Spring is here!

I actually rode outside quite a few times this week. Spring is coming! Jumped Stampede over a small X on Tuesday night and he was very excited about it, which is a good sign. Had a nice bareback ride on P Wednesday, and rode Stampy outside on Thursday. There was another show at the barn this weekend, so I rode Stampy both Saturday and today outside and he was mostly good. We even ventured into the field yesterday. My friend’s mom rode P yesterday for me, and of course he was a good boy. P’s only fault is that he tends to try to find me the whole time someone else rides him if I’m in the ring. Cute to me but annoying for the person riding him. 🙂

Some of my new stuff came in the mail, and just in time for Stampede to wear his new stable sheet last night. I really like the fabric on this Rambo sheet.

Stampy looking handsome in his new sheet

Side view of new sheet

It was finally in the low 60’s today so it was nice grazing weather, even with the wind. Just need the grass to green up a bit yet.

Dusty Mr P chowing down

I actually got the disk of Stampede’s bone scan and x-rays in the mail yesterday. I really haven’t had much luck understanding the bone scan shots, but the x-rays are quite obvious. I plan to bring my computer out when my regular vet comes out in a couple of weeks and maybe she can give me some input on the bone scans. Here are some of the x-ray shots.

Note the two crowded sections in the middle

Further back

One more view

In the first and third one I posted you can see the start of his wither, to give you an idea of where the bad spots are located. Of course right under the saddle. I will say I am at least lucky they are in spots that are injectable, some people aren’t that lucky. I plan to get a list of questions together after tax season is over (just over a week to go, woo hoo!) and then call the vet I worked with at MSU and ask some more questions. I want to do what’s best for Stampede in the long haul, and I’m not sure if injections are the best in that case or not.

I’ve also read that using a lunging system like the Pessoa training system one will help build up back muscles and help increase the spaces between the spinous processes. I need to make sure it will go big enough to fit Stampy, but I want to buy the Dover knock off version.

Dover Balance Complete Training System

I can’t wait for tax season to be over! I then have a mini vacation and I also plan to start trying to really jump stampede again. I’m excited and skeptical all at the same time. I just want him to be happy and enjoy doing his job again. So far so good, but I feel like it can’t be true until we get back to jumping a full course.

Hope everyone else had a good week!