Sound is as Sound does... (+ Martha Stewart (?!?) )

Well.  That was fun.  It's always nice to get a clean bill of health from your favorite doc...  Pia appears to have passed with flying colors. 

It was the sort of exam you theoretically want.  No tragic consequences, no scary questions - mostly just a vet who is impressed with how P looks compared to a year ago, along with some total shoulder-shrugging regarding any short stride or reluctance to go forward.

We started by palpating her back, neck, and legs.  (no reaction).

Then the hoof testers came out (no reaction).

Then we lunged in the ring... she was short, but not "SHORT." definitely better than she has been.  Both ways, walk/trot/canter. (nothing)

Then we jogged out on the hard gravel (nothing)

Then we jogged out on the asphalt (nothing)

Then we lunged on the hard gravel (nothing)

Then we did flexions on all four.. (NOTHING) (yay!)

Then we decided to tack up and see what happened under saddle (gulp).

Of course in my head I'm thinking "gee, I'm in work jeans, a cardigan and nothing resembling a sports bra. OH, and this horse hasn't been worked in 10 days AND she was "lunged" for a total of 5 minutes.  This should go well"

I don't know WHY I didn't have more gear in my car, I should have known he'd want to see her under saddle, especially when I specifically told him "it only really shows up under saddle."  duh.  

Oh well, on went the boots (over the jeans) and up I went.  P walked nicely, and actually trotted immediately when I asked.  She was sticky, and totally behind my leg, but she never actually stopped, so my vet didn't have to witness the circle-whap-whap move.  He agreed with what I felt, thought that it could be attitude, but as she started to work out of it, he was more convinced that maybe it's not.

His solution?  BONE SCAN.  Oh.  of course.  The only imaging process I haven't forked $$$ out for yet.  Why not?

His reasons behind the scan are prudent.. We'll see things like kissing spine or degenerative joints better than just with x-rays, blah, blah, blah.  Of course, I feel a little silly dropping another $1,500 on an image for a horse that just passed its physical exam with flying colors.  I understand that "in theory" this is exactly when you take the fancy picture... but at this rate my entire house will be decorated in very expensive wall art consisting entirely of Pia's x-rays, myelograms, and scintigraphy.  Not exactly what I would call a traditional art collection.

So I'm thinking.  I'm thinking I'm going to wait a few weeks and see if this goes away at all without the Regu-Mate, with regular work, and with more and more time with her shoes on and new hoof supplement.  We're not in any rush.. so if this crap is going to disappear in another month, I'd rather not take the picture.  Also, I think I'll give Dr. Finn a shot at taking a look at her as well.

However, I was WILDLY entertained when I googled "horse bone scan" that one of the first links was to Martha Stewart's blog (jigga what!?).  Convinced it would be an entertaining google snafu, I clicked the link, then walked myself through the world's most BORING slideshow on one of her Friesians getting a bone scan.  I highly recommend it.  My favorite caption is "The back doors are closing."  Lol, I can just HEAR it in her perfectly metered voice.  Anyway, thanks for the info Martha! Ever the helpful resource!

Cute horses Martha, but terrible captions...