Pony problems

So as you could tell from my Wednesday post, Stampede had managed to foil my plans to show yet again this year. I guess at least I didn’t care as much since I’d only gotten to do one show all along this season. I had shown up to ride Monday, after a pretty good jump school on Saturday and he had swelling on the left front. Didn’t seem to care how I poked and prodded it and walked sound up the aisle. I guess I should have trotted down the aisle, oops. Got on and walked for 10 minutes then started to trot and he was definitely not quite right. I didn’t give him any bute since that just makes him go off his feed. Cold hosed, poulticed, and wrapped. Repeat with the same treatment for several days. It has gone down a lot swelling wise with this treatment.

Cold hosing

I rode P on Tuesday in the Antares I had on trial and made the final decision to send it back. I really do need a bigger flap yet, and maybe a little bigger seat. I’m on a mission now (especially after I rode in my Pessoa Saturday and realized how badly it fits me, ick!). Thursday I rode P bareback in the grass ring, which is always fun since it’s only open for shows. He loves the show atmosphere so he was being extra cute too.

Saturday and Sunday P and I were out in the mini field by where they keep the poop (yum)with some friends. It was very humid and gross all weekend, which meant lots of bugs too. P was a good boy, and thankfully doesn’t seem to mind the extra rides he gets when Stampy is out of commission. Stampy has done the same for him in the past so it’s all fair!

Saturday after I got done riding I decided to turn the boys back outside since they had only gotten about an hour of turnout earlier because of the crazy horse show schedule. Usually the boys will just go out and graze when I turn them out in the big paddocks because there is more grass, but not that day. Stampy was evidently feeling his oats since he was snorting and hopping in the air and cantering around. I gave him a while to settle down all while being annoyed that he looked fairly sound when he hadn’t earlier when I trotted him in hand. After it became clear he wasn’t about to settle down soon I went back out to get him. He did a few show off moves of trotting towards me then turning and cantering off, but then let me catch him. Took him in, thinking P wouldn’t want to be alone. I was dead wrong, P said leave me out here to enjoy this grassy kingdom.

P and his large grassy kingdom

P stayed out for over an hour before I brought him in so I could go watch the hunter derby going on in the grass ring.

Today there were lots of visits with Mikey, who did show this weekend. I will have some other cool pictures of Mikey to show from the weekend after I get them edited.

P stops to say hi to Mikey on our way back to the barn from our ride today.

Stampy enjoying grazing with his buddy

I plan to put Stampy on a lunge tomorrow since all the barn chaos will be over with and see what I have. I still think he looks a bit strange from what I’ve seen in hand, but I will put him on the lunge anyways to fully evaluate the situation. If he’s still off I will probably give in and have my vet come out, sigh.

Oh, and lastly, I caught sleep deprived Stampy at work. It is really freaky to watch, but I certainly can’t convince him to stop being stupid and lay down in his stall (which is 12 x 12). He lays down just fine outside and obviously prefers to sleep there with his brother to watch over him. Horse shows really mess with his sleep schedule, too much activity.