Obviously feeling much better - putting weight on the bad hoof and resting a back one.
(Excuse the anti-rub vest - it makes him look like he's standing there in his undies!)
A strangely timed series of events
2 days ago
Friday, 24 September 2010
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Abscess?
I arrived at the paddock on Sunday to see my horse limping across the paddock. And when I can spot a lame horse at 100m, he is pretty lame.
There was some heat and swelling in his off cannon but nothing too dramatic, and not worth a vet call. I gave him two sachets of Bute, hosed down his leg and hoped for the best. He was still a bit hoppy on Monday, but I thought overall he looked better. On Tuesday morning, I couldn't decide if he was worse or just the same as the day before. I consulted my coach and another friend who is BHS trained, and they came over to the paddock to have a look. Both legs were looking a bit sore and swollen but the off fore was the worst, with heat in the heel. So I phoned the farrier, A. and left him a message asking for help.
I didn't hear back from A. so tried again, and eventually got his wife who said he was injured. Plan B was to get hold of another good farrier, but who is only part-time so can be tricky to get hold of. The stars were with us and I managed to catch him at home for lunch. He duly arrived, found the sore bit with his nippers (who needs hoof testers?) and dug out the offending abscess.
Voila! To the right of the frog, pus running out!
The farrier recommended a bran and epsom salts poultice, which was wrapped in an old nappy and then in a little rubber booty. Poor Max has a very badly swollen and tender leg, which I guess is a by-product of all that toxic stuff. No riding for us for a wee while though.
There was some heat and swelling in his off cannon but nothing too dramatic, and not worth a vet call. I gave him two sachets of Bute, hosed down his leg and hoped for the best. He was still a bit hoppy on Monday, but I thought overall he looked better. On Tuesday morning, I couldn't decide if he was worse or just the same as the day before. I consulted my coach and another friend who is BHS trained, and they came over to the paddock to have a look. Both legs were looking a bit sore and swollen but the off fore was the worst, with heat in the heel. So I phoned the farrier, A. and left him a message asking for help.
I didn't hear back from A. so tried again, and eventually got his wife who said he was injured. Plan B was to get hold of another good farrier, but who is only part-time so can be tricky to get hold of. The stars were with us and I managed to catch him at home for lunch. He duly arrived, found the sore bit with his nippers (who needs hoof testers?) and dug out the offending abscess.
Voila! To the right of the frog, pus running out!
The farrier recommended a bran and epsom salts poultice, which was wrapped in an old nappy and then in a little rubber booty. Poor Max has a very badly swollen and tender leg, which I guess is a by-product of all that toxic stuff. No riding for us for a wee while though.
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
You know when you've been hanging with showies for too long when...
You dye your horse's tail.
It's true, I did.
Looks good though, don't you think?
Monday, 13 September 2010
Thursday, 9 September 2010
Our First Placing
Despite no riding, we did the unbelieveable and actually placed in our second-ever dressage test!
Admittedly, it was only test 0.1 (which has no canter in it) but it's only the third time he has been in a white dressage arena.
I am so proud of my little guy because he was (mostly) wonderfully chilled out despite the chaos going on at the Park. In addition to the dressage, there was show jumping, cross country and a western show on! Talk about horses for Africa!
He took a bit of pursuading to get into the float, but we got there in the end. Once at the Park, he came off the float and went "WOW!". It was as if he thought every other horse there was a potential new friend, and he was so happy he could burst. Apparently, my little horse is quite the social butterfly, and LOVES going out. So once we get him to connect the dots and figure out that going in the float = new friends, we should be away laughing.
After our dressage, I rode him around a bit and looked at what was going on. He had been a bit stressed to start with, calling out and refusing to stand still. I applied some groundwork and got him to focus on me, and he got much better. A little while later, I was sitting on him next to the show jumping ring, on the end of the reins, just quietly watching. Such a good boy!
Admittedly, it was only test 0.1 (which has no canter in it) but it's only the third time he has been in a white dressage arena.
I am so proud of my little guy because he was (mostly) wonderfully chilled out despite the chaos going on at the Park. In addition to the dressage, there was show jumping, cross country and a western show on! Talk about horses for Africa!
He took a bit of pursuading to get into the float, but we got there in the end. Once at the Park, he came off the float and went "WOW!". It was as if he thought every other horse there was a potential new friend, and he was so happy he could burst. Apparently, my little horse is quite the social butterfly, and LOVES going out. So once we get him to connect the dots and figure out that going in the float = new friends, we should be away laughing.
 |
| In yards like a real show horse! |
After our dressage, I rode him around a bit and looked at what was going on. He had been a bit stressed to start with, calling out and refusing to stand still. I applied some groundwork and got him to focus on me, and he got much better. A little while later, I was sitting on him next to the show jumping ring, on the end of the reins, just quietly watching. Such a good boy!
 |
| Nom, nom. |
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