Oi.... I'm super close to a full on meltdown. Today was a bit rough. I'm already so close to meltdown as it is. I am not really truly sure why though? I mean... I guess I am. I'm tired. I'm not sleeping as much as I should. It's hot and humid. I'm stressed about my horse. It's a lot more work. But like... life is always hot, stressful and lacking sleep. So, why is this SO MUCH WORSE!? Or have I just hit that breaking point.... where it's been going on long enough that I'm finally utterly ... spent! I don't know.
I did manage to sleep in a little bit today. I got up at 5:15 and tossed hay so they would quiet down. And then managed to sleep til 7:15 ish. I went to feed them and Dan hopped to his feed. What?!?! What now?! He was literally 3 legged lame. He was toe touching on the left hind... holding that leg up in the air. Hopping on the other 3. Then he was sort of fine... but obviously sore on the left hind. I got everything else done and pulled him out of his stall. Yep, definitely really really lame. I tried to pick up that leg and pick his foot and he waved it around at me... pulling it out to the side... hopped on the other legs before finally slamming it down. Dude!! I started to cry but then... okay.. maybe it's an abscess as he clearly is toe touching and walking on the lateral side only. I texted Patrick and pretty much begged him to come because otherwise, I was going to have a meltdown. He said that Russel was down the road and could come this afternoon and if he couldn't find anything, he could come at 7:30 or so. They're the best!
So I decided I would bemer him, but first, I gave him a good groom. Because he was filthy. And.... He enjoyed it. There were no snarls or stomps or air chomps. No ear pinnings. He even wiggled his little lip!! I almost cried. But this time, good tears. And he was standing with his neck relaxed... not braced and guarding! Oh YAY!!!!
After I soaked him I put him in the roundpen so I could do stalls and he could get some grass. I figured he hurt too bad to jump out. As I was putting him in, Funny came up to flirt and tried to back into him to pee on him and it pissed him off. I don't know if he tried to kick her or tried to back up, but apparently he hurt his leg and then went three legged and then somehow his front leg crumpled and he almost fell down. Good gravy child!! Jeesh. I chased Funny off and eventually got him to move and get in the round pen. And then he was still pretty lame but walking on it.
So... I did stalls and ate breakfast and then it was getting steamy so I brought him in. Russel showed up mid afternoon and I pulled him out. He was still sore and waved his foot around for Russel too. But Russel could not find anything on hoof testers. He didn't react to anything other than Russel initially picking his foot up. So... Russel basically said that it wasn't an abscess or a hot nail and likely higher up. Dammit. And then I remembered that Dan did this once before... randomly. He was randomly lame, 3 legged lame, for a few hours and then abscess lame for about 18 hrs and then fine. And no abscess then. I can't remember exactly but I don't know that I ever figured out what his deal was then. It might have been before Kim came out... so maybe before we did his SI joints...
So then, instead of crying... I figured I would see what the magic sticks said. Of course they moved at his stifle. But then I adjusted his stifle and the sticks didn't move anymore. So I went ahead and adjusted all of him. Because being hoisted in the air by your legs, being on your side under general anesthesia for 6 hours in 2 weeks, and just being stuck in a stall... he needed it. Interestingly he wasn't nearly as sore as he has been before. But I don't know if that's because the ONE THING HURTS and therefore nothing else really matters? I mean, I did adjust lots of places. (I was very careful in his neck and avoided his lower cervicals). I did also bleed his stomach channel and the bladder channel on the right to help his pain. And he seemed to feel better. But still lame.
So I have NO IDEA anymore. I don't know what to do. I don't know if I just ignore it and give it more time. Do I message Dr. Tull? Do I get Dr. Barrow out to do a lameness exam? Do I get Patrick to come out and double check Russel? Do I just... do nothing. Because I said I was done after surgery (other than maintenance). It's extra stressful because we leave for the beach Saturday. But, maybe that's actually the best thing. He can go to Aubreys.... I won't be watching his every move. He can have another week to recover from the surgery, the anesthesia, the trauma of both, etc, and... I can have a fresh look at him when I return. And then.... then, if he's still sore... then I can come up with a plan. But right now.... seems sort of silly to try to get Dr. Barrow to do a lamness exam on Thursday... to then turn around and leave. And.. just keep praying!!
But it hurts my heart. I did turn him out in the round pen again for a little bit and then... he was looking like he was contemplating making an escape so I just put him in the middle field with the others for an hour or so while I cleaned stalls. He was happy. But definitely still lame.
I did have to giggle at him though because when Russel was working on him, he was "still dan"... trying to pull things off the barn fridge, wiggling, chewing on anything he could find. When I was adjusting him he was trying to eat my hat. And then I had put his hay in the water trough out in the patio. He decided it was too hot and he wanted it in his stall so he pulled his water trough to the door! ha ha... Smart boy! Of course then he had to walk over it and was all unhappy about that. Maybe that's how you hurt your leg dingbat! Sigh.. Oh, and when I was giving Funny her bath, he stuck his nose over and enjoyed a face shower!
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