Autumnal doings

I may have mentioned that Q was a bit of a slug when I rode on Sunday, but that's not unusual. On Monday we free schooled him and he looked a bit choppy in front. It does happen occasionally, usually when he's been doing star jumps in the field. We were due to box out for a lesson at a nearby yard on Tuesday but he still wasn't right so I cancelled and gave the vet a call, who came out on Wednesday. She found a slight reaction with the hoof testers so it's possible he's had a mild attack of laminitis :(

The problem is that we can't keep him in without him weaving incessantly so agreed to put him on restricted grazing and a course of bute. This was ok at first but this morning I found he had worn a path along the fence line :sigh: so in an effort to keep movement to a minimum I've got two options: 1) try Zylkene, a natural calmer and/or 2) put a grazing muzzle on him and let him wander at will. On balance I think he will be less stressed if he can move about to keep an eye on the mares as normal but not stuff himself with grass, so we'll try that.

We had a blood test done which showed a slight elevation in the markers which indicate some inflammation, so he's got a week's course of bute and we'll reassess with the vet next week. Argh - I hate it when there's something wrong with any of the creatures.


Meanwhile, I rode T this morning who was clearly full of vim and vigour. Not one iota of relaxation was to be had in the in hand warmup but I decided to ride him anyway since if we are going to move forward I can't just rely on only riding him when the planets are aligned. Besides which if I have faith in the new-found levels of trust building between us then it's as good a test as any. So he started piaffing as soon as I got on but settled (ish) to a rather animated walk and we put hoof prints all over the school with circles, serpentines etc followed with some lateral work. Up to trot and he was full of beans but listening, though I can't say he ever really relaxed through his back or stretched out to the contact as with previous rides; instead he was a bit sucked up throughout but the tempo was easily managed and he was good. It's quite a thing having all that energy to play with (!), strapped to half a ton of very animated stallion.

Knickers then appeared with the wheelbarrow and he decided it would be a good thing to show off to her (?) and immediately launched into a passage which we might still be doing even now if it were up to him, and I must confess I did enjoy it. Even a slight firming of the lower back gave a transition to piaffe - man he's sensitive! - but I couldn't let it go on even if I was rather enjoying it as he's not really that fit, so pushed him forward into trot. We had a couple of canters on the spot followed by the nearest approximation to a stretchy trot that we were going to get, and I left it there, pleased to have ridden the Rocket Man through it but not wishing to push it too much.

Otherwise, it's raining, and raining and raining. I brought the girls into their shelter so that the younglings could lie down in the dry, which of course has set Q off wanting to know where they are. It's a juggling act and sometimes you just can't win.

Meanwhile Xacra, who has been making good progress in the hind feet picking out stakes, nearly kicked my head off the other night. It's always that right hind and always when she fears losing her balance, so I am going to ask Tessa to look at her and see if there is any adjustment to do. I think a course of Zylkene will benefit her for this and the forthcoming farrier visit next week, as he couldn't get ner her hind feet last time and they really need a trim. I just need to determine that it's safe for nursing mares.

Final meanwhile: after a Super Noodle effort, all bar two stables are now rubber matted and the dog pen is finished. Once Pheel comes to do the work on the remaining two stables  we can finish them off and get the shelter done. Then all that remains is to get two more loads of hardcore in (9am tomorrow) so that the boys can come and finish off everyone's all weather turnout areas.

Never boring is it.