Thankful Thoughts

OK so slacking a little bit here on my goal to blog every week at least…this past was a little busy with some unexpected surprises so I am back on the blogging train. Unfortunately, one of the horses in our barn had Emergency Colic surgery a week ago, but is luckily coming home today. They ended up having to take 4 feet out of his intestine due to strangulation from a lipoma. A very stressful situation for everyone in our tight knit barn family, but we are just so happy he is on his way to recovery! Colic man, it hits fast and out of no where. I have had my minor experiences with gas colic and the occasional tubing but never on this level. He was out grazing when I had left the barn earlier that day and 4.5 hours later on the table for major surgery.

It was a reminder to just how precious every moment I get with my horses is. Both have been really great the past couple of weeks. Montego has been in steady work again prepping for the show season. The vet was out for both horses for annual Spring Vaccinations and coggins. Montego has some slight hesitation in his LH stifle and both hocks so I think I will schedule to have them injected again end of May. The hock injections really made a difference for him at the canter last year so hoping that we will have that success again this year. Luna was great for all her vaccinations. I had the vet look at her right hip that seems to be the only lingering problem from her fence injury. Nothing she was overly concerned about, but suggested as I increase her strength training with gridwork and hills to strengthen her stifles I throw her a bit of bute here and there to keep her comfortable.

Luna had also recently gotten hind shoes as a recommendation by my farrier to hopefully help stop the removal of her LF shoe every 2.5 weeks. He’s hoping its just the way she’s learning to use her body and that when her front legs learn to get out of the way of her hind she will stop ripping that damn shoe off. WELL….it didn’t exactly work like that. Exactly 2.5 weeks from when our farrier was out she was running around like a nut in her field and poof LF shoe off. I did actually have new Cavallo boots to put on her after the shoe pull to see if I could minimize the amount of wrapping I have to do between when my farrier can come back out to put it on. They were so new and sparkly, but now completely covered in mud…SIGH. I ordered size 4 and size 5 because her two front feet are actually different sizes. The farrier is luckily coming out today to put the shoe back on, so I will ask him if he has any other suggestions to keep me from seeing him every two or three weeks. I am going to try the professionals choice no turn bell boots, she lives in rubber ones now 24/7 but maybe a harder material will help. If any one has any ideas I am desperate. My poor farrier probably hates me by now LOL.

Before Luna decided to pull her shoe, we were having some really nice rides. My jumping trainer returned from her winter in Wellington and did a training ride on Luna for me. It was the first time she has met her, but she really liked her brain and movement for me. The biggest take aways from that riding with spurs is a must. She respects them so much more than a whip and it just helps to gently remind her forward is better and she needs to move laterally to supple herself and balance. She is such a big horse getting her front end to match her hind end is a bit of a challenge right now, but with a lot of transitions and lateral movements I think we are going places in our training. I did end up switching her bit again and am actually riding her in the same one as Montego, the Stubben EZ control. Its just a normal loose ring 3 piece, but when the horses get heavy on the bit it locks into a Mullen. I think she is overall the least mouthy in this bit and paired with a flash she does not have a rogue tongue sticking out in all directions.

Best news of all…I finally found a saddle for Luna too! I ended up going with an Amerigo DJ Monoflap (post to come soon on the new saddles). After riding Dressage, I just could not go back to the short billets and since my goal is not hunters mono flap is perfect for us. My goal is to have the saddle fitter out to flock both saddles to the horses, but I am very excited to be over with the saddle shopping for now.

Dressage lessons this weekend, so I am sure to have updates and new riding video. Goal is to stay on the blogging train!