Eight Days a Week, I Rri-ii-ide You.

Well, ok, more like 6 days a week, at least. But still, might as well be 8.

It sounds like a dream prescription - ride the horse at least 6 days a week, no arena work if at all possible, no circles, figures or collected work. Gallop him 2 days a week. Lots of hacking out, keeping as many straight lines as possible. Poles, hills, and the like are also good, but mostly exercise, exercise, exercise.

Fall is fast approaching and this is the time of year when I most want to just have fun with a horse. Not worry about frame and rhythm too much, give them (and me) some fun time to explore, etc. Hack out lots, without the annoying biting bugs to ruin it.

So it would really be an ideal time to have this kind of veterinary advice. Except for the tiny little detail that is my full-time career. All I can think is "Welcome back love...I'm off to the barn."  But I'm game. And I've recruited some competent help. I told his owner last week that I suspected the vet would recommend working almost every day and I was right. Not sure I really wanted to be right this time, but it's better than if the horse had something seriously wrong!

I'll back track a touch. Willie's stifles started locking up again after 2 weeks of working poles, hills, etc. And the opposite stifle started to act as bad as the original left hind was prior to the new hind shoes with wedge pads, while the left hind was pretty good still. At that point, we called the vet immediately so that we could be sure of what we were dealing with and that I was moving forward correctly. I will detail the vet visit in a seperate post, it's worth it's own time!

The visit was yesterday and that's the main prescription I got. Again, I'm not overly surprised by this. Still, it's nice to have the official word so that it's not just my idea. This way, the owners have the assurance that I'm following doctor's orders. The vet also did an internal blister on each stifle, on either side of the ligament. It wasn't my choice or decision and my questions of the vet around this practice are why I need a seperate post (among other things).

And so, we work!