So much to be thankful for...

Hello!  It's been a while, hasn't it?  I was mildly scolded by my friend Wanda that I hadn't written a blog post in too long.  It's true, I've been taking a break.  This past July, I was reading back through my posts and I noticed that it was such a roller coaster ride - things are improving!  Oh, wait, a setback... things are improving!  Oops, a setback.  And so on and so on.  However, much has happened since my last blog entry, so Thanksgiving seems like a good day to catch you all up.

After Nox was cleared by the vet and I started riding again, things were going well.  We made it all the way to August before I felt a change in him again.  Something wasn't quite right.  But I just couldn't bear to write yet another setback post!  I figured I would wait and see what happened.  I called in the massage therapist and she worked on his back and pelvis, which were both out and causing him a lot of discomfort.  He started moving better again and we continued working on getting back into shape.  Here is a video of him trotting and he looks really good!

He is still having some trouble at the canter.  He tends to crossfire in back (switching his legs) and seems uncomfortable.  It feels like he is still favoring the leg with the torn ligament.  Since we are heading into winter and I won't be able to ride much anyway, I've decided to back off the training and just do very light work (walking, stretching, and easy trotting) a few times a week.  On non-riding days, I turn Nox out in the ring and let him run around as he pleases.  Here he is, playing in the puddle last week:

Once Spring comes back around, if he is still favoring the leg, I'll call the vet in again for an evaluation.

In other exciting news: Best Husband Ever and I bought a new house.  It has eight and a half acres and a small barn.  As soon as winter is over, we plan to build horse stalls in the barn and put up pasture fencing on the property, and we will be able to bring Nox home!  This is my ultimate dream come true.  I'll be able to look out my kitchen and bedroom windows and see my horse in the yard.  Amazing!  We'll get him a companion, of course.  I'm thinking a mini donkey.  Nox loved the mini donkey we had at the barn he's at now, they are pretty easy to care for, and they are absolutely adorable.

I will have more exciting things to write about as that time approaches and more pictures to share as we build the stalls and pastures.  Hopefully it will be a mild winter and we can get to work as soon as possible!  Here are a few pictures from today, taken by Best Husband Ever.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Slow and Steady Wins the Race...

... but Nox is sure that sprinting is the only way to go. 

I've been riding Nox every other day for two weeks now, although we missed a few days because of crazy thunderstorms and rain, but I've discovered that Nox simply will not walk calmly.  He won't walk on a lead, and he won't walk under saddle.  I tack him up and as soon as I swing into the saddle, he is ready to go!  Just asking him to walk a few steps gets him so excited that he jumps around and tries to trot.  It's ending up a constant battle of wills!  As soon as I ask him to stand still though, he relaxes and his perfectly happy to stand and watch the outside world around him.  If I ask for a walk, he jumps around and has nearly launched me off his back twice.

So!  Once again, I can't fight him and win, so I need to outsmart him.  The past two rides, we've done a start/stop method: I make him stand calmly until he is fully relaxed, and then ask for two or three steps, and then stop him again just before I feel his muscles tense and he jumps.  Once he's relaxed, we start again.  It takes us a full ten minutes to get around the ring once, but he hasn't jumped or misbehaved since we started this, so I think we're back on the right track.  It will take us a little more time in the recovery phase, but we're not in any hurry.  It's just nice to sit on my own horse!

I also gave Nox access to his smaller outdoor paddock.  Penny and I didn't think he was ready for the large paddock, because we don't want him running around yet.  Even in the small paddock, he managed to get a little rowdy.  Here is video of him as soon as we opened the paddock door:

 
Once he got that outburst out of his system, he was fine!  Now he just enjoys the sunshine with his new bunny friend.

Chillin' outside.

A domesticated but free roaming bunny hangs out with Nox - she likes his hay and grain.

They are just too cute together.

Onward into summer!

Today, I brought donuts to the barn...

There is a tradition in horse racing where the owner of the winning horse brings donuts to the barn.  Often, the horse gets a donut, too.  This morning, Best Husband Ever and I brought donuts to the barn because we have something celebrate and thank everyone for...

Nox's ligament has healed and he is cleared start back to work!  Dr. Meg came out on Thursday (a few days late, she had an emergency call on Tuesday) and the appointment went even better than I expected.  Nox walked and trotted on the lead so well that I had too look twice to make sure I had the correct horse.  Dr. Meg was very impressed with his good behavior and she said he was moving very symmetrically and without any trace of lameness.  Next, she performed the ultrasound.  His suspensory ligaments are now equal in size and the lesions are healed over.  When she looked at me and told me that all looked good and he could slowly start working again, I breathed a sigh of relief.  I managed to keep my cool and ask lots of questions and thank her profusely for everything, but as soon as her car was out the drive, Penny and I jumped around and hollered like crazy people!  I'm just so pleased, proud, happy, relieved, grateful, and so many other adjectives.  It's been more than a year and half of stall rest and it's finally over!

