Ahhh, today did my heart good!
I rode Funny and Lyric this morning and worked on Marvin. And then... I decided that Dan was a priority and grocery shopping and going to AT&T could wait... so I loaded him up and we headed to Ashland for rehab therapy. :) However, before that.... I watched him canter across the pasture and do three flying changes. Clean flying changes. So that's exciting!! (Clearly we've entirely given up on the whole stall rest thing and even the "stay calm and behave" thing... and since he's stopped eating his trazadone, we're not even doing that!). And then when Marvin was getting worked on there was much antics going on. And somehow... Dan turned into a pumpkin! Ha ha... He was SOOOO orange. Like neon orange. I'm guessing he had a good roll in the red clay by the arena. And since we got rain yesterday evening... it stuck good! Doh!
We got to Ashland and we headed out to the lake. I let him have a few snacks on the way. We took some of the hilly paths and went through the woods, so there was terrain. There were a lot of roots that I noticed today so hopefully that gave him good proprioceptive feedback. We got to the lake and he just stood at the edge. Dan... come on sir! So, fine... I doubled up his lead rope and walked him up to the mounting block and hopped on. Ahhhh... I've missed you sir! Then he went into the lake and splashed a bunch. He got me soaked! He even went for a very short swim/almost swim. So of course, now my boots were drenched and my shorts and half my tank top were drenched. Then he tried to leave the lake and holy cow... he was slick! I almost slid off. I also had one hand on my phone and no real reins (just the lead rope tied back to the halter at the knot under his chin), so... he managed to get back up on shore and because hew as so slippery, I just slid off.
Okay... let's try again. And since I was so soaked already, I just walked in the lake with him. And then he had fun. We splashed... and he's so smart. He pawed and then when I told him "the other foot" he swapped and pawed with the right front. YES SIR!! That's how you activate those muscles! Although honestly... the reach he was getting with that limb was impressive! Kind of makes me wonder..... But seriously though... his atrophy is back but he seems... longer than his scapula. So like... is it actually his supra and infraspinatus that atrophied? But I think it has to be. I mean... you could feel his scapular spine. I think he's just got a really big shoulder! But I also started thinking... okay, maybe the shortness is pain vs nerve/muscle.. because he can clearly reach that limb forward, so... maybe it's a weight bearing thing now? Sigh... so now I'm wondering if he needs his coffin joint injected.. or foot rads... or ??? But... we'll keep rehabbing for the week and then I'll see what I have left when I get back.
But Dan and I had a blast... splashing... and then he went for another almost swim. And then... he decided he was done. I didn't want to overdo it because... that was some violent work sir! So we walked back home. I let him go in the field instead of the woods because of the bugs and I figured he could graze a little and then we could do the hills. We also took advantage of two of the logs and walked over those. He did the cutest little jump over the first one. But he did reach over with his front right first. So yay!
I did give him a good rinse to get the lake cooties off and to get rid of some of the red clay stain. It helped a little. Then we headed home and before dinner, I k-taped his shoulder.
But yep... I was singing God's praises today. I really really really think the surgery was a success from a nerve point. Dan has seemed much happier to see me... his ears are pricked much more consistently. He is coming up to me in the pasture. And clearly he feels good and is playing. His posture also looks better most of the time. Thank you God!!! And, while the biggest goal was to get him comfortable... I would like to ride him again too. And at this point, I think I can. I don't know that I can jump him... or that he'll be competition sound, but... I would feel comfortable hacking him. So... thank you God for blessing me with more time on Danimal. And thank you extra because... he's already starting to wreac havoc on my farm without being in work. :) Another benefit to the field trip today. I think his brain was happier to be out and about and have a trailer ride.
It's almost silly how much I love his ridiculous self.
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