Updates

After the wild bucking fit, I gave Harley another two days off.  Tried another ride - - he twisted about a bit in the longe warmup, then quieted to his normal self.  Hmm. The ride was fantastic.  Stiff, didn't want to bend, but at least he'd move out.  A few bits of short canter, and lots of good trot work.  About 40 minutes.   I stuffed another ride or two in there, longing him over some trot poles, again, good results.  Some lazy "don't wanna pick up the feet" moments, but he didn't flip out when he stepped on and tripped over the poles. 

I reported the update to the vet on 5/9 when I took Romeo in for his annual shots/coggins.  Vet said, "Good.  How much bute is he on?"  Well, 1g twice a day, since you didn't really give us a plan forward.  Decision was made to get him down to 1g "for a few days", then try him some more. 

On 1g of bute, he got one ride.  Things went surprisingly well, again.    Then, some beautiful, gorgeous, amazing, wonderful rain came.  This week has been pleasantly soggy.  We needed the grass watering.

He's off the bute now, and I will get some rides in this weekend. 

Romeo continues to be quiet, most of the time.  He longes like a 2 yo that hasn't had a ride, um, ever.  Bucking wild crazy goofy fits that disappear as soon as I hop on to ride.  Nice, peaceful quiet rides.  Some in the arena, some out in the pasture.  He's due a ride down the road, which I hope to get to soon as well.

The running remains.  I'm still sticking with it, considering a formal name change to Forest Gump. Tomorrow night's plan calls for 2.25 miles straight jogging, no walk breaks.  Whee.  Should be interesting.

5.1.2014

Harley, longeline, saddled - HUGE bucks heading right as soon as he went into canter.  Humpity hump hump.  A few times, he kicked out behind, up & out.  He stayed in canter without a lot of motivation on my part, and eventually settled down.  When he stretched his neck long & low, I asked for a trot, which looked even.  Down to walk, changed direction.  One or two times in left-canter, he kicked up & out, but no huge bucking fits. 

Added side reins - he tried to twist his face to the outside heading to the left, but gave walk, trot, canter, both ways, willingly.  No fuss, no bucking, no kicking.

So I got on and rode a little.  Walk both ways good.  Trot both ways, good.  Stiff in bending, but that's normal.  I rode between rising trot and sitting, and noticed early in the ride, it felt like he was "butt-high", but later not as much.  He gave to the contact, bend improved throughout the ride.  One of the direction changes after some sitting trot, I saw what looked like "drag lines", suggesting he was not picking his back feet up all the way.  Not sure if that's a sign of soreness, or laziness.  *sigh* 

I glanced at my watch.  30 minutes.  Do I canter, or not ... I chickened.  Chose to end it there, with some transitions from a connected walk to a long & free walk.  When I did dismount, I noticed a LOT of slobber, licking, and chewing. 

Maybe the bute is helping.
Maybe he self-adjusted something that was out in his back, bucking up a fit.
Maybe he's hiding the pain, and I need to ask for that canter to be sure.

I will call the vet this morning, with the updates, and see what the plan is from here.

4/29/14 A lot of Nothing

First check, was hooves.  Tight squeezes on all four.  Clean! (*and I smiled big at that*)
Lifted each leg, and manipulated every joint, all four legs.  Nothing.

The vet checked Harley walk and trot on a line (in the gravel).
Then trotting a circle, each way.
Flexion rear legs - left showed nothing.  Right "showed a slightly shorter stride". 
X-rays of Hock and Stifle on Right.  4 views, each joint. 
Nada.  Nothing.   Clean.

The plan ahead was 1g bute twice a day.  "Try to ride him after a few days."   Tonight, I'll start out light, add side reins, see what he shows me.

Then, I'm not real sure what we'll do.  The vet was going to show the x-rays to a colleague, and "let me know".  I'm not expecting them to see anything.  On the upside, it means Harley's joints are clean.  If that's the "tough sore side", then the other three oughta look amazing. 


In other news, my 5k went well 4-27-14.  37:12 . Not too shabby, and a good start time to work on.  My joints are holding up well.  Knees were fairly sore the day after the run.  I took two days off, then ran again last night.  A little sore this morning as well.  Expected though.  I'm up to #C25k on week 4 day 2 (yesterday), and I've added to the run by another 9 minutes above what the app calls for.  It seems hard to "rest-back", after the efforts I put in last week to be ready for 4-27.