193. Back to work...

Shortly after the chiropractor came to visit Spice she had what the vet thought was a short episode of lymphangitis where all three of her legs became filled. She wasn't lame on them but they were quite badly swollen. We're still not entirely sure what caused it - the vet thinks a small cut on her left hind leg may have become infected or suggested it could have been due to her being stabled overnight (for the first time in almost year!) but either way they all went back down to normal within a few days and she is now sound again. :)

Hacked her out today and she was so well behaved. She had boots on her fronts but was barefoot on her hinds and i was really pleased because even on the really rocky terrain they didn't move an inch and she seemed to cope fine without any protection on her hinds.

It's definitely starting to get a bit more difficult riding whilst having a bump, walking is fine but rising trot is a bit uncomfortable so i might have to stick to just walking and the sitting trot.

Realistically i think i have another 4 weeks left of being able to ride until i get too big which means I will not be riding her over the winter but that's probably the best time to not be able to ride and at the minute i am just thankful that i'm not too big to hack and the weather is still so nice.

Spice has really settled into her new home now...her poos are back to normal and she seems very comfortable in her surroundings.

192. Spices session with the Chiropractor...

Yesterday i had a Chiropractor come out to see Spice since before i owned her she'd never before seen one and when i had one come out to see her shortly afterwards they had said she was too sore to have anything done and had even suggested that she could have Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy which at the time i was very skeptical about since she had only just recovered from being lame on her hind hoof for almost 8 weeks which in my view was far more likely to be the reason behind any soreness.

And i am pleased to say that yesterday the Chiropractor confirmed my skepticism finding no reason whatsoever to suspect Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy. The only bit of soreness she could find was in her right hind leg (the one which had the hoof abscess) where she said that due to the lameness Spices muscles had shortened in comparison to the other side and that she wasn't able to flex as much but that in time this would even itself out and that i just needed to do some stretches after working her.

She recommended that she see Spice again in 4 weeks time to work on the area again but that she didn't see that there would be a need for any further treatment after that.

So i am really pleased because her back is absolutely fine which means her treeless saddle must fit her well and apart from a bit of soreness in her leg which is not affecting her ability to work she in very good shape. :)

The Chiropractor i used to treat Spice was Claire Warman who works primarily in the Somerset/Avon area. She has some of the highest credentials in the industry and is also embarking on a Msc in Veterinary Physiotherapy at Harper Adams University College. If anyone is in need of a Chiropractor in the Somerset/Avon area I would definitely recommend her. She spent over an hour manipulating/massaging/stretching Spices ligaments/muscles and Spice genuinely seemed to love it.

191. Spices 9th Barefoot Trim...

Today the barefoot trimmer came to give Spice her 9th barefoot trim. Having had Spice on quite rich grazing for the last week and having had to walk her over stony pathways around the yard i was expecting the trimmer to say that her hooves hadn't improved but she said that they actually looked better and that her front hooves are beginning to get more concavity with every trim. So, it seems that her hooves are fairing well in her new surroundings which i couldn't be happier about.

Just before her trim she was schooled for 30 minutes and was so well behaved considering it was her first time in the new arena and the first time she's been schooled for a couple of weeks. She completed the jump course without any refusals or hesitation whatsoever and cleared every single one with ease so i was very pleased with her.

190. New Home...No New Problems!!!

Today as i said in my previous post i had the vet come out to administer Spices annual booster and at the same time check her hooves over.

The vet tested for sensitivity in each hoof with hoof testers and to my delight and surprise found no sensitivity whatsoever...which was good given that during the night she'd jumped the electric fence yet again to gain access to the rich grazing (this time leaving her two best friends)!

I was so relieved and happy that i nearly kissed him. I was so sure that she was foot sore but apparently not. :) He said her hooves were pretty tough and that unless she got sore he saw no reason why i should put shoes back on but to take each day as it comes and keep an eye on grazing.

So as i said in my last post i have decided to keep her in for 6-8 hours during the day and only put her out in the evenings at least until the grass stops growing. I have bought a muzzle for her but i would really prefer not to use it if possible as when i put it on her she looked absolutely miserable in it so i think i will see how she is over the next few days with her new routine.

