Working hard...

I rode Nox every day before I left town to help my cousin Stef throw my sister a baby shower in California.  We worked hard and I even set up a tiny cross rail jump to take him over.  Remember how afraid of the poles he used to be?  Nox will now walk over any pole, even when it is set up as a jump, as lazily as he possibly can.  He barely picks his feet up and will hit every leg on the way over.  I don't mind at this point.  As long as he gets over the pole, I'm happy.  As he gets better, I'll push for less clumsiness.

Nox used to be upset with me if I left him alone for more than one day.  He'd pretend that he didn't know who I was when I returned and misbehave terribly.  I really think that it hurt his feelings when I left him.  He's much better these days.  It helps that he's out in the pasture during the day and not cooped up in his stall, and Best Husband Ever takes excellent care of him while I'm gone.  When I came back this time after being away for three days, we didn't miss a beat.  I tacked him up and we rode with Amanda and Georgia today and he was very well behaved and moved with energy.  Now that I'm riding him and pushing him, he is actually feeling better lameness-wise.  He's still short-stepping a little, but there is noticeable improvement.  Allison was right. 

Here are a few pictures from today taken by Best Husband Ever:

I just love him to pieces.

Doesn't he look nice all tacked up? 

 

The Verdict: He's sore and I'm a wimp

Allison, the equine sports therapist, come out to see Nox on Thursday.  I rode him for a few minutes while she watched so she could see how he was moving.  After a few laps, she told me to hop off and untack him.

Allison told me that Nox's hoof looked much better than she expected at this point - Good News!

She told me that there is definitely something going on with his left leg, but not in the hoof - Bad News!

Allison ran her hands over Nox's left knee.  She noticed as I was riding that he did not put all of his weight down on his left leg and it looked like he wasn't extending or flexing his knee all the way.  I have been seeing and feeling this uneven movement, but I couldn't isolate it to his knee.

She explained that his tendons were stretching and sore from all the changes to his hoof.  This is causing some pain and there is just a slight bit of swelling around the back of his left knee.  She had me massage around his knee and I could feel the tightness in the tendons compared to the right knee.  To avoid the discomfort, Nox is not extending his leg all the way as he moves.

"So," I asked, "what can I do?"  I explained that I've been only walking him gently for 20 minutes the past few weeks because I was afraid to hurt him.

Allison looked at me sternly.  "Stop being a wimp.  You're not doing him any favors.  You need to ride him.  You need to push him and make him use his legs.  After you ride, you need to ice his knee for 20 minutes."

She thinks that in three more hoof trims, about six months, Nox's left hoof will be normal and matching his right hoof.  After that happens, his tendons will not be stressed and they will heal.  Nox cannot be lazy for the next six months, however.  I have to work him and build his strength. 

After Allison left, I saddled Nox back up.  I led him out to the outdoor ring and swung up into the saddle.  I asked him to trot.  He stopped dead in his tracks and refused to move.  I was like a little kid on a stubborn pony.  I was kicking his ribs and smacking his rear end with my hand and he wouldn't budge.  I finally reached forward and grabbed the ring of his bit and pulled his head around to throw him off balance so he was forced to take a step forward.  He walked for a few steps and then stopped again.  We continued this cycle for 20 minutes, and I was so frustrated by the end that I was in tears.  When I get frustrated, Nox shuts down.  So I got off and vowed to try again the next day.

The next day, I picked up a riding crop (short whip) as I led Nox to the ring.  He saw me holding it and I could read his expression: yeah right, she's not going to use that.  I mounted up and asked Nox for a brisk walk.  He complied.  I asked for a trot and he hesitated.  I gave him a moderate smack on the shoulder with the crop and he jumped in surprise!  That was all it took.  He was glad to move forward with energy and listened much better.  He was moving a little off still, but the forward energy actually helped him smooth out after a while.  Today, I carried the crop but I didn't have to use it.  Nox transitioned into the trot and canter at the squeeze of my leg and voice command. 

So, I'm going to be tougher and I'm going to push him.  I've borrowed an ice leg wrap to use after we work and he seems to like it. 

 

Ice wrap

Nox's Aunt Hayley sent him some extremely yummy treats.  They are soft, chewy, molasses-y and he LOVES them.  This was his face after I gave him the first one:



Yum!!  What was THAT?!?

Now I give him a piece of a treat when he is being exceptionally good (standing quietly while being groomed, picking his feet up nicely, not chewing the lead rope, etc).  He is being exceptionally good more often now.

Thanks Aunt Hayley!!

The best treats ever!

Horsie Selfie