Sept 29- Massage, Ride #10

So Thursday was a really busy day and I just fed Sherlock in the paddock, hiding behind the shelter again. No new bites.

Friday morning at was cold and starting to rain, so I rushed out and put the blanket on Sherlock. He was shivering but working on his hay in good spirits. The 2-horse paddock opened up and they moved Goldie, Blackie and Charlie over there. Which leaves Sherlock with two of the smallest ponies, Annie and Tooie the mini. He was still the only one outside the shelter. I don't know if he minds the rain less than they do, or is just hungrier. Gave him a bran mash with last 1/3 of the wormer. They said he got 12 pounds of alfalfa/grass hay today. That should help. No new bites, and I didn't see any bites on the ponies.

Friday was a bad day, overall. G was sick and came from work early, my blood pressure was high at the doctors so they switched my pills again. I've got an appointment Monday at my primary doctor for another check. Started diet diary again and bought DASH diet foods- blueberries, yams, bananas.

feed me

Saturday took the blanket off before it started to warm up and gave Sherlock some hand-grazing before the massage therapist arrived. She came to do a basic free exam but ended up doing a full-body massage. Sherlock was very ouchy but we found some really nice relaxing spots to add to the litany of places that hurt. Very light pressure all over, sensitive, allowed her to stretch front legs but anxious about the back legs. Nice to meet her and I hope to have her back later on.



Sunday groomed in the barn at the cross-ties, Sherlock was very good for hind feet. Learning to just rest them so I can clean them without grabbing onto them at all. Western saddle with cushion for my sore tailbone (and the stirrups wrapped for silence). Went out to outdoor arena, mounted with minimal wandering and tightened girth from up top. Boy, he's tall in the Western saddle. 
    Walking mostly at the South end where people were feeding horses and talking. Very interested in the goings-on today. Worked on steering through corners (it's rockier down in the corners, so this is a clue for him to stay out on the rail), moving forward from leg pressure even when we don't want to, his whoa was very good today, and turns on the forehand. Untacked him in the round pen, taught carrot stretches to both sides, and took him back to paddock where he had his grain. Gaining weight clearly now.

Sept 25- trade you a pound

My mudball

Not much going on this week- Sherlock is putting on a few pounds and I have also grabbed on to a couple, due to not getting much exercise. ALL the hiking trails and many parks are closed due to the flooding, so I've been walking a little farther in the neighborhood and taking Luna to the dog park.

I had a slip in the mud compounded by Sherlock's problematically heavy hind foot and landed on my tailbone. Ugh. No riding this week. I realized I do have a 'tushcush' someplace, I need to find it.


Saturday I got Sherlock out and groomed him and cleaned his feet on the cross-ties in the barn. Also did light stretches for hind legs. NO new bites today! A first!  Lunged walk in outdoor arena, walked over slightly-raised flowery poles.

Where did I put that feed?

Sunday I felt horrible and I just fed him, did some beginning massage on his back and hips, and measured Sherlock's hooves for Easyboots of some kind. There are so many types now,  I am astounded. So different from 10 years ago.

Monday I weighed both types of feed, they are very close in weight. I'm doing half-and-half trying to get him switched to the Healthy Edge version. Sherlock can have a scoop and a half at each feeding and it would be a good idea for me to come some evenings as well as mornings, I think. Gave 1/3 tube of wormer in the grain today- he ate the tastier parts first but he did finish it all. He always flings part of it on the ground and then cleans it up gradually afterwards. I think I might buy some psyllium pellets to help the sand move through without discomfort for the horse.


Tuesday he was covered in mud. So much mud in his mane, when he moves it sounds like bells. Fed behind the shelter. Went out in the evening after G left for his writer's group. Very buggy in paddock, so took Sherlock to the round pen for his West Nile Virus vaccine and another grain meal. Almost out of natural fly spray- doesn't seem to be helping much for mosquitoes. Just a pretty day- saw 2 bald eagles on my way to work, and then a super sunset tonight seen from the indoor arena. Could not get a photo, maybe with a better camera than the one in my phone.

Wednesday Luna joined me at the stable, her first time off-leash.  I took Sherlock to the round pen and fly sprayed, groomed some of the mud off, and cleaned his feet and stretched them all very slightly. Gave him 1/3 wormer in the grain again and he didn't complaint so much today. Trainer AM was feeding her guys a bit of grain when I headed back to the paddock, so Sherlock got to hand-graze a minute or two while we chatted.

