# Sophie Anne The Hobble Horse



## HowlsOfAngels

I'll give you a run down of her recovery up until this point.

Sophie Anne is my first filly, within a few weeks she was following me everywhere and lifting all four hooves, even allowing me to groom her she never had any previous training before I got her.

We had some snow fall in January, a rare occurrence here, the horses where pretty stationary for two weeks. So, when the snow melted and turned there paddock to mud; Sophie was so excited that she ran around, bcked, and kicked up her heels in excitement, I couldn't calm her.

With on falty landing she'd rolled and hadn't gotten up for an extra 10 seconds than normal (a horse will usually jump right up, if nothing is wrong) when she got up she did so with her right front dragging beside her.

I was finally able to catch, calm, and examine her after a few minutes. Her leg was limp and her shoulder swollen to more than 3 times it's normal size. I was histerical to say the least, I was so worried there would be no chance of recovery. 

With there being nothing else I could do for her I went in and began my research, at first I thought her knee or shoulder was dislocated or that her cannon bone was fractured. It turned out that neither fit, I typed in 'dropped shoulder' or 'dropped 
elbow' and found Radial Paralysis; it fit perfectly. 

I called the vet the next day and he came out examined her and confirmed it. He prescribed Dexamethasone for swelling and Bute for pain (luckily she couldn't feel anything, so there was none, the bute just made her sleepy). 

It took an entire week to take out all the swelling and the vet still hadn't suggested any real course of treatment, she ontinued to ignore every attempt at getting her to acknowledge her leg. And with the swelling gone every ounce of muscle followed, it was terrifying and only worsened my fears.

I began rubbing and flexing her leg several times a day to exercise and encourage blood flow, I occasionaly tapped on her leg in varrious places with a hoof pick and asked her to lift it, she ignored every attempt to lift it for weeks and hadn't even flinched over the tapping sessions (mind you a hoof pick is a bent piece of metal used to clean mud out of a horses hooves, as you can imagine it has to be moderately strong).

After 2 weeks she began to feel a little bit around her shoulder, but nothing below the elbow. 

I continued my research and found that accupuncture had a good success rate, so began my search. I called well over 100 vets in and around texas until I found Kevin in California who agreed to come in April.

She reached a mile stone a week after the initial call, she was able to feel my, now vigorous, tapping sessions. And her muscle came up about this much: _ yeah litteraly that much, lol. Just enough to notice.

After that it took 1 more week for her to start kinda using it, she would drag it forward, line it, and then hop over it. 

Another week passed and I was growing more hopeful, I came out and was going though with my normal cleaning duties (scooping manure, spraying out the water bucket, etc) and she came over for some loves. I was rubbing her shoulder and feeling her slight muscle mass and as I worked my way down her leg I decided to squeeze her tendons to see what her response would be (this is a cue to lift her hoof, she hadn't been asked in a month as there was no reason to, she ignored every attempt and didn't appear strong enough). To my delight she handed me her hoof, I was extatic and gave her a full body rub as praise.

After a few days her stride got a little better (maybe by a few centimeters, but she still primarily hopped over it).

1 more week passed and Kevin came. He adminiistered three treatments which consisted of using electro-acupuncture witha two needle method. He did these once on the first, once on the second, and once on the fifth; did I mention that he forgot the sedation on the second? Lol

Each session left her pretty sore and she got some minor hematomas from one of them, but it wad well worth it. Her muscle came back to half it's normal size and her stride lengthened soon after.

Her stride has been increasing along with her use of the leg, she has even begun to recognize where it is underneath her as she had a habit of stepping on her self. She's even using it to support herself more.

Today we reached a major milestone her first hoof trim since the fall. Bless my farrier Les for putting up with her.

If you would like any more info feel free to ask I just thought I'd share our journey thus far.


----------



## ratsrulesok

wow I am glad she is getting a bit better poor Sophie Anna, I hope she will make a full recovery, what a horrible vet when will they learn to listen to a persons concerns after all we know our animal companions best, we know when something is up anyway big hugs to you and Sophie Anna.


