Chewie Is Back to Work

I haven't got the pictures yet. I unfortunately didn't start snapping up shots before Mr Don started work. Here's the quick word summary.

• Took as much off the front right as he could, but it's still a tad longer than the front left
• Rear toes were chipped up - wall seperation, rounded off toes to try to prevent reoccurence
• Thrush still lurking front left, rear right. Other two cases are clear. Took out some of the frog around those thrushy cracks so I can get the Durasole in better this time
• Hoof shape & angles are improving, but not there yet.
• The pad on front right is working! All the signals indicate it helped
• Front right has blood hemmorage on the sole near the toe, old bruise growing out, probably from Chewie's barefoot five weeks standing around & being grumpy
• Front hooves blood still flowing - pulse is still evident on both - although not good, indications that P3 is creeping back up where it belongs by soundness

So I asked Mr Don "Okay, the question of the day.. What can he do now?" I love his answer, "Sweat! Get him back in work, get the muscles back where they were before this mess started and you met me. If he gets sore, get off, hose him down, give him a treat, and apologize to him for over-doing it. Take the following day off, and then get back after it. Don't linger every day at trot - hard on the hooves, hard on the legs." He also told me to give him some patience if he gets fussy or grouchy. He said, "If that head isn't bobbing, he's sound, but if he is a real grump one day, it's probably because something hurts, and he doesn't know how else to tell you. If he's like that many days in a row, call me. We'll talk about what you need to do next. If it sounds like he's just avoiding working, we'll talk him through that, too."

And Sweat it is! We're ready to get back at it. I hope to get a couple canter circles today. Mr Don also confirmed something I've been thinking for a while now - Chewie swinging his head to the outside for canter right, wasn't defiance, wasn't bad balance, wasn't him being a snot. He's trying to get that 50lb head off the right front hoof. Poor kid. And to think Robin was forcing weight on it, shorter inside rein, putting more strain on an already painful situation. I only feel kind of like a snot for pushing him despite the bad foot.

I've decided to put the chiropractor for him on hold a bit longer - I want him sound & muscled before I waste the effort. It's a long drive, and I don't feel like hauling him now, and then hauling him again in a few months for the same thing. He hasn't been fussing about being brushed, and doesn't seem to be particularly bucky one direction or the other.

Cheers all... have a great day. I've got too much to do, so I better get the engine oiled (with coffee), and get my rump moving.