Back on the Meds

I have literally gone through an entire checkbook this week.  Board, farrier, multiple vets (oy).... seems like I'm sprinkling checks around like fairy dust! wheeee!!!!

one of those checks bought a nice cocktail for Prair.  She looks pretty sexy (for a drunk girl).

I'll start with Wednesday which was pedicures and bodywork for both horses.  Prair was the clear winner here.  Her back is doing great, so we just focused on mobilizing her withers even more and limbering her up.  Nothing radical at all, though she did get her first shot of Hyaluronic Acid because... why not.  Might as well be proactive about her big giant joints instead of waiting for her to complain.  (I guess)

Prair's feet looked good.  She got a bit contracted in her show shoes over the summer, but is starting to spread her heels again.  The clips came off her shoes and I told her that she would get extra cookies if she didn't suck them off in the mud immediately. 

Gus had a bit rougher of a day.  After his rickety, stiff hack on Monday vet confirmed that his body felt like he had either a) been t-boned by a large truck or b) somersaulted down a very long, very bumpy hill.

rad.

Since neither of those events had (to my knowledge) occurred, we ruminated over whether to treat him like he fell (likely in pasture being a nitwit) or to proceed as though he was doing all this damage and tension to himself in an attempt to compensate for the every-awful Right Front.

Lacking any heat/weirdness in the RF, we went with "must have fallen being a nitwit" and worked appropriately.  Honestly, after 20 minutes of stretching and releases his demeanor perked up and his gait was significantly less - lurchy.  It was nice to see such an immediate improvement - however small.

Gus' feet are also looking pretty good (for him).  There's way less rotting, grossness around his white line and while his heels are still pretty crushed (and flat) they aren't as fractured as they were this time last year.  It's still a bit of a challenge to trim well, but his foot overall is much healthier and better balanced.  His fronts are finally normalizing and looking pretty good too.

Gus came away from the day with a prescription of a week of 2g bute daily, followed by 2 weeks of 1g... along with lots (and lots and lots) of walking.  Hand walking, tack walking - whatever.

When I hopped on him yesterday his walk already felt looser and more even.  I'm hoping some low key exercise and lots of carrot stretches help us stay on track.

This morning Prair got her third shockwave treatment on her back and that vet confirmed that she is much more comfortable to palpation - specifically with regard to her muscles.  She's still a bit ouchy if you directly poke at her spine/ligament, but we sort of expected that... So we're continuing with normal work, but she'll start a 40 day course of Previcox to try to help keep her super comfy and encourage proper use of her back while she continues to strengthen her topline. 

Whew. 

I'm am still full steam ahead on closet cleanouts.  I am also totally incapable of figuring out how to use paypal or anything else along those lines so this maybe be a case of "send me a mailing bag with a pre-paid usps label and I'll just pack and ship anything people want."  Stay tuned! Hopefully someone has a need for gently used Giant Mare sized things.