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Thanks, I apreciate it. She's having a good day today, we just got a new round bale. She and my gelding are having a blast trying to munch a hole in the top. She's so tiny she has to stretch all the way up to get to the 'best' part. I'll try and post some pictures here in a minute.

Another thing I've recently figured out, they love animal crackers. Lol


----------



## smesyna

Aww poor girlie. I hope she continues recovering well. I love horses, wish I could afford them, I got lessons when I was a small child-young teen.


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Thanks, we hope she continues as well; it seems like she will. When Kevin left he said it was all up to her which direction she would go in and so far she's been such a fiesty little sucker that she's goin' the way we want her to.

I would have never guessed that you'd had lessons before, that's cool, I hope you enjoyed them sometimes they use really old 'dead heads' (horses that respond to nothing, but heavy cues) as lesson horses and I've seen many people turn away from them all together because of it.

My first ride was on a trail horse named Phoenix ,he was an older palomino and a sweet heart; I think he's retired now. lol

I've attached a pic from October, well before the accident. We were working on going up a down stairs (yeah, it's possible), she could go up and down backward or forward.


----------



## smesyna

LOL Yup I did get one of those difficult ones, a real sweetheart though. It didn't help that I've always been tiny especially as a kid so he hardly registered that he was being ridden nevermind squeezed haha! The majority of my lessons were with him, he is my aunts horse though she did not give the lessons. He is actually 36 now!!!










He's Nick, his registered name is "In The Nick Of Time." He won many ribbons in his day  Now he's a retired old gentlemen with a farm named after him ;D


Aww your girl is pretty. I'm glad she's able to do stairs now, that's pretty impressive considering the extent of her injuries!


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Wow, he is one old boy. The oldest I've met was 25 and she looked like she was on her last stride. He looks good for his age, that's good to hear that he's still sweet. Just like anyone they can turn into grumps when they get older. lol

That pic is from four months before the injury in October, lol. I haven't dared ask that much of her just yet. Here is one from two weeks after the injury and after that I'll post some from today, I'm having problems posting them.


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Alright, my pics are to large, apparently.... I'm gonna get a Photobucket account and try posting that way.


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Lets try this, here is one from February 19th nearly two weeks after her inury that occured on the 6th;


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

And here is one from March:







April:







and May:























It's not well documented. lol


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Ignore the coat from February, it looks awful cause she was shedding. lol And the prominant ribs from May, she's a pig but recovering from such an injury is hard work.


----------



## smesyna

Yeah I find it much easier to do photobucket anyway, plus then its permanently backed up online.

Haha don't worry about her coat, it happens. If She looks good aside from being a bit skinny but since she's a pig I'm sure she'll gain that weight back


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Darn it, soon as Sophie is near the end of the her recovery (I guesstimate a few more months) Hershie, my naughty, oldman gelding, hurt his eye on something. The big doofus has managed to fill it with some gooey white/yellow gunk, which was then rinsed out.

He picked me up and drug me around a little, but soon calmed and let me rinse it pretty thoroughly, thought it seemed he was much to interested in consuming the hose nozzle afterward. Lol Horses....


----------



## smesyna

Rats and horses are both just SO good at injuring themselves : lol


----------



## sorraia

Horses live for "killing" themselves. Most accident prone animal I've ever known.


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Pretty much, they love to hurt thmselves. There's even a 
saying about how ridiculously prone to injury they are: "A 
horse can become injured by standing in a field" lol And it is very much true.

A slightly related matter, I have no idea how much money in vet bills I just saved my neighbor the "wannabe" "racehorse" owner. 

His terrible jockey has no clue how to exercise a horse and always exhausts the poor thing, and does so right next to the pasture holding a herd of broodmares, their colts, and a stallion (Why is he out there? I don't know). Not to mention one colt has a lead rope on and the other has a filthy bandage on his right back.

