What's The Benefit of Having A Horse, Again?

You ever wonder why as a hard working horse girl, you don't have all the nice amenities as your friends? Your friend gets new extensions or a fabulous dye job and your do-du-jour is a hay weave and your hairspray horse snot. My case in point when you meet your friend at a bar or restaurant and one of the first questions you ask before you get in the car is "I don't have to change, right?". My friends are constantly confusing my reluctance to spend my money with stinginess, or an aversion to social outings - but in fact, my bank account is in a stranglehold by my horse, and here's why.

Horse decided the sound and in consistent life was not syncing with his lazy lifestyle and schedule, as my last update went briefly into. So, on Thursday I hauled his heiney to the farm we train at and met the vet for a full lameness work up.

"Oh, you're poor? Haha."

Here's the thing.. the vet couldn't get a positive flexion out of either front limb. Who complains about having a sound horse? Apparently, me -- if he wasn't lame up front, why the swelling in the LF, or the headbob on Sunday? Apparently, short of a crystal ball, we won't know.

Vet liked what he saw but suggested we see him under saddle. Whoo, was Holden fresh.. after having a week off he was ripe with naughtiness - including an unplanned hand gallop around the ring much to the horror of my old trainer, who probably at that point was thankful I was no longer in her brood. Once Holden's horns subsided the vet did hind flexions - hocks and pasterns on both side were mildly positive, but vet felt it was a product of track wear (30+ starts) and age and nothing to be concerned about.

Despite my wallet's protesting, I pushed for an ultrasound of both front limbs. Both ultrasounds were fairly similar, with no lesions or tears - all the ligaments looked great (including the check ligaments) - there was a disparity in size between the two suspensory ligaments, with the left suspensory being slightly more filled (2.53 cm instead of RF 2.52 IIRC). Vet did not feel it was anything to worry about, but advised keeping an eye on it for any changes. We pulled a lyme titer as well. In conclusion vet believes the weakness in LH is manifesting with too much loading in the RF which translated to compensation in the LF - AKA Horse would benefit from more pole work and shoes.

It was a relief to me to see that Holden was not harboring some sort of tendon or ligament rupture - though I will say for the next three weeks we will probably be dining on ramen and PB&J sandwiches.. You know, while my horse continues to be a pampered little dingus.