Our next steps involve a slow introduction back to work.  Dr. Meg recommends at least 30 days of just walking, starting at just 10 minutes and increasing 5 minutes every 4th ride.  After a month or so, I can start trotting for another 30 days and work on walk/trot transitions.  If everything is going well and Nox seems strong and balanced, I can start with a few strides of canter in a few months.  We will be spending the summer taking things slow and easy - I do not want to push anything to quickly and risk another injury!  Fortunately, as usual, we have all the time in the world and no reason to rush.  Nox also gets to have access to his paddock again, just in time for the summer sunshine.  He'll be so happy!

So!  Today, for the first time since Fall 2013, I got to ride my own horse.  First, we tried to give him a celebratory glazed donut, but he wan't interested!  A few sniffs and he turned his nose away, looking for carrots.  He's such a health nut.

Nox thought the donut smelled good, but he didn't take a bite.  

I tacked Nox up in his saddle and new bridle.  I put on my helmet, kissed Best Husband Ever, and led Nox to the mounting block.  He didn't seem nervous or anxious and was happy to play with the bit in his mouth once again.  I swung up in the saddle and settled in.  After riding a bunch of smaller horses, this was home for me.  Nox is tall, muscular, and has beautiful wide shoulders and a thick neck.  His stride feels long, fluid, and floaty, like a long-legged Thoroughbred should feel like.  I've missed him so much.  We walked around the ring slowly - for the most part.  Nox was a little excited and threw out a few crow-hops and danced a bit, but I was actually very impressed with him!  He's easier to handle under saddle than on the ground at this point.

Readers, thanks for sticking with us all these months.  If I could give you all a digital donut, I would. I've been so anxious these past few weeks, wondering how this appointment would go.  I tried to keep faith that Nox would heal, but I was preparing myself for the idea that he might just be a beautiful pasture pet for the rest of his life.  I'm happy that we got the results we've been waiting and hoping for, and I hope you'll all stay with me as we work back into shape.  Please keep your fingers crossed that by the end of summer, we'll be in top form.

Here are few pics from our first ride today, captured by Best Husband Ever:

Off we go!

His tongue is hanging out, of course.

I like this one.  He looks at the camera so casually, like "Oh hey! Just out for ride, no biggie".

So handsome!

I'm lucky to be surrounded by such good looking guys!

 
 

Getting ready for the vet

Nox has his lameness evaluation next week.  Dr. Meg is coming up to ultrasound his right hind ligament, hopefully for the last time!  She was last out in November and the tear in the ligament was smaller, but still a big problem.  It has been 6 months since then, and Nox has been very quiet and calm on stall rest, with no jumping or kicking or any crazy behavior.  In preparation for Dr. Meg's visit, I decided we needed to practice walking on the concrete barn floor and walking outside, so she can evaluate him while he's moving.  This sounds so simple... and actually, getting Nox to walk on the concrete barn floor was very easy.  We just plied him with carrots and cookies and now he'll walk across the concrete like it's no big deal.

Walking outside is a different experience:

Nox is just so excited to be allowed to walk outside, after 6 months of very strict stall rest and a total of 1 1/2 years of rest, that he just cannot stop himself from jumping around and making an excuse to spook at anything that moves or makes a sound.  It's like he's over-stimulated by his surroundings.  He is calming down, little by little, and I quickly learned (once again) that I had to stop babying him and if he jumps back, I need to take control and make him back up even more and even faster.  I need to make walking forward alongside me more fun and pleasant than whatever bad behavior he wants to do.

The goal is to get him to walk on a lead line back and forth in straight line and trot back and forth in straight line while the vet is looking next Tuesday.  Please cross your fingers that we make that goal.  The good news is that Penny has been watching me walk Nox around and she doesn't see any signs of soreness or limping!  Yay!

Besides all of that, Nox is looking great.  He has shed out his winter coat and I absolutely love the rich chocolate brown summer coat he has now.  After a little time in the sun, he'll get those beautiful golden dapples all over his body that make me just want to sit and stare at him all day.

Horse girls understand the feeling...

Spring has sprung!

Here it is, April 12, and we just now are experiencing some decent weather!  Today is 61 degrees and the rest of the week is going to be in the 60's and 70's!  Woo hoo!  It has been a long and brutal winter, but the sun is out, the birds are singing, and the shedding horse hair is flying.  It's Spring!

Nox is doing very well these days.  He's calm and quiet, especially now that he can hang is head out his outside window or into the barn aisle.  He has a new neighbor named Jagger.  Jagger, like his rock star namesake, has wild hair and he and Nox love to nip and play with each other over the stall doors.

