Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

 Seems it’s that time of year again.  Out with the old and in with the new.  I’m not much for making the obligatory resolutions about losing weight, exercising more, eating healthful foods etc. because truthfully I never keep them.  This year I thought it might be better to set goals for the horses and myself.  It’s something that might actually work.

"Dusty"

 When Dusty is well and able to be ridden again, we’ll start slowly with groundwork and either some light longeing or long lining until she’s in shape again and able to support a rider.  Then we’ll have a refresher course of all she’s learned.  Hopefully, this will be followed by new exercises and lots of trail rides.

"Blue"

 With Blue I think the main goal is to get him in shape; he’s a little on the chubby side right now and needs to muscle up a bit.  So we’ll be taking short hacks to start the New Year.  Blue needs work that interests him so we’ll do a different exercise each time.  We’ll aim for less structured conditioning rides of walking/trotting in the field (weather permitting) or indoor, interspersed with occasional cavelletti patterns and more advanced dressage moves here and there for variety.  Blue knows quite a lot already but he’s no schoolmaster by a long shot.  His whole career he’s mainly done hunter/jumper and he loves to jump.  We’re not up to that yet or should I say I’m not up to that yet and don’t know if I really want to jump anything substantial anymore.  I’ve given myself permission to not jump if I don’t feel the need.  I’m thinking in reality Blue may be in for dressage training if he’s agreeable to switching disciplines.  We’ll take it slow and see what happens.  I’m a fan of taking one day at a time and working with what my horse gives me that day.  Or to be honest what I feel like doing on any given day.  Doesn’t sound very organized, does it?  But the main goal is to ride and teach him there are many enjoyable exercises he can learn and that working isn’t all bad. 

"Donnie"

The biggest goal I have this year is to have Donnie in consistent work and hopefully he will gain confidence in himself.  We’ll do lots of longeing, long-lining and interacting with him on the ground.  By the end of the year or perhaps sooner I’m hoping Donnie will feel comfortable enough to let us tighten his girth and even get on him.  He’s had major problems with this for years but now that his EPSM has finally been diagnosed and treated we’re hoping he’ll be confident enough to hold a rider again.  Anyone who’s familiar with Donnie’s problems from other posts will know this goal will be a major achievement for Donnie and for us. 

I’ll keep you posted on how everything is progressing with the horses.

I’d like to wish everyone a Happy Healthy New Year with lots of good rides.

Until next time

Quote for Today

To make a perfect horseman, three things are requisite. First, to know how and when to help your horse. Secondly, how and when to correct him. And thirdly, how and when to praise him and to make much of him.
    - Thomas Blundeville

It’s Working!

"That was lots of fun, where's my treat"

Dusty had her second shock wave treatment last Wednesday.  The vet was very happy with how well she is doing.  He palpated her injury site and felt that the inside suspensory was much tighter and she seems more comfortable in general.  The outside suspensory branch is still on the mend.  So it seems the treatments are working.  Dusty is due for her last treatment in two weeks and then we’ll see where she is.

A sort of fun story attached to this treatment.  Grady was in his stall to be looked at for a different problem.  His stall is near the cross ties where Dusty was tied. He was a perfect gentleman while she was examined, but the minute she received her sedative and he realized she wouldn’t be able to do anything about it, he took the opportunity to bite her on the butt.  All she could do was put one of her ears back.  But this mare doesn’t put up with any nonsense and Grady knows it; Dusty has a long memory and he will pay for his indiscretion.  It may not be right away but she will get him for biting her butt.  Poor Grady he’ll never know what hit him.

I’m hopeful that these treatments will speed her healing and she will be ready to resume her lessons by springtime.  Personally, I think she misses working and learning new things.  She’s one of the few horses I’ve met that enjoys working.

If only her work ethic would rub off on the rest of the herd…

Until next time

Quote for Today

Life is good; a horse makes it better!