The entire herd was running around like idiots lashing out at eachother in the confusion while yet another horse was twisting around on a hot walker. Bleh, took all of 5 minutes of sweet talk to calm them, stupid owners are never worried about them even though they live close enough to hear them panicking.

I've reported them for abusing their horses several times, mostly for hitting the horses in their heads with a whip. They disgust me on so many levels, but even the local rescue can't step in.


----------



## ratchilla

What a gorgeous horse and glad to hear you and her have come so far along! 

I'm sorry she hurt yourself. I couldn't imagine going through that and the fear that would come along with it. I wish they weren't so accident prone. I've seen pictures of horse that impale themselves on T posts, branches, etc.

In April, I experienced my first colic.  Thankfully with quick action from the vet and BO, she pulled through it. 

I wish her the best in her recovery. Can't wait to see her progress.


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Thanks, we're blessed to have gotten this far. I just finished hosing her front legs for the night, the first time she's accepted the hose in months. She was fasinated by the sensation on her right front, and thr cool night air should feel great on her sore muscles (granted they'll be muddy by morning). Lol 

Congaratz getting through your first collic. First time is always the worst. What caused it?

And gosh darn it, my gelding managed to injure the corners of his mouth, his food obsessed mind probably tried to eat a 
t-post, or something.... Bleh. Getting the vet out pay day, for now lots of eye, and now mouth, flushing with the hose; lucky he wants to eat the hose nozzle so bad. Lol


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Wowza, lol. Sheath cleaning day should probably occur more often to avoid the giant bean I just had to dig out, piece by piece.  Gross, yet necessary and a pain in the neck, 'cause mines a shy guy. Though, Dawn Dishsoap is awesome when it comes to gettin' all the smegma out. 

My neighbor was greatly confused, she was bangin' on her window at me, lol. :

Anyone else have to go through with this dastardly deed recently?


----------



## sorraia

Nope. Fortunately my boys keep themselves pretty clean and don't really even require sheath cleaning! Have never found a bean on my Arab, and the Quarter Horse always lets his hang out for the world to see, and it is quite obvious he doesn't need cleaning. (Even if he did, he's one horse I would call a vet for. I don't trust him enough to put my head that close to his hind legs.)


----------



## Kinsey

God yes, they always find a way to get hurt! And it's always right before show season or right when it's the worst time.

My horse is in a pretty dang secure pasture, but he broke his feeder and proceeded to rip big holes in his face right around his eyes- I'm glad he didn't take an eye out. Right before show season, too! I'm hoping the hair grows back fast.

Last year, the night before a major show, he got covered in pine sap.  I couldn't get it all out, and it took 2 hours with dish soap to even dent it.


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Sorraia- Lucky, that's one chore you can skip. Sucks about the QH, though, perhaps more desensitizing? The aproach and retreat method has worked well for me.

Kinsey- My goodness, I hope they're all minor wounds. The first month of recovery Sophie was laying down a lot to sleep and was tearing up her hocks, Corona is what I've been using on her, it's cheap, and it works really well. And I can only imagine what a sticky mess pine sap would create, that must have taken half a day to completely clean up.

Horses love to exercise Murphy's Law. What can go wrong will go wrong.


----------



## sorraia

HowlsOfAngels said:


> Sorraia- Lucky, that's one chore you can skip. Sucks about the QH, though, perhaps more desensitizing? The aproach and retreat method has worked well for me.