Jagger and Nox

Now that the snow and ice has melted, we can start riding again!  Penny sold Baya to a new wonderful home last fall.  She is now spoiled by her teenage owner and will join her on her college equestrian team in a year.  I'm hoping that Nox will be able to start work again this summer, but I'm sure I will be taking it slow with him.  This year, Penny asked if I would ride two horses: Willow, a lovely dapple gray mare, is owned by a boarder who wants me to show his horse this year, in preparation for his young daughters to hopefully start showing next year; and Ruby, who is Penny's husband's horse.  Ruby was rescued by Penny a few years ago from an auction.  She is a beautiful, tall, black Saddlebred who came from the Amish and knows how to drive but has never been ridden.  Penny wants her to ride and drive, so Ruby will be our project for the summer.  Hopefully, Nox will be back to work soon and then I'll be very busy this summer!

I bought a new bridle for Nox that is a little bigger than his old one.  He has a big head.  Here I am fitting the bridle to him - as soon as the bit goes in his mouth, his tongue comes out.  Silly boy.  

Happy spring everyone!

February Already?

Hello Everyone!  I haven't written lately because there is not much to write about, but my friend Wanda texted me the other day to make sure all is well, so I thought I should probably post something!  We are stuck in a deep, deep freeze and there is no sign of it letting up.  We haven't had a day above freezing in at least two months and way too many days below zero.  The high today is -4 and tonight it will get down to -19.  This is crazy cold and my beachy, saltwater-thin blood doesn't do well in it.  I just never feel warm!  I still get out to the barn most days, unless there is a blizzard and the roads are treacherous, but I only stay for about 30 minutes.  By then I'm shivering and I can't feel my face.  But if I miss a day, I miss Nox too much!  I'm addicted to the sweet smell of his fuzzy neck, so I get out there to at least give him a quick groom and a peppermint.

Nox is doing fine and other than the icicles that form on his whiskers, he shows no signs of being bothered at all by the cold.  He has a blanket on and is tucked into his stall, and he has a constant supply of hay to munch on.  A horse's stomach acts as a very efficient furnace.  As long as there is hay in their guts, the digestion process creates enough heat to keep them warm.  Penny does a wonderful job of making sure all the horses are never without hay, and she and her family brave the snow and ice several times a day to clean stalls, break ice from water buckets, and feed everyone grain and supplements.  It wonderful to have Nox in such a safe and well-managed barn, owned by people who care for each horse as if it were their own.

I canceled the vet appointment I scheduled for January.  There is so much snow (and no indoor ring) that there isn't a place for Dr. Meg to evaluate Nox, and it is far too cold to sedate him for an ultrasound.  Sedated horses loose their ability to regulate their body temperature.  So, I've decided to wait until late spring to have him evaluated again.  He's content with hanging out and playing with his neighbors over the stall door.  He's not doing any of the terrible behaviors he was doing this time last year - kicking, rearing, and jumping around in his stall.  His new stall is much bigger than the stall he was in last year, and I know that being able to hang his head out and interact with horses, cats, and people is making him much more relaxed.  I bought a stall toy for him that we will install on the next warmish day (anything about 32 degrees would be fabulous!) that has a bunch of textured rollers on a bar.  He loves to play with his mouth, and I think an apple scented roller toy will keep him happily occupied.  As long as he's calm, stall rest is the best thing for him, and a few more months of rest will hopefully get us closer to a fully healed ligament.

Back in November, I hacked off a good 6 inches of Nox's tail.  In general, Thoroughbreds have very thin manes and tails, but Nox is an exception.  His mane is thick and grows very quickly, and his tail was thick but very straggley at the ends.  As a race horse, a lush tail is not very important, so the grooms didn't spend much time or attention on it.  Now, I want Nox to have a gorgeous tail worthy of the show ring.  Weirdly, the trend in the show ring these days is to put fake tail extensions on show horses.  No, really.  People do this.  Google "horse tail extensions".  Unless your horse has absolutely no tail left because it was chewed off and you're giving you horse a fake tail so he can swat flies away, I think the tail extensions are very odd.  First, it's difficult to match the horses tail color exactly, and second, the fake tail moves differently than the rest of the tail, so the extension looks terribly obvious.  Lastly, tail extensions can cost more than $500!  I just can't accept that the horse's natural tail, no matter what length or thickness, isn't better looking than a fake.  However, show judges these days won't score a horse well if he has a thin tail, so what is a horse owner to do if their darling horse has a sad tail, but is otherwise very talented in the ring?  I think this is a very good example of what makes horse people so crazy. 

Ok, coming back from the tangent.  So, in pursuit of a naturally thick and beautiful tail, I cut off all the straggled ends of Nox's tail, rubbed a glob of conditioner into it, braided it, and put it into a tail bag.  Once every two weeks or so, I unbraid his tail, carefully comb it out, put conditioner in it if its warm enough to do so, and then braid and bag it back up.  Well!  After 3 1/2 months, his tail is thick and beautiful!  I cut it off just under his hock, and you can see in the picture below, it has grown quite a bit! It's already near his fetlocks. By summer, it should be close to touching the ground!

Bad lighting, but look at that tail! No extensions needed, thank you.

So, there you have it.  Snow, ice, and horse tails.  That is the post for today.

I'll try to think of something more interesting for the next one!