Well Fudge

Dan is still lame. And it's worse now. I'm not sure if it's worse because he's not as fit/muscle strong... it got worse... we corrected some of the other lameness's so the main lameness is more obvious... So now he is dancing/hopping behind to pick up canter and throwing head up in air to do it. He is still reactive to flexion of the right front fetlock, but he doesn't trot out lame after the flexion. And he was also reactive when we picked up the right front to evaluate the base of neck. When I ride, and we slow motion videoed him... he added a stride, but behind only, to the jump when tracking right. It looks like he also tapped off the right hind, not pushing off, and put most of the weight on the left hind. Tracking left it's not so obvious. He's reaching up nicely with the right hind though.  After he did that, he then proceeded to jump normally 4 more times, even with the jumps raised. So... we figured he was just excited and happy to be jumping. 

So today... we go back to lasering the stifle, and the both hind high suspensories and equiox and light trails at the walk. Then we'll reassess. The right front lameness appears to be in the swing phase, not the landing phase. Which does make us suspicious of the neck... when he brings that leg forward, it compresses the neck. Plus he's much more lame and MUCH more behind my leg the more compressed I ride him/the tighter the frame. So, maybe it is his neck??? And other compensatory issues. 

So anyways... today we went for our quick 30 min alloted hack. It was a gorgeous day with gorgeous weather. We had a great ride. He was super and stayed on the buckle most of the ride. And we finished up at the small dam by the trailer parking. We scared the heron and he flew up and flew across our path to the other side. It was awesome!! Dan didn't even flinch.