April 30-Bath day, rides #102-104

4/18 Grain/Cosequin/Cool Calories/Flaxseed. Ate well, I groomed him and changed from heavy blanket to rainsheet. No preciptation but it's still muddy- maybe he will stay a little cleaner with the sheet on.

4/19 Ride #102. 45 minutes outdoor arena. Nice ride with trot poles and some strong trots, with Luna following. Sidepass around cone. Was quite scared of Dusty lurking by the arena fence! Grazed 10 minutes and gave Grain/Cosequin/Cool Calories/Flaxseed combo. Pasture all ahoo due to Lady living in round pen today. Dusty and Brownie aggressive at gate when I took Sherlock out, better when we came back in.

4/20 Came in nicely from pasture for grain and grazing in in-between zone. I think the little clover like plants that are his favorite are alfalfa coming up. Yum yum. Saw fox crossing the driveway today!

4/21 2pm came in from pasture well, Grain/Cosequin/Cool Calories/Flaxseed plus some grazing time. Flies were bad so I went back for fly mask and caught him again for mask. He was great. Flyover of 4 military helicopters didn't interest him very much. 3 single-rotors and a big 2-rotor. Saw the big one landed at Longmont Airport! Saw the whole crew again heading South when I was in Louisville.

Before bath.

4/22 Ride #103 BATH! Bucket bath with minimal soap while he ate his grain. Took him and grain outdoors for to dry, while I shortened his mane and cleaned it up. When dry enough I rode 10 minjutes bareback, working on bending w/t. Then let him roll in the arena. Looking skinny after a couple big storms and paddockmate changes.

After bath! 

4/23 Grain/Cosequin/Cool Calories/Flaxseed plus some extra hay in paddock.
4/24 added Ulcergard to grain today- no CoolCal. Grazed.
4/25 Ulcergard grain day 2/4. Grazed
4/26 Grain/cosequin with added alfalfa pellets. Increased grain. Good manners. Rainy and cold again.

4/27 Ride #104 30 min indoors. Sherlock jumped something in the paddock running to me when I called- Ditch? Log? He looked good! Grain, hay. Sherlock was a bit grumpy about girth but we went slow. Bending lines, trot 10 steps, trot 20 steps, trot once around. Several reps. Practiced drifting hind end out on turns, turn on haunhes from a backup. Stand on one side of barrel, sidepass and turn on forehand until on other side of barrel facing the same direction as before. After ride practiced "touch" command with hand, pole, barrel, ball and mounting block. Getting very smart!

4/28 Snowing AM. Got him blanketed before he got wet. Not really that cold so did rain sheet. Very grouchy about blanket- biting and bucking- but after Banamine was his old self.

4/29 Snowing AM.  When I got there Sherlock was soaked through his rain sheet! Shaking cold - got him in and pulled rainsheet off in indoor arena through threats to kick and nasty faces. Left him there while I got the grain out and soaked. Watched him pacing, pawing and rearing up while I got ready. Took him a handful of hay and he walked politely with me to his grain with day 3/4 Ulcergard. put backup blanket on and towel-dried him off, then put heavy blanket on.  H arrived and asked me to put him back with Joe, Tashi, and Scout instead. Grey and Brownie don't let anyone else in the shelter. Happy to do that!

4/30 Light snow AM. Back in top next-to-arena paddock but has Joe, Tashi, Perry, and Scout with him! Yay! Much more peaceful group. Groomed, cleaned muddy feet, trimmed mane and bridle path. Thinning shears worked great on bridle path! Looks very nice and he tolerates the lighter sound better than a normal scissor. Day 4/4 of my Ulcergard supply. Hard to tell if it helped with such a small sample that I was not able to give 4 days in a row, in such a high-stress time with bad housemates and bad weather.
Enjoying watching some Rolex eventing  and cleaning house in prep for Second Thanksgiving this weekend!

