Back in the Saddle!

February was crazy. I started a new job on February 1st and trying to get around a new office and figure everything out with a stupid cast on it incredibly annoying. I was able to get the cast off on February 4th and was given an airboot, which I used for about…a week or so. If it fits in a shoe, you’re good, right? I attempted riding in the boot because I couldn’t take being grounded anymore, but P was super confused about the clunker on his left side so I got off after a few minutes.

I came out the next day to groom and P seemed stiff coming out of his stall, but worked out of it fairly quickly. Then the next day I went to lunge him and…he’s slightly lame. Back right foot again and when I looked closer at his foot, he had a hole in his sole. Same foot but a different area than the first abscess, but definitely a blown abscess. So I packed again with Magic Cushion and put him away. Sigh. I can finally fit my ankle in a riding boot and he’s lame…go figure. I came out the next day and see this:

OMG, can we please catch a break? So I cold-hosed it, gave him some bute and asked the BO to let me know if he was still swollen the next morning, and if so, then the vet needed to come out. The next morning, he’s all back to normal and walking fine…whew. I wasn’t able to come out, so the next day I come out in my breeches, put on both riding boots (yay!), tack him up and take him to the outdoor to lunge and then ride. Finally, FINALLY I am going to ride my horse. Put him on the lunge line and send him out on a circle and…what’s that? He’s not putting weight on his front right? The exact opposite leg/foot that had 2 abscesses?

So I cried a little as I untacked him and asked the BO to call the vet. Vet came out and determined nothing serious seemed to be wrong- his guess was that he tweaked it playing in the pasture, so he gave him a 5 day supply of Previcox and said no lunging or riding until the next Saturday (this was a Sunday).

So this past Sunday I went out for riding attempt 1,001. Tacked up, took him to the indoor so others wouldn’t be able to witness my breakdown if he was still lame, put him on the lunge line and…soundness! I think I lunged for approximately 1 minute each direction before being unable to restrain myself further and getting on him.

It felt SO.GOOD.

Ah, heaven. I’ve ridden every day this week and have a lesson with Dressage Trainer on Sunday to get us back on track. A broken ankle, 2 abscesses and a tweaked fetlock later…

We’re coming back!