This has been a good week! The temps here have gone from high 90's and 100's to 80's and even as low as mid 70's for the just the last couple of days. Yesterday was also the windiest day we have had since Spring. It was interesting because I tacked up western to ride and had planned to go ahead and ride walk and canter without lunging first. Walking was just fine. The first canter I thought actually felt really nice and round without me even really asking. Then the second time I asked he did this balking thing where he would almost immediately try to stop after the canter depart and hunch his back up. It almost felt like he was tripping. I put him on the lunge to watch and he would lurch forward and start crow hopping. He seemed to trot sound. I was so worried!!!
I untacked him and was really curious what he would do if I just let him in the arena to run. Maybe the cool and windy weather just had him wound up. I let him go and asked him to move away and he took off! He got some good bucks in and then galloped FULL out down the long side with beautiful big and elevated strides. He came back to me after one round and I patted on him. I wanted to see if he would do the same thing and get it on video so I asked him one more time and he took off cantering sideways down the rail towards the horses in the pasture who were also running around a bit. He got to the end and turned around to trot back to me. He looked perfectly normal to me and sound!
I hope I will never have to sell this horse. He follows me like a shadow, trots with me, halts, and most times will even lunge with me all at liberty. I lunged him in an open pasture today and he even lead with me at liberty walk/trot/halt in an open field, with grass, and another horse around grazing and others riding in the arena next to us. He is awesome! Instead of eventing maybe we'll do dressage and then liberty for fun! His walk, turns, and canter all looked great today. I am so pleased at how well he cantered today and how soft he was on the line. I have had many times where he would bolt and pull so hard that he would get away - I think I am learning that if he does that, it means that he hurts. While he has gotten quick, he has not bolted like that during this whole month and has been very easy to manage on the line at the canter.
Another sign that he is a happy horse right now is that he will ALWAYS come to me in the pasture every single time. There have been many periods of time, even 3 years ago, where he would start turning away or even playing the chase game when I approached him in the pasture. When he bolts and runs away I am of course thinking (hoping) that he is just fine because he is running! Afterall, hey, there are a lot of horses that do that. But, he is a very good horse who normally doesn't. He is not crippled and is still able to RUN...that doesn't mean that he feels great to exercise purposefully with a rider. I feel I am becoming one of those people who will always consider pain the FIRST option when a horse begins misbehaving, hard to catch, etc, even if most people wouldn't expect that to be the cause. Unfortunately sometimes it takes a long time to figure out why they do not feel 100%. People who try to assess pain first and who know horses don't try to be pests or jerks are very wise.
He has his re-check with the chiro vet this coming Monday. I hope she has good things to report and I am sure he will benefit from another session of acupuncture. I will be interested to see if she detects any foot pain, and if his neck is feeling much better. My guess is it sure is!
My regular vet has agreed that it can't hurt to try Pentosan. The loading dose period is a bit pricey, but I think I am going to give that a shot in the next couple of months.
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