^The goats are doing well, here's a pic from last month - as you can see, their hind legs healed beautifully. 6 weeks after the coyote attack, and there's nothing noticeable on their legs.
Lexy @ barn for hours = massive amounts of photos. Fortunately, this means Babe's used to the flash and doesn't spook at it. She's definitely keeping me on my toes, in that there's always something going on. For example, moved her to the 7th barn in her lifetime. The only reason she gets moved is if the barn isn't honoring the boarding contract or is doing something that threatens her health or well being. The place we're at now I feel we'll be at until I leave for grad school - it's full care, and she's out on 35 acres with at least 13 other horses. She LOVES it. Absolutely loves being out there.
The added benefit is that she's nice and mellow. The atmosphere there is great - no drama, no politics - plenty of smiley people. And my goats are there now too at no extra charge. There's no set visiting hours, I was encouraged to camp out if I wished to or to even show up at 2am to ride if I felt like it. (Pretty cool for a college student who gets out of work at 11PM most days.) They let me bring in whichever vet/farrier I want and cheer us on.
^Her napping after her first full bath in 2 years - normally she's just hosed up.
Hmm. She's been doing great. I got her over the vast majority of the issues she had when I adopted her. She doesn't bite, walk in on her hind legs, bolt into you, pin you to stall walls, or attempt to strike at people any more. She'll occasionally threaten with a kick, but hasn't delivered any to me or anyone who hasn't done anything stupid around her. She's okay with her ears, udder, and feet being handled. She seems to be mellowing out and I walked her down the trail through the woods yesterday without a problem.
^Hand grazing after that bath
Afterwards, I lounged her as I always do to keep an eye on her legs - walk around me twice, trot around me twice, switch directions, and repeat. Usually that's all it takes and she's obedient and lately has even willingly walked and trotted quietly - even on the line! I wait until she's ready and then a few steps later, invite her into the center and unhook the line and she follows me around for awhile. When I get bored of that, I have someone boost me up bareback and we walk around a little bit. I don't lounge her to get the energy out - though if she does have a lot of it pent up, it seems like the safest way to let her get it out of her system. It's nice because I can pick up immediately if she's off or not as responsive as normal.
^Me about to unbridle her
I'm not sure what to think, however, about her recurrent intermittent lameness. Yeah, she's favored her RF fetlock and LH hock/stifle before, but usually works out of it a few strides into a gentle trot on the lounge line. She's more balanced again, her top line will be back shortly now that I'm down there frequently. So we've eliminated it as a neck/back problem. We've checked her feet, no abscess or bruising. Her quarter cracks seem to go away on their own and overall her feet have seemed healthy. She's no longer flat footed or thin soled, according to several farriers.
^Me caught off guard
Her unsoundness does not correlate with lounging or 3 loops around the arena at a walk with me bareback, and I'm light enough that the vet doesn't think it'll hurt anything, he and others from dif. clinics seem to think that keeping her in gentle exercise will be the way to cure it, but I'm hesitant because it should have stayed away by now. This is the first time in a few months that she's shown any signs of lameness. It's a bit discouraging when she's being so good for lounging and light riding.
^English Lesson #1 aboard Diamond the QH. That was my first day on him, but he's the 3rd horse (at that point in time) I'd been on in an English saddle.
She doesn't seem to have bad conformation, according to unbiased members in the horse profession (AKA not myself). I'm not sure what to make of it. Ruling out her back, feet, and light exercise regimen, I'm almost wondering if it's just that old injury causing her discomfort, and if it is, if she's developed arthritis or anything new since her last vet visit. I haven't heard any pops or snaps or clicks in the joint and she hasn't hesitated with me handling her feet. There is no heat and no swelling, just gait abnormality (compared to usual) with occasional head bobbing at the trot & favoring the limb. It's frustrating that she hasn't presented this any of the times I had the vet or farrier out - 3 attempts with each! Her flexion tests came back normal last time (though they did hurry through it). They even watched me lounging her last time and hadn't picked up on it. I was thinking about putting her on a Glucosamine Chondroitin supplement with sulfur, and then adding a clove of garlic a night to her ration discourage mosquitoes.
^English Lesson #3, aboard CJ the Thoroughbred mare.
I wonder if there's a way to call them when she's doing it as a non-emergency call... kind of the "I don't have a video camera to show you what she didn't present any of the last times" thing.
^Me on Babe again, my first time on her - that was back in mid - Feb. 2006.
And for everyone who takes the time to comment or read this,
Keep up the hard work - it seems to be paying off for both of you.