The problem with the Quarter Horse isn't a matter of desensitizing or requiring training, it is due to his prior training and mishandling. He isn't a mean horse, but he was mistreated. He's an ex-charreada horse (for anyone who doesn't know: charreada = Mexican rodeo, and while good horses are taken care of, the training methods used are not exactly known to be the kindest or gentlest.... many charreada horses are also used until they are killed or injured, the horse I have was retired when he blew out his knee), and requires patience, firmness, but also kindness. Knowing who he is and how he responds, you can deal with him. BUT if you expect him to be like every other horse out there and put too much faith/trust in him, you WILL get hurt. I wouldn't call him dumb, but he isn't the brightest bulb in the box either. When he starts running (for whatever reason), he will run over ANYTHING including a person, not out of meanness, but because he just doesn't look. He's very heavy on the forehand (probably how he blew out his knee), and his rear end requires adjustment. The pain in his rear end (I don't even know how that happened, if it was poor treatment, if he was "tailed", or if its the result of a fall or other injury, maybe the accident that blew out his knee) makes him VERY hard to handle when it comes to that half of him. If you try to clean out his rear feet like any other horse, I guarantee you WILL get kicked in the face. Again, it isn't out of meanness, its because of the poor treatment he has received in the past and the pain he is in now. With a little patience and understanding, the job gets done, but you need time to do it, you can't just jump in and go to town. Desensitizing isn't an issue at all either. This horse isn't sensitive to ANYTHING. Except for him being a Quarter Horse (I don't trust them, unlike Arabs they don't tell you a darned thing until you are on the ground or under them or strewn out all over the place), I would call him "bomb proof". He's perfect under saddle, he'd make a great lesson horse (if I gave lessons or were willing to put him through that - but I think he deserves better now after all he's been through). His only issue under saddle is a broken gas pedal, but the breaks work fine! No bucks, no crow hopping, no refusals. As long as he understands what you want (and knows you MEAN it when you ask him to "go") he's perfect. Because of the nasty scar on his tongue (so deep it looks like his tongue was nearly cut in half) I use a bitless bridle (actually a more gentle hackamore with short shanks - he prefers it over the actual bitless bridle), but I can ride him in just a halter and he responds just as well. Don't even need to put a saddle on him either! Just on the ground is where you need to watch out. Like I said, he isn't mean, he's just been mistreated and learned to expect it, so now he's defensive. He has come a LONG way from what he has in the almost a year I've had him. (There was ONE time he actually charged me on purpose with intent to injure, I don't remember why exactly but I think food was involved, he was promptly chased around the yard until he let me approach him without pinning his ears. Since then he's been much more respectful.) I still don't trust him, but I can enter the yard without carrying a whip now. (Never hit him with it, but when he first came here the whip was the ONE thing he actually respected. Without it, he would walk all over you, and that one time he did charge me I did NOT have a whip in hand. Soon as he sees that whip, his eyes get wide, his head goes up, his body tenses up, and you can SEE the fear in him. I do use whips as tools, but NOT as punishment. Clearly it was used on him for punishment. For this reason I do not carry a whip around him any more, now that I know he respects me. I still don't turn my back on him, because you just never know - especially since he doesn't look when he starts running - but I don't have to be as on guard.)


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Sorraia- Wow, he must have a long and disgusting past. It's sad that he had to go through that, there are a lot of horses around Texas I've met or seen from similar situations. One I had a particularly good relationship with, Shooter, was a thickly built Arab cross who had been used for running drugs across the border. He had an akward demeanor, and was shy toward his back end; my boarder at the time was stupid 
enoudh to ignore my warnings and tried to pick his hooves 
(which at the time would send him into a panick).

My mother (who's a greenhand at most) wanted to adopt him 
so we fostered him for a few months, in that time she took him 
out of the pen once. And chose many wrong choices when it 
came to him, one day she tried to insist she ride him, even 
coaxed a saddle on him. I could only talk her down to me getting on him with her holding him, that didn't turn out well, as she wanted too much too soon, long story short he began walking in a tight circle I dismounted and revoked her rights to do much more than pet him.

Before we returned him to the rescue, we had a respectful relationship and he had even learned to let me hold his head and allow me to rub his hind end and part way down his legs.

Another, Lightning, also an Arab cross, seems permanantly high headed. He was used in Mexican Horse Racing where a man was tied to his back and he was whipped furiously even when he's well passed the finish line. He is sadly still being dominated in his current home, he is bomb proof with a firm, calm rider, but a dominant rider will get every nuisance behavior he knows (pacing, pawing, spinning, even rearing when pushed), and his favorite gait is a slow motion gallop.