Tomorrow, Spice has her hooves trimmed for the 9th time so i will get a second opinion on everything for my own peace of mind. After the trimmer has been she is being schooled and possibly jumped in the livery yards new arena which i'm really looking forward to! I have only ever watched Spice be ridden around a jumping course once before and she was a little nervous to say the least but i think without the nerves she will be awesome and we've practiced loads too so she should be lots better.

I might just video her tomorrow as it would be nice to see if all our hard work has paid off.

189. New home...new problems...

This morning i got a call from the livery yard owner where Spice is kept saying that she didn't look quite right and had been seen lying down and looking uncomfortable on her feet :(

So, we agreed that she should be brought in and i would be there as soon as i could to check on her. So off i go to my local feed store to get some high fibre low sugar haylage to substitute her grass intake whilst inside.

I arrive at the stables to find Spice standing up and alert (her normal self) which was a good sign and immediately check her hooves over. They all feel warm to touch with raised digital pulses but they don't look out of shape apart from the odd bit of chipping and she doesn't have a cresty neck and is not particularly overweight so I walk her around the yard to see how she is moving and she seems to be walking o.k so i decide to keep her in for the rest of the day with small rations of haylage, water and a salt lick and decide to come back to check on her later on...

Later on i arrive to find her still standing up so she is obviously not that uncomfortable since the stable flooring is concrete - although we did make a nice deep bed for her to lie down in if she wished but apparently she hadn't used it. So i walk her around the yard again to check her movement and once again she seems fine. So, having kept her in all day we decide to put her out in a small paddock with limited grazing with 2 other horses. The only problem is 2 of Spices best friends are in the paddock next door. So, as soon as i take off her head collar she gallops flat out to go and meet them until she realises there is a fence in her way....However, not to be deterred by a 3 foot fence Spice continues to trot around showing absolutely no signs of discomfort and with a little determination and impulsion she jumps straight over it making a b line for her companions.

The problem is i can't leave her out there with them because that's where she was before and the grass is just too rich and if it is mild laminitis that's the worst thing she can be out on so we then decide to put all of them in the restricted grazing paddock in the hope that if they are all in there together Spice wont feel the need to escape.

Tomorrow i think i will keep Spice in during the day and only let her out in the evening with a muzzle on.

Luckily, I have the vet coming tomorrow to give Spice her yearly vaccination so will be able to ask them whether it is the onset of laminitis and what course of action to take and the day after that my trimmer is coming so she will be able to advise me too.

My gut feeling is that it's probably a very mild case of laminitis and a warning sign that the grass is definitely too rich and if her poos are anything to go by that's definitely the case but if i stick to my plan above i think all will be o.k.

I guess the one good thing is that because i have seen Spice literally walk around crippled before for weeks on end due to a recurring abscess i don't tend to get stressed about her being 'slightly tender/uncomfortable and luckily i feel i know enough (having had a pony at my last yard have acute laminitis and make a full recovery) to know that as long as you are responsible and take action quickly it wont develop into anything serious.

So i guess I will update you all tomorrow to let you know what the vet thinks...fingers crossed it's what i think and nothing else. :)

188. New home...New beginnings...

Last time i moved Spice she was pretty much a nervous wreck for the first week or two. I remember every time i led her away from her 'new' herd she was really difficult to handle especially for those first few days but this time round perhaps because she has done it before and perhaps because she trusts me and sees me as her leader she is heaps better and has adjusted to her new surroundings really quickly. I even took her out today for the first time and she was as good as gold so the future looks bright. :) She has also bonded with the other horses really well in fact the two that she is with stick to her like glue - and i haven't yet seen them apart! I think she is their herd leader and this is perhaps giving her a new sense of confidence. I haven't yet seen one of them launch an attack or show any signs of aggression whatsoever which is strange since they have only just met but they seem to really like each others company and behave more like siblings than acquaintances. I wonder if this is because they are all of a similar breed and therefore (like humans) are of a more similar temperament and get on better. Either way she is very happy so i am very pleased.