Thoughts on being Special...

There is a really nice woman at the barn who has been helping me with Nox.  Julie taught me how to ground drive and she's currently helping me with exercises for Nox to get him to bend and be more supple.  She specializes in buying young horses, training them, showing them for a few years, and then selling them.  She's very talented and she cares very much for her horses, but she does not get overly attached to them.

Julie has been hinting that I should get a second horse.  "We won't give up on Nox", she says, "but you could be showing next summer if you got another horse that wasn't injured."  She sent me a video of a horse that she thought would be perfect for me.  His name is String Bean, he is 3 years old, very tall, jet black, perfectly sound, and is already jumping and doing dressage.  I watched the video and he is amazing!  But here's the thing - two things, actually:

1. I can't afford to board a second horse.  Best Husband Ever and I budget carefully to make sure that Nox, Moose, and the two of us have a roof over our heads, food to eat, and a few little extras like lead ropes, chew toys, and dinner dates.

2. String Bean doesn't need me.  

Somebody will buy String Bean.  He is a beautiful horse who has lived an easy life so far, and he has tons of potential for blue show ribbons.  Nox needed an adopter who would give him plenty of time to recover physically and mentally from a hard life.  Julie must think that I'm disappointed that I can't show Nox yet, and that I have to take it easy when I ride him, but I don't feel that way at all.  Riding Nox in a show and winning a ribbon is one of my goals, but mostly because it will be proof that he has healed completely from a career ending injury that could have cost him his life.  (I also look forward to blatantly flaunting his gorgeousness around a show ring once or twice.)

I enjoy riding Nox.  Today was an especially good ride.  He moved nicely and was receptive to my cues to bend and collect himself.  He picked up a canter on the left lead the second time I asked and didn't seem as sore as usual.  I was very proud of him and I had a great time, but wanting to ride is not the reason that I adopted him.  Our relationship is more than just rider and horse.  My favorite moments with Nox happen when we are side by side:

   ~ Every one in a while, I need to clean Nox's stall while he is still standing in it.  He's big, so he takes up much of the space in there.  I'll push him to one side of the stall so I can clean the other end.  He'll slowly inch his way back toward me so that he can rest his muzzle on my shoulder, play with my jacket pocket, or nibble at the pitchfork handle.  We play more than we scoop poop. On those days, the stall may not be as clean as usual, but that's ok. 

   ~ Our grooming routine hasn't changed since the first day Nox came to me.  He loves to be fussed over and I relish the time I spend sweeping dust from his glossy coat and combing his long tail.  Nox always stands quietly and watches with interest to see what brush I'm picking up next.  He leans into my hand when I curry his itchy spots and keeps his eyes closed a little longer than necessary when I clean his face with the soft brush.

I will never sell Nox.  I plan to have him until one of us no longer walks on this earth, so I'm free to get as attached to him as I possibly can.  I would love to have a second horse some day, and I will most likely adopt another rescue horse.  There is something special about a horse who knows that he is secure and loved, when he has lived the alternative.  Nox is special, and right now, no other horse can even turn my head.

 

 

     
 

Learning to drive...

As part of his training, I'm teaching Nox how to drive from the ground.  Eventually, it will help me when I'm lunging him on a lunge line.  If I try to lunge him on a line now, he cuts into the circle and I have a hard time keeping him under control.  With two lines on either side of his halter or bridle, I will be able to use the outside line to keep him on the circle.  It's kind of hard to explain, so here are some pictures:

I'm driving Nox with two lines attached to either side of his halter
and walking behind him as I steer him around cones.

Lunging with two lines: Nox travels in a circle around me while I stand in the
center holding both lines.  The outside line wraps around his body and behind
 his hind legs.  At first, he didn't like the feeling of the line on his back legs,
but he got used to it. 

I was amazed by how well Nox tolerated this new experience.  He only threw one 5 minute tantrum where he raced around the ring dragging both lines behind him (after he bucked and got the lines tangled between his legs and I had to let go of them).  Once he got that out of his system, he was fine!

Fall is here!

It's been almost a month since I last posted!  So much has happened!  I flew to San Diego for my sister's baby shower.  We had such a nice time and she looks gorgeous, glowy, and happy.  The shower was a success - she cried several times (good tears) and we revealed the baby's gender with adorable cupcakes.  Pink filling = baby girl!  Very exciting!!