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

Hi, it’s me Sami—you know, the handsome, athletic Arabian. I’m a little bit late with this letter but I know you will get it because… well, you’re Santa.  For Christmas I would like some new shoes with lifts in them to make me taller.  I’m eight years old now and I thought I would grow bigger in the three years since I came to the barn.  I been trying to eat as much as I can but I’m still only 14.2 hands and I guess this is it for me.  But I really need to be bigger so the horses that live here will start takin me seriouslee.  They still don’t realize that I should be leader of the pack and won’t listen to me.  But with shoes and lifts they would be really scared of me cuz I would be bigger.

Dusty never pays no attention to me either.  She always squeals and strikes at me when I try to talk to her.  Okay, maybe I might get too close, but that’s no reason to be so rude.  I think she shouldn’t get anything for Christmas cause she’s so mean.

And Grady should get a frozen lump of manure in his stocking cuz he’s such a bully to me.  He’s the one who always wants to play, but I can’t help it if he’s the one who ends up with all the bloody cuts and bruises on him and I don’t have any on me at the end of the day.  He’s always getting me in trouble!  Grady is really sneaky like that.

Mellon is kind of cool and smart and I can see why he’s in charge.  We’re a lot alike and he’s my friend so, since he’s gettin old I think you should bring him a heated bed for his stall to keep him warm and comfy when he lays down to rest.

Blue is a jerk!  He chayses me off the hay nets or the best grass all the time.  Who does he think he is anyway?  He’s not the boss of me!  I’ll eat where I want to.  Blue should get a rotten carrot in his stocking, that wil show him.

Nate is okay but he’s so big I’m fraid he’s going to knock me over sometimes when we play halter-tag.  Plus, he’s got kind of an unfair advantage, being so big.  It’s a good thing I’m so fast!  But he’s mostly hangin round with Dusty, so we only play once in a while.  You could bring Nate some nice treats cuz he’s okay.

Donnie is okay too.  He doesn’t play much but he’s not mean to me—not most of the time, anyway.  He’s prabobly the nicest horse here and we could be friends when I get bigger and do some fun stuff then.  I guess you could bring Donnie some good treats too, whatever he askes for.

So Santa if you could help me out with the lifts for my shoes that would be all I need for this Christmas.

Your best pal,
Sami

p.s. - I guess you could throw in some carrots and stud muffins if you got any extra.

p.p.s – well, I feel kinda bad.  I guess if you are bringing some treats for me, maybe you could bring some for the rest of the horses too, even Grady and Dusty and Blue.  But just because it’s Christmas!

The Herd and I wish you all a very

Merry Christmas! 

Dusty’s Shock Wave Treatment

" Was that really necessary "

Our vet was here this morning to administer Dusty’s shock wave treatment.  I did ask a few questions and now understand a little better how it works.  He actually had a brochure from the company whose machine he was using.  If you’re interested in this sort of treatment for one of your horses the company is www.PulseVet.com.  The technical term:  VersaTron, Non-Invasive Regenerative Extracorporeal Shock Wave technology (ESWT).

The following is directly from the brochure addressing frequently asked questions. I’m only taking a sampling otherwise this would be too long.

VersaTron (ESWT) What is it?

• ESWT is a non-invasive, high-intensity pressure wave regenerative medicine treatment.  It helps the body in relieving pain, speeding healing and improving quality of healing.

• “Shock Wave” is a physics term to describe a rapid increase in pressure, such as the energy from an explosion or thunder resulting from lightening.  “Shock wave” does not refer to electrical shock.

• VersaTron ESWT is a much higher energy and can penetrate to deeper areas than many other types of energy modalities.

How does it work?

• ESWT provides a high energy, focused, pressure wave that causes a biological response in treated tissue, which will stimulate and accelerate the healing process.  The pressure wave acts as a mechanical force at the cellular level causing various biological reactions including the release of proteins associated with decreased inflammation and increased blood vessel formation.  ESWT has also been demonstrated to recruit stem cells, and positively regulate inflammatory proteins associated with osteoarthritis.

