Even with shoes on Stampede’s progression is going to be slow. I’m still very concerned about one of the abscess sites along his coronet band. I actually sent the picture below to my vet and plan to call her to discuss tomorrow.
Why is it so thick and crusty and open in the middle still?
You can see that the oldest abscess site has already moved down onto the hoof wall and left a gross line to grow out, but above just looks strange to me. I’ve never seen any discharge from that area, but it almost looks open at the crack to me. Also puzzling is that while most of his hoof is cool, it is slightly warm at the top near that abscess site. Hoping I’m just being paranoid and time will make this better!
I did decide to lunge the beast very lightly Saturday to see how he looked after a week in shoes. He looked pretty good, although it was hard to see much during his 3 minutes of trot each way as he was rotating between putting his head low, putting his head high, shaking his head around, and hopping up in the air when I would try to get him to focus on moving around the circle. At least he had a little fun and didn’t try to go fast.
I think I just worked a little…
So handsome
Being big and handsome is exhausting
Mr. P and I had an okay lesson Tuesday night. We continue to struggle with finding a rhythm versus getting round at the canter lately. I’m considering whether P finally needs some joint injections at this point, and will probably have the lameness vet look at him next time he’s out. He has only had his hocks injected once since I got him back, and that was several years ago. He has maintained well on monthly Adequan and then Ichon injections, but he is almost 26. I know he enjoys working so I want to make sure he can be comfortable while doing it!
P and I had a fun bareback ride on Wednesday, where he was fairly soft and I wondered if I should just ride bareback all the time, lol. Friday night P was pretty hyper for our ride and I felt like I cantered a long time trying to soften him up. Eventually I just tried to change focus and worked on our counter canter to finish up. Funny thing was he didn’t even get sweaty. Evidently the old man is in good shape!
P says age is just a number
Today P and I had a nice ride with his girlfriend Willow and her mom D. It was a nice easy workout, with 10 minutes of trot with lots of changes in direction followed by a canter each way. It felt like P was definitely more relaxed at the canter today, which made it easier to ask him to round up and move forward.
In other news, I decided to order a Kastel Denmark shirt to have on hand when spring finally shows up. It is so much softer and lighter than I imagined. Maybe I won’t have horrible farmer’s tan this summer? Very excited to try it out! I will provide a review once it gets warm enough to put it to use.
Love the horse head print in the collar!
Whoa I had no idea that P was almost 26, I would have guessed he was at least ten years younger! Glad Stampede got to go for a longe, too bad that the abscess doesn’t seem to be healing up perfectly :/ fingers crossed everything is okay.
I’m glad P fools people with his age. He is so young at heart and loves to be ridden which I’m sure helps with the aging process. Just talked to my vet this morning and she thinks Stampede’s issue might be proud flesh so going to lose the bell boots and put some cortisone/steroid spray on it. We shall see!
I had no idea P was in his mid twenties, what a legend! I hope the vet can help with S’ troublesome coronet band. That K as tel shirt looks awesome, hope you get the weather to play in it asap ☺
Talked to the vet this morning and have a plan for Stampede’s coronet band so we will see! I always think I’m bias, but I do think P is quite special!
love the sun shirt! good luck figuring out what’s going on with the abscess site – hopefully it’s just following the normal course!
Vet thinks proud flesh, so we will try removing his bell boots and putting some steroid/cortisone spray on it. Hopefully it will go away now.
I love the collar on that shirt! Cute! Fingers crossed Mr. Stamp continues to feel better and stops worrying you!
What’s funny is I couldn’t tell from the picture online what the pattern on the collar was but I got a pretty good deal so I went for it. Turned out to be very cute. Stamp is very good at worrying me, I think he might view it as his job at this point. 🙂
I love bareback rides too! I knew several horses that were ridden into their 30s 🙂
I definitely had a period of time where I hated P’s saddle and rode him almost exclusively bareback, lol. I still ride bareback at least once a week. I hope P wants to be ridden into his 30’s!
That is one nasty looking abscess. Read your reply to the comments about proud flesh… interesting! Hope it looks better soon.
Stampede doesn’t do medical issues unless he’s going to do them well! I had thought proud flesh but then decided it seemed too crusty so I guess I should follow my first instinct. Looks like the vet might be out fairly soon to give the boys their strangles vaccines so she can at least check on it then. What’s another vet bill at this point, lol.
I lunge Miles in a bridle too! Why do you use the little black strap under the chin, instead of just putting the line over his poll?
I have a few reasons why I use a bit converter instead of putting the line over his poll:
1) Makes it so I don’t have to do anything to change direction. I normally trot Stampede both directions before I let him canter so it’s easier than switching the line a bunch of times.
2) Sometimes when he’s excited it feels a bit unsafe to completely detach him while I switch the lunge line (since my lunging bridle has no reins).
3) He pulls more on me when the line is over the poll and seems less responsive to correction.
That’s a nice shirt 🙂
Thanks! Now it just needs to get warm enough that I can wear it!