April 17- ride #100, 101

Heading back out to pasture

3/21 ride #100- hooray a milestone! Sherlock was very fussy for cinching up, worked indoors on fitness. Trotting 3x around arena then a minute to catch his breath playing with the tarp, cones, ball, hula hoops, whatever he could grab and fling.

3/22 Groomed, grain with Banamine as snow is coming again. Talked to another boarder who I hadn't really met before about TBs. She follows the current racers. Cool.

3/24 Grain, Snow. Sherlock was eating the snow so I hiked/slid down to check the water tank. It was fine. ?

3/25 Grain. Still very muddy and slick. Groundwork day, leading over pole, then did a teensy crossrail, dragging stuff, turning around barrels, mounting block.



3/27 Ride #101. Grain, groomed. Rode 20 min indoor bareback. Walking, stretching my sore back. Good for mounting, played with tarp with anxious horse watching him. Very good boy.

3/28 Grain, grooming. Moved to Eagles paddock. New eldery horses arrive tomorrow.

3/29 Grain w/Banamine. Groomed, very sore belly but improved. Great for farrier! Really perfect. LF angle has turned a bit negative to where it usually is. She worked on fixing that.

3/30 Muddy, rain/snow mix. New pair hogging shelter. Sherlock wore rain sheet but seemed fine

4/1 Grain. Out in East Pasture, called him in easily though he missed me at the middle gate and went to the one they use to go in at night, then had to come back. Everyone enjoying first turnout in a while!
PM Barn called- Sherlock resting LH and walking very stiff. I got there and checked, Walking wobbly/stiff downhill (remember he was just trimmed). No obvious sore spots, wounds, swelling. Didn't want to take weight on LH for hoof cleaning but once he did he was fine. Grain with 1g Bute.


4/2 AM came early for grain with Bute. Sherlock did his stretches, back up, haunches yield. Swollen L side neck just at shoulder. Walk and trot on longe very stiff, twisting L hock and making it pop every step. Reduced forward range of motion. No turnout for you today.
Came at Lunchtime for Barn meeting. Grain with Buteless, Cosequin and wormer! Walked better, walked over poles and turned. Less stiff more willing. Sore walking uphill to paddock.

All my attempts came out like this.

4/3 Grain with Bute, cosequin. Walking better, not as unbalanced-looking. Hand-stretched all legs, did very well.

4/4 AM Grain with Bute, cosequin. Walk/Trot sound, if a bit stiff. Downhuill well, turned out to pasture!

4/5 Vaccination clinic. Rabies, 4-way, West Nile. Well-behaved, barely noticed vet as he had some extra hay. Stiff turning but otherwise sound. Grain w/ Cosequin.

4/9 Grain w/Cosequin all week. Doing well. New bite mark not breaking the skin L back right close to the spine.

4/10 Grain between the East and Meadow Pastures, some grass there now. Galloping the pasture looks great.
4/11 Exactly the same but now when I leave sherlock hangs around the middle gate trying to figure out how to get to that grass. Sorry, my boy.


4/12 Grooming, grain/cosequin. Light w/t free longe over poles. Dr Deb came and adjusted Sherlock, he was great for her. A few faces when she was working on the R side. T1 bilat, also withers bilat, low back, SI joint. Walked well after, kicking out with LH after adjustment but settled.

4/15 Grain/Bananine. We did stretches, walk over poles and coached "touch" with both ball and mounting block.
English saddle fitter Bev came today!  Sherlock was still sore ribs on R side. But he is very even bilaterally with good even mucle development. Long withers dropping slowly down his back.Wide shoulders but not as wide in the back. Change to MED gullet using my good sheepskin pad and recheck in 3 months. He was excellent for her and she loved him. Blanketed for storm coming

4/16 Sherlock was the only one still eating in the snowstorm. Everyone else in shelter. Gave Grain. Added Cool Calories and some Ground Flaxseed to convince him to eat the CoolCal. Blanket looked soaked through but he was not wet. Dried his neck and face while in barn. Nicely behaved. Got partway into shelter as I left.

But I LIKE my food on the floor!