There is much more in the brochure about the different uses this treatment is helpful with such as:  tendon and ligament injuries, wound healing, bone healing and degenerative joint disease.  It can be used with other treatments, so it might be worth asking your vet.  Anticipated results can be seen with 1-3 treatments.  It is important to note that it takes time for the biological responses to take place and healing is seen over a period of time, not immediately.  If it works I’m willing to wait. 

In the following pictures you can see that Dusty’s legs are shaved; that was from the ultrasound.  They disinfected the area to be treated, and then put gel on it and did the shock wave treatment.  I can say that it’s pretty loud and sounds almost like a controlled banging or hammering.  She was sedated for this and didn’t mind it a bit she was resting her head on my shoulder and was half asleep through the whole procedure.  When she was done she was led to her stall where she stayed for an hour or so and then she was allowed to go out with the boys for the afternoon.  Mellon was pacing the fence the whole time and calling for her.  I thought it was nice of the boys to stay in the catch pen all morning and wait for her—everyone except Blue, of course.  He was down in the second paddock doing his own thing as usual.  Probably glad it wasn’t him!

Dusty has two more treatments, two weeks apart.  Fingers crossed that this will heal her last stubborn suspensory branches and she’ll be feeling much better soon.  I’m guessing she’s feeling slightly betrayed today.  I kept her in and gave her quite a thorough grooming today with lots of treats.  Once the vet arrived I’m sure I got the stink eye.  Sorry, little girl, but it’s for your own good.  How many times have you heard that from your mother and really hated it!

Until next time

Quote for Today

The horse through all its trials has preserved the sweetness of paradise in its blood.

    - Johannes Jensen

Dusty’s Vet Visit

" This is getting old, I'm fine...really!"

 The vet was here yesterday to reevaluate Dusty.  It’s been three months since her last ultrasound and it was time to see where she is in her recovery from laminitis/founder and the tearing of her four suspensory branches in both hind legs.

Dusty jogged out fine and then it was inside for the ultrasound.  Our vet came to the conclusion that her laminitis is growing out beautifully, so no need for x-rays right now.  Our farrier is doing a wonderful job helping her be comfortable and more mechanically correct.  With his help, she’s got hooves that are now healthy and growing out at a better angle with the aim of de-rotating her coffin bone and making this last founder a thing of the past.  Now we can begin to focus more on management and prevention of another episode.  

The ultrasound pictures showed a marked improvement in three suspensory branches and one that still has some healing to do.  Basically, her right hind is fine and the one outside branch on her left hind is slow to heal with lots of little holes still present.  He suggested three shock wave treatments a few weeks apart and feels confident that this will help her to heal more quickly by stimulating repair in the affected area.  I’m going to go ahead and do this.  She’ll have her first treatment on Tuesday.  He didn’t seem to think the PRP (platelet therapy) would work for her because there are too many tiny holes to have to inject and it might not work anyway because the injury is old now and that particular therapy works best when done within a week or two of the injuries start.

Another reason I like this therapy is because it can be done right here in the barn and not stress her out by being moved to a clinic.  She’ll continue to get her laser light therapy treatments at night and her medications:  (Isoxuprine, for improved circulation in her feet); and her supplements:  Ligand, that is based on Dr. Kellon’s DSLD protocol to help heal her suspensories.  She also gets her normal supplements which are:  ½ multivitamin; joint supplement (Smart Flex Resilience) which has ingredients which is supposed to help and repair joints, tendons and ligaments (we don’t know if it necessarily works but as long as it can’t hurt, why not); additional magnesium in the form of Smart Calm Ultra -- she doesn’t need it for calming, but it has a lot of magnesium; Vitamin E – Uckele’s Vitamin E 5000 which is the best vitamin E supplement out there in our opinion; and a hoof supplement, Smart Pak’s Smart Hoof (we like the copper and zinc content in particular.)

I’ll let everyone know how the shockwave treatment goes on Tuesday and how Dusty reacts to it.  Fingers crossed that this will help her on the road to a speedier recovery for those suspensory injuries.

Until next time

Quote for Today

Gypsy gold does not chink and glitter. It gleams in the sun and neighs in the dark.
    - Saying of the Gladdagh Gypsies of Galway