E has brought one of her horses, the youngster Fifi, and a BUNCH of jumps. I am very excited to get Sherlock in shape to try them out. She is moving from HT, which was the other stable I saw the day I toured CE. Glad I chose this place or I might be moving again already.

Packing List:
Tush cushion for saddle
fly spray if any left of other bottle
rider's rasp

Shopping List:
brown Vetwrap for silencing Western stirrups
fly spray
psyllium pellets

Sept 19- Ride #9, health care

Saddle fitting better!

On Tuesday, I got my riser pad replacement from SmartPak. After cleaning Sherlock up and struggling with his very tense hind legs- it's like trying to lift a post some days- I put the saddle and new pads on to take a look. It still looked a tad high in back but pretty good. Stable Manager AW came and watched me mount up and ride a few circles, gauged the saddle pretty level, and headed back to work. Hackamore NOT enough today with Sherlock trying to follow her rather than circle. Packed my breast collar and sidepull rope halter for next time.


Wednesday M the farrier came. He was still pretty bad with the back legs but slowly improving. Embarassingly bad condition- he's a bit thin and all bitten up, at least no hives.

Thursday Dr. D the horse chiropractor came. I haven't seen her in many a year but she's still going strong. She said Sherlock's balance was passable, his bad eye does have some vision, and he has a LOT of sore areas that need adjusting. Both hips (he would not pick up his hind feet fort her), SI joint, L6 rib, TI girth joint, withers, most of his neck and his poll were very sore. He stood quite well for the adjustments, though he was very nippy and twitchy.
I asked about the low-current massager and she said ANY sort of massage, reiki, laser, anything could help if done regularly to loosen him up. I wonder if my friend E who is quite good at animal massage, could teach me a few things more.

Very light sideways game afterwards, and a little walking, then gave him his grain. I met a gal who will be mving her horses in soon who jumps, and would also like to do hunter paces and join the Arapahoe Hunt someday. I hope we can ride together soon!

Sept 16- drying out

Went out to the stable after lunch today to give everything a chance to dry, just started to get some sun in late morning.

Very pleased with the footing of both arenas and the round pen- the paths leading to them are still deep and slick, though. Water pressure was low, so I half-filled a bucket of water for washing. Sherlock was hidden behind the big round bale of hay but came happily to the gate to be haltered and slithered gamely through the mud to the round pen.

I got the blanket off, but Sherlock was restless and wandered the round pen while I followed him wielding the bucket and sponge. His hind legs were both very stocked up so I decided he needed to walk a lot more than he needed to stand for me. He wandered then stopped for weeds and I'd go after the mud with the sponge then.  I ran out of water with only his legs clean so went back for more water, gradually getting him DRY, relatively mud-free, his hooves cleaned, and his heels and back sprayed against scratches. Footing not really secure for hoof cleaning but got the basics done.

Found some new bites on the blind side that got scarlet oil and fly-ointment, otherwise he really looks good for living in a federal disaster zone. Weight-taped 861#, not so bad considering last week he was at 874#. Ate all his grain very greedily today. Free-longed just a few minutes at the walk, better to the right today and got some nice stretchy relaxed walk. He took a new Omega Nibbler treat after a test nibble.

Very happy with the day. Left a semi-clean, dry, fed, medicated horse standing the the middle of a hay bale munching away.

Sept 15- more rain

The blanket fits! Sherlock is now clad in Sirah's old wool-felt-lined rain sheet, the BEST most flexible useful blanket I have ever seen. I cannot believe it was a 72 after all. Sirah wore it on the smallest holes and Sherlock has it on the largest, but boy that saves me a lot of worry- and money! This is a great rain sheet or light winter blanket, you can put it on wet like I did today, as the felt soaks up water from the hair coat. Last time I took it in for washing they said this blanket isn't made anymore but people love it. Sorry, it is NOT for sale- at any price, today.

I was planning on going out to groom, try the blanket, and clean hooves, try to get his legs hosed down and sprayed to help protect from scratches. First thing in the morning. During breakfast it started pouring rain. Packed blanket (OMG does that tag say 72?) and a stack of junker towels in the car. Geared up again but somehow put on tennis shoes instead of boots.