Both of these horses will run as you described, without looking.

It's intersting to see what their 'traditional' training methods will do to a horse, though, still very sad that they feel the need to continue their barbarick ways even when the horses turn out like they do.

I'm glad to hear that your QH is in a good home where you will take the patience to work with him and that you know him well enough to work with him. Many won't take the time to understand these horses and label them as 'too dangerous to touch'. 

Good luck in furthering your relationship and with the pain in his hind end, have you looked into finding a chiropractor or accupuncturist? Perhaps one or both could help you determine what is causing the pain and maybe even treat it.


----------



## sorraia

That high-headedness could unfortunately be permanent. Many horses, when allowed or otherwise "forced" to move with their head held high will over develop the muscles under the neck, and as a result the muscles on their topline (from their neck through their back) become underdeveloped and even atrophied. This makes it painful at best and impossible at worst for them to lower their head. That's very unfortunate too since that high-headed, sway-backed way of moving leads to the body breaking down much sooner than it would otherwise.

I have a chiropractor, just a matter of scheduling (which unfortunately is not the easiest task in the world since I work on the days and times most equine practitioners prefer to see clients). I had an idea there was something wrong with his rear end, but couldn't quite place it. It looked weak, I alone couldn't pinpoint a specific area of pain. My new farrier was able to pinpoint it, and confirm my suspicions that it was more than just weakness. Until then, I do know acupressure. Not a one all, be all, cure all, but it can help, and at worst will do nothing at all.


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

It's good that you have access to a chiropracter, they can get really busy though depending on your location and the quantity of stables in the area. Make sure he is certified, there are quite a few fakes out there.

And, I think your in California, if you ever need an acupuncturist contact Kevin May: He helped Sophie regain some muscle and was really sweet, he even let me ask a million questions; some relating to acupuncture some not.

When it comes to Lightning he's very stiff in his neck and poll. The only thing that's keeping him from being a jump through hoops kinda horse is his current owner and his poor training methods.

I've worked with him using a few of Clinton Anderson's techniques and ideas and they worked wonders for about an hour, lol. And then they allowed a greenie to ride him bareback. I eventually convinced her (after three falls and a dangerous rear on a steep hill) that it would be better if we switched horses as my fat QH is much more point and click savvy.

After a few minutes he chilled and started to lower his head a tad, listen to cues, everything I asked he did, which greatly annoyed his owner and the greenie that tried and failed to control him. Lucky his son didn't mind as much and asked for pointers, lol. 

So, his high headedness is mainly caused by stress and ignorance in both current and previous homes, plus his general want for dominance over everyone (horses included). Meh, can't tell his owner what to do though, he's an old navy veteran (stubborn andd short tempered).


----------



## Kinsey

Sterling is fine, just has some rather unsightly bare patches on his face. The hair is coming back in now, hopefully he behaves while I am on my trip and I don't come home to a gashed up or otherwise ruined horse.

@Sheath cleaning discussion- I can't clean Sterling's sheath, he gave me a nasty kick once for grooming too near his sheath. We have the vet do it when he gets his teeth floated, much easier than trying to pin down an unwilling proud-cut (or otherwise not fully altered) horse.

Yeah, he's not fully altered. Whatever he is, he seems sterile, and he has no visible testes. I think he may have had an undescended testical and they gelded the one that was visible, leaving the other intact but inside his body. He acts like a stud, though, and has hurt himself trying to mount a mare that he could not reach.

^that was when my mother went camping with him without permission and tied him on a high line with a mare in heat. He rubbed his face until he bled, but my mother didn't even notice. I was furious when I saw him. I had been out of town so I came home to a horse who had big, shiny bare areas all over his face. This is a showhorse- he does not get to have big nasty bare spots. Thankfully, he does not do halter, he is a jumper and eventer, but I still want him to look his best.


