voice. It was purely a fluke that they were synchronized, but they often trot around me like I'm lunging them if I ask them to at liberty. It's much easier than chasing them all over the paddock trying to get them to trot or canter so I can see their movement.
I feel like a bad mom today with all the rain, but hopefully they have the sense to stay warm and dry in their shelter.
Lily (I always want to call her Lucy for my old, much loved mare) and Megan were trotting around me side by side in a perfect circle even though I had nothing to control them other than my voice. It was purely a fluke that they were synchronized, but they often trot around me like I'm lunging them if I ask them to at liberty. It's much easier than chasing them all over the paddock trying to get them to trot or canter so I can see their movement.
I feel like a bad mom today with all the rain, but hopefully they have the sense to stay warm and dry in their shelter.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Okay So She's Not a Yak
I got in trouble for referring to Miss Lily as a yak. She is in an unfortunate looking growth phase at the moment, but yaks probably aren't nearly as sweet as Lily. We went for a little walk about yesterday and she is such a charming character. She's going to be blast to trail ride because she's as curious about what's around the next bend as her future rider is.
Megan was a sweet heart, too. She worked on the lunge in side reins for the first time in quite awhile and was perfectly pleasant and well behaved about it. She's certainly dead broke to voice commands which can only help when I get back to riding her. Fingers crossed for a good report next week. I'm itching to get her scheduled in full training after the first of the year, but don't want to jump the gun and jinx myself.
One more sweet thing -- I turned them both out and asked for a little trot to see how they were feeling after their trims last week. They both trotted around me in a nice big circle showing off their pas de deux sans any halters or lunge lines. We could take this act on the road.
Megan was a sweet heart, too. She worked on the lunge in side reins for the first time in quite awhile and was perfectly pleasant and well behaved about it. She's certainly dead broke to voice commands which can only help when I get back to riding her. Fingers crossed for a good report next week. I'm itching to get her scheduled in full training after the first of the year, but don't want to jump the gun and jinx myself.
One more sweet thing -- I turned them both out and asked for a little trot to see how they were feeling after their trims last week. They both trotted around me in a nice big circle showing off their pas de deux sans any halters or lunge lines. We could take this act on the road.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Spoiled Girls
Today was farrier day for the girls. That gave me a great excuse to leave work early and see them in the daylight. I ended up having an hour to kill waiting. Lily is still in Yak mode, but all of sudden she has rediscovered her canter. Since I've had her, she really hasn't been inclined to canter or gallop more than a few steps at a time. I think her growth spurt had her so out of balance that she just wasn't comfortable.
Today, she was a cantering fool and what a lovely canter it was. She was up and effortless and swapped leads fluidly while playing around. It was lovely to watch and exciting to think about riding in a year or so. Megan was sure that Lily was getting too much attention and started barreling around herself to show off.
Once Eric arrived, Lily was up first. She was really good, other than trying to bolt over the top of us once and using Eric as a prop the entire time -- i.e. there is room for improvement. Next up Megan. What a pig I've raised. I've only myself to blame that she wants me to hold her head up the entire time. She nearly fell down leaning on Eric -- who isn't really capable of holding up 1400 lbs of piggy mare. Manners, we need some manners! Thank goodness it was just trims for both, so the torture was short. I guess a little bootcamp is in order before the next appointment.
This weekend they are both in for an abrupt interuption to their life of leisure. I finally have a weekend at home and time to torment, err work them.
Today, she was a cantering fool and what a lovely canter it was. She was up and effortless and swapped leads fluidly while playing around. It was lovely to watch and exciting to think about riding in a year or so. Megan was sure that Lily was getting too much attention and started barreling around herself to show off.
Once Eric arrived, Lily was up first. She was really good, other than trying to bolt over the top of us once and using Eric as a prop the entire time -- i.e. there is room for improvement. Next up Megan. What a pig I've raised. I've only myself to blame that she wants me to hold her head up the entire time. She nearly fell down leaning on Eric -- who isn't really capable of holding up 1400 lbs of piggy mare. Manners, we need some manners! Thank goodness it was just trims for both, so the torture was short. I guess a little bootcamp is in order before the next appointment.
This weekend they are both in for an abrupt interuption to their life of leisure. I finally have a weekend at home and time to torment, err work them.
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