Bringing up Baby

I slept in a little bit today but still felt icky when I woke up. I think I have my annual 48 hr flu bug thing. Ugh. Plus my neck is killing me from sleeping funky. And it's freezing! So, instead of riding early, I did invoices and reports for a bit. Then it was about time to go get Dan to meet Kelli at Ashland. 

We headed over and got ready. She lunged so I took Dan to the arena to do some pillar work. We got bored fairly quickly and he was overbending when I tried to do leg yields in hand, so.. I just got on and we did some lateral work at the walk under saddle. He seemed okay to do leg yields, shoulder in and haunches in. And I was able to keep his body straighter from up top. He did lick his lips a good bit and his was moving but it didn't seem to be that upset tongue. 

Then we headed for the XC field and went on a hack. It was nice. We hit the woods and did the outer loop til we crossed the creek. And then we headed back up to the lake and up the dam. It was nice. Cold, but not terrible. And so many leaves on the ground you couldn't really chat but that's okay. Kelli watched us trot a tiny bit and said that she thought he looked like he didn't want to engage that right hind as much. And was maybe a hair off. He felt pretty sound at the trot. And at the walk he felt soooo much better today. I only felt a few short steps, which could have been due to the rocks and him being barefoot, balance, or his stifle. He tripped up front twice, but Marvin did 3 times, so... maybe that's just clutzy or too many leaves. 

 

It was a nice ride though and I had mentioned to Kelli that I wasn't sure how to continue with his rehab because I wasn't sure where he was in his healing with the patella fracture. I wasn't even sure if we were two months into healing or 5 months into healing! But I did mention that he did seem to be standing more square and resting that right hind less. I still hadn't seen him rest the left hind yet. But then after I untacked him after our ride, I looked over and he was resting the left hind!!! WHOOO HOOO!! But I still think that I'll do walk trail rides (and not 4 days a week) with a tiny bit of trotting just to stay abreast of how he's feeling until the new year. We'll get through the holidays and then I'll probably schedule a recheck with Dr. Barrow to reradiograph and ultrasound and see where we're at. Then from there, I can make a plan. But no reason to rush it now. Although I do think he's starting to look a little better in his topline and neck since I started hacking him again. I'll have to keep doing the groundwork too to help his posture. And if he starts looking bad again, I'll back off. 

 
And... I'll keep praying and trying to hear God's plan for us.