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Kinsey - Wow, how do you not notice an scrapes on a horses face? At least his hair is coming back and he's not scared or anything. the sheath is especially sensitive so I don't doubt you were kicked, luckily the vet is willing to do that for you. My kinda sorta first horse was proud-cut, he was a pain and relatively dangerous (I was young green and mainly looking for the thrill), I only half owned him for a month or so and I do still occasionally visit.

Update: Sophie has been naughty lately, she's pushin' her limits now that she's feeling better. She's gettin' ornery with her back end, mainly just swinging it around no tail swishing or flicking at me.  Kids will be kids I guess as she is quickly reprimanded (made to spin her hind end away from me in both directions, only a few steps) and the behavior is lessening. 

And Hershie has been up to no good as well, in fact this picture proves it: 










And Hershie also has both eyes and one corner of his mouth filled with fly larvae (previously mentioned eye infection and mouth injury), he went into the vet Wednesday and the meds are doing wonders for his eyes, but he likes to remove the fly repellent from his mouth so that may take much longer to heal.

Here are some silly pictures of the horses with their fly repellent cream on and a shot of Sophie's enlarged third-eyelid (been that way, she wears a mask to keep dirt out which keeps the swelling and irritation down): 










And a view of his mouth. (Below)










Third-eyelid shot. (Below)










She doesn't like the flash.










Yep, these silly things are going through a 5X5 round bale every week, big pigs.


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Just went in for Hershie's follow up exam, the vet was in a surgery and something unexpected came up so it was an hour and a half wait.  Luckily he's awesome and well worth the wait, and I love the new vet (she's fresh out of college, sweet, and very willing to learn/admit ignorance) she checked Hershie the first time and did great. His eyes are healed, but his mouth is terrible. After 30 minutes I was allowed to unload him from the stocks and put him in a grassy pen (he hates stocks and promptly tried to head butt my back/consume my shirt everytime I got near him just to let me know he was displeased).

Once the vet was out the service was quick and direct, he never sugar coats (something I love). Apparently if after this next week his mouth hasn't improved all of the swollen/infected tissue will have to be removed. So I'm going to try to keep the flies and gunk out (fly cream has to be applied every 2 hours) he also has some antibiotic/ivermectin/antiinflamatory cream. 

And vet bills are stacking, Georgia my little 5 year old Mutt had to go in as she has developed an allergie to her Iams and had to be switched to Purina One Sensitive Systems. Bleh, smells funky and we just stocked up on Iams a month ago so we have 20 some odd pounds of food that we have to get rid of.

So expensive, I'm happy my vet has fair prices and friendly staff. Georgia's visit was exactly 75 (allergy shot and anti-naseua shot), Hershie's visits were just under a 100 each.


----------



## smesyna

Wow your poor pets are having bad luck lately!


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Yep, it's always been that way. They love to exercise Murphy's Law.


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

I should have photographer the large piece of fly larvae I had to forcefully remove from my geldings lip; I apologized profusely to him and am relieved that he has a high pain tolerance. Under that hunk of rotting larvae was more raw flesh struggling to heal. Sigh, he'll be going for another vet visit later on this week to decide on another treatment, possibly surgery...

Sophie, on the other hand, seems to be gaining in confidence with her leg occasionally attempting to cross-over with it as she pivots (something she used be very fluent in). She's also trotting with a touch more coordination, granted she does so very slowly. Her reach with the affected limb is poor, she is unable to completely straighten it once her toe raises past a certain height and I've been slowly stretching her leg, keyword here: slowly. 

If anyone reading this decides to begin stretching there horses limbs make sure to find a vet, equine chiropractor, or at least use basic common sense, when I work with her I watch her every move looking for pain or discomfort while I carefully flex her leg, if I were to push her to far I could inflict serious, irreversible injury upon her. I know Sophie well and I can tell when she gets to the point where it starts to feel uncomfortable, at that point I let her leg relax and than pull it back up to that same point, never do I jerk or otherwise roughly handle her leg.