When I got there it was raining so hard I cheated and parked in the driveway of the house, where the gravel is more solid. Slogged to the paddock (darn these beach shoes and their mesh sides it was freezing) and ducked in- round bale in the paddock, no horses visible- must all be in the shelter. Called to them and walked around- Sherlock has his whole back end hanging out of the shelter. I moved Charlie, the boss the the paddock, over and Sherlock came in. He didn't want to be toweled but I just went on despite the head shaking and stomping. Once I threw the blanket on Shelock settled down a bit, just stomping over the positioning of the leg straps. Then I gave him lots of scratches on the neck which are always welcome.

I don't know if he can hold his position in the shelter since I left, but at least if he gets kicked out again, now he's protected some. 3333333de Ezio is climbing over the keyboard to my lap, I see it is time to pet cats. Wish us luck with the continuing heavy rain. We are still fine but watchful today as the rain continues.

Sept 13- flooded

Wow! What a couple of days it has been. We have had an absurd amount of rain and are now in a federal disaster area.

 Lucky I got Sherlock moved to the closer stable, it was very hard for Jo to feed her horses today and she was driving home on a closed highway without knowing it. Yikes! I am so thankful Sherlock is close to me, on the same side of the river, where I cans till check on him and feed him his grain every day. The whole town is sliced in half by the St. Vrain River and the center of town is absolutely impassible right now- all the roads and bridges are closed.

Sherlock is not as muddy as one might expect- the corral ground is very soupy today and not good for rolling in, I hope. The horses are not doing much but standing around eating and hiding in the shelter.  We have had some sun today so I hope they get dry today and get a break.

I could not get to my usual feed store due to flooding- but was able to get the right feed from the Murdoch's close to us. I took the fly sheet and mask home for washing as he needs every chance to get dry while there is sun. We are expecting more rain over the weekend but hopefully not as extreme.

Sept. 11- Ride #8, +mud

Another mostly unproductive week. Super hot and humid, and then pouring rain and muddy.

Sherlock is getting a big scoop of Strategy every day, with 2 little scoops of Cool Calories and handful of ground flaxseed- he really cleans it up with the flaxseed in it.

He likes rolling in the mud- I think most sensitive skin types do- it keeps the flies off. G won the "what % of horse is covered with mud today" bet last time with a guess of 65%, which turned out to be a lowball. I've decided he should wear his fly sheet when it rains- fly spray just washes off, and the sheet keeps some of the mud off.

September 4 we did ground work. Sherlock had a whole week off with no workouts, just grooming and feed. I was not sure how energetic he'd be. He was squirmy while grooming so I free-longed at a trot just a minute then came back to clean his hooves with no trouble. We walked the outdoor arena, including me dragging in a couple little brushboxes and him walking over them and trying to eat the fake flowers. Tried to have him trot with me on the lead line, but nothing doing. Got a nice strong walk, though.

Ride #8, September 6. HOT. Groomed, free-longed just a bit and decided to try the indoor just to get into the shade. Trying out hackamore today. Walked the edges then mounted up- itchy today behind the girth on left side, hopefully just a bug bite and not a suggestion that I replace my fake-fleece girth. Uncertain of footing, walked calmly gate to gate at first then gradually circled out to include the whole ring. He was very interested in the window of the side door, tended to get right down into the corners where the footing is deep and stick there. Just walking and taking our time, he's curious about things and I enjoy letting him explore at his own rate. Too hot to get ambitious about anything at all. Still he's very calm and thinking hard about the new sights.

Barn was closed for the weekend for a clinic, just came out and fed him in the mornings.
We went to the Scottish Festival and had a great time except that G got knocked down by some guy  moving too fast for his sobriety level when we were listening to Albannach. G was a bit dizzy for a minute, and we headed home shortly after that. Looks like a mild concussion and his neck is s bit out of place. Chiropractor is working on it and G is improving quite a bit already.

Sept 9, Sherlock was out at the far end of paddock with 3 smallest ponies, hanging out. Good to see him getting some social time. Hurried in when called, even trotting to be sure he beat everyone to me.  Fed by trailers and worked on faster walk on leadline. Manager T told me during the rainy evening the ponies hid in the shelter while Sherlock ate all the hay he could get for about an hour before they realized he was eating and they weren't, and braved the rain. 

65%?