Hayley was delighted with the "nigh-night" from our parents.
Every kid in the extended Carter family had one of these.

Aunt Debi, Daniel, and Andy came to visit the following weekend.  We ate lots of food, took a 1000 Islands boat tour, and I introduced them to Nox.  Sadly, I didn't take any photos of them with Nox, but they helped me groom him and watched me ride.  I was just starting to take Nox over very low cross rails and he was a little hesitant about it, until he heard the applause from his fan club.  He pricked his ears up and pranced around the ring and was very willing to jump again if he could get more applause.  He's such a ham.  The good news is that he is an enthusiastic jumper and focuses right on the jump as soon as I point him towards it.  His form will improve with practice but I'm very pleased with his attitude.

One of his first jumps.  Best Husband Ever took the photo.

I've also introduced trot poles and he likes to bounce over those.  The first few times he crashed through them, not quite understanding what I wanted him to do.  It's tough for a racehorse who has been taught to run straight, fast, and steady to understand what to do with ground poles and jumps.  I'm happy that Nox is willing to try new things and trusts me enough to just give it a shot, right or wrong.  I'm sure it get boring just riding around in circles in the ring and he seems to enjoy the new challenges I'm setting for him.

The leaves are just starting to change on a few of the trees, the temperatures have dropped, and the days are noticeably shorter.  Fall is here!  One of the best side effects of Fall arriving is that the flies are mostly gone!  This makes both Nox and I happy.  Happy Fall everyone!

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

 

Golden Summer Evenings

One of my favorite things to do these days is sit in the pasture with Nox and watch him in the light from the setting sun.  In photography and film making, I think they call the time before sunset the "magic hour", and I can see why.  Everything looks beautiful in that golden light.

Here are some recent pictures from those Magic Hours.

 

 

This was taken by Best Husband Ever.  A thunder storm was coming
 as I was bringing Nox in, and a gust of wind suddenly kicked up dust. 
I like this picture because it reminds me of every misty dream
 I've had about owning my own horse. 

What can I do?

I feel like we've taken a big step back.  After Allison (the equine sports therapist) worked on Nox, he was moving so much better.  He still had a short stride on the front left leg, but the rest of him felt good.  To fix that short stride, we decided to trim his hoof a little differently so it can spread out and stretch his tendons out.  Allison warned me that he would be sore and it would take time for him to be sound.

I heard that warning and I tried to keep it in mind as I watched Nox move.  He is still striding short on the front left, and although it's only been two trims, I was hoping to see improvement.  After each trim, his feet are so sore and it hurts me to see him hurting.  I try to ride him but he seems so uncomfortable that I just walk him around for while and take it easy with him.  I feel like I need to DO something!  What can I do?

I brought out a different farrier for a second opinion on Nox's feet.  She tested his hooves for sore spots, looked over the hoof balance and trim, and watched him trot around the ring.  She couldn't make him flinch while she pinched his hooves with the hoof tester, even on the old fracture site, and announced that she wouldn't do anything differently.  That is good news, because it means that his hooves aren't the problem.  It's bad news to me, because I don't have an answer to the "what can I do" question.  I'm afraid that if I wait to long to see improvement, I might be missing something that can lead to permanent damage.  I want to help Nox, not hurt him.  I'm responsible for his well-being. 

The next step would be a trip to Syracuse to see a lameness specialist vet.  There is a specialist who works on the Thoroughbred racehorses at the Finger Lakes track.  He comes highly recommended by every horse person I've talked to about Nox.  It would be costly and I may not get an answer.  Or I may get recommendations that I'm not comfortable with - like injections, surgeries, etc. 

My friend and expert horse person Penny has told me to relax.  Allison said this would take time.  Nox is happy and healthy is every other way than his stride, and I need to RELAX.  Penny has a trailer that is tall enough to transport Nox and is willing to take us to see the specialist, but she thinks I might be panicking too soon.  After talking things through with her, I think this is what I'm going to do:

I'm going to call Allison and ask her to come back and evaluate Nox again.  I want her to watch me ride him.  If she thinks that he is moving as expected and that he needs more time before I start freaking out and trailering him all over NY to see specialists, then I will wait.  I will make an appointment with the specialist for the end of October (he goes to Florida in November for 6 months every year) and if I don't see any improvement by the time his appointment comes, I will take him.

That is what I can do.