----------



## Kinsey

Sterling is relativly dangerous, too. XD I love him though and he does very well in jumping. He's usually pretty good when I ride although it is rare to come out of a ride without him throwing a fit about something, especially if mares are nearby. His face looks good now, and I leave tuesday for the rally.

I occasionally stretch Sterling's legs before I ride or after long trailer rides/waking him up/etc. I pick them up and flex gently foreward and he almost always puts both forelegs out, grunts happily, and stretches like a cat. I think it's good for him- he knows how far he can go without pain. He does that sometimes when the farrier tries to bring his forelegs foreward too. Goofy boy.


I hope everyone feels better soon, sounds like there's a lot happening.


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Wait.... That's normal?? I'd never seen my horses do that untill a few days ago, lol. It freaked me out, it was like my first time seeing a horse scratch behind an iritated ear with a back hoof.

That's good that you stretch his legs, helps to keep them limber and flexible.

Hershie is doing well, the swelling hasn't really gone down or gone up, but it is beginning to heal over. And something I hadn't mention, he knawed or rubbed a hole in his fetlock; which the flies gladly began to infect. Bleh, it was a good inch and a half wide when I first saw it. And I ran out of his medicated goo a week ago, that junk wasn't working anyways. I started using Corona soon after, and it's working. As long as the wounds are dry it'll stick and it doubles as fly repellent.  

Sophie's leg is looking good, almost got the whole muscle back, (I think she may need some specialised somethin' or other for everything to come back), though, she still has a limited range of movement. She hasn't been wearing her boot for a few days now and it doesn't seem to bother her, I'm only putting it on when she seems to need the extra support as almost of her 'feathering' has been worn off. lol


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

Sophie, is no longer wearing her boot, except for on bad days which have been few as of late and she has been moving around pretty well. Apparently she's still getting used to proper placement as she nicked her heel the other day, to raw nubs are yet another scrape to add to the ever growing list of minor injurious she's inflicted on her self recently, she also laid down on something sharp the other day and ran through a fence a few nights ago (a bit of hot wire that wasn't on, she thought I took it down after she escaped and I guided her back). She's got a small, but long cut across her side. 

Hershie's lip is still swollen, but it's nearly healed over. His fetlock is also healing well and has got a nice covering now, that dry slightly sticky flesh that, when allowed, covers a nearly healed wound. 

Hay prices are still insanely high, the cheapest cow quality round bale I've found is 75 and horse quality is, at minimum, twice that. We're on square bales to try and stretch the hay, it's not working out as planned; we ended up buying less hay for the same price and it's lasting just as long because 1% is going to waste compared to the 20% I'd lose if we we're feeding a round bale.

It's been a while since I updated this so I figured I'd post.


----------



## HowlsOfAngels

A fresh trim and Sophie has gained a bit of confidence, I trotted her for my farrier and he commented that she's doing really well, and that she's grown up just a wee bit (I despise the fact that she's better on lead than my gelding ). She loves her pedicures. She's got most every bit of her muscle back, although she's now got some weird swelling in the leg that comes and goes; usually it comes in the morning, I ice it, and by the afternoon she's back to normal. :

Hershies' lip still has yet to hinder his massive appetite and it's nearly healed, with a bit more luck (and corona) it'll be healed in another month. The main problem is that the corona wears off after an hour or so and then the flies attack it again.

After riding around on a stiff, hard-mouthed nag for a few hours yesterday I've acquired a new appreciation for leg cues, and the existence of backing. I had no idea how lucky I am to have a horse that'll let me jump on and go whenever, wherever, lack of tack or not. Silly nag had the most hilarious fake limp, too. We'd go into the practice area and she'd beg to run, her breathing would pick up, and she'd get that rushed/tense feeling, then we'd head back to the trailer and she'd stumble all over the place the limp switching from one foot to another. :


----------

