Proper Alignment

Butterball and I have been on a bit of a farrier journey lately. Ben has been with his trimmer since August, more on that later as I always promise. But, I swear we're getting close. Butterball however, has been with three different farriers in that time frame. I'm crossing my fingers we've got the match right now with the third. 

I had noticed him standing over at the knee shortly after he was done last time. And he was mildly positive to hoof testers across his frog. He still looked sound. But part of the trick of him and Ben is that they move very well and have large, elastic gaits. So soundness isn't quite enough. Instead there is a constant evaluation of are they moving as well as I know they can. That feeling that he wasn't quite as floaty as he had been, combined with adding spurs while jumping because he just felt sticky, made me start to question his feet. 

My friend shot some rads for us, and unfortunately my feelings had been right. 

The alignment down through P3 isn't great and there's a load of toe there

Ben Ben's right front for contrast of how the angles should look

He's had that little bit of side bone since he was three

Same problem as the right

Ben also got some rads shot. And as shown above, his angles are perfect, but he was still positive to hoof testers. But it did give me warm and fuzzy feelings about my trimmer. She always asks how Ben has been doing and then really listens to the answer and thinks about what we could do better for him. 

My friend tactfully recommended I try out her farrier. I have to coordinate with people anyways since there is no electric at my barn, so we made plans to bring Butterball back a few days later when her farrier was coming out. 

And now he has 3D pads! 

Right

Left 

The Plot Thickens

Ben got checked today by his beloved vet. As soon as I got him to JT's, it was apparent he was horrendously foot sore just standing in the cross ties (mats over concrete). I don't think I'd noticed at home because there are mats over sand where we tack up. And I'd been doing some light lunging in the soft sand ring. We pulled his shoes and some sand had gotten between his leather pads and foot and he was very positive to hoof testers there. I had stared at him a couple times on the line wondering if he was off in front but it was subtle and went away if I pushed him forward.

I had acupunctured him Tuesday. He was pretty reactive to the needles, but his back was a lot less sore after that. His vet said the sudden stopping is usually foot in her experience. The hock/stifle/back usually causes a more gradual quit. Makes sense. So I still ignored his back like an asshole, but that's not why he was suddenly saying no. 

We did shock wave his back. His farrier is coming out tomorrow evening to get just plain shoes back on. We found a shimmed pad we're happy with one of JTs saddles with. We have a plan, again. Isn't that all you can do with horses? 

And he got his first clip of the season to get rid of his fluffy belly fur. He is SO GOOD to clip. Genuinely the best. And is so handsome and shiny.

Saturday he joined my husband and I on our evening walk. I put a chain on in case of hopping about, but didn't need it. And Ben was just thrilled to be taking a walk with us. He nailed the grabbing a bite of grass and then trotting to catch up again all without touching the end of the lead. Clever boy. He just had the most pleased, content expression on his face while strolling around the neighborhood, I loved it so much. 

With my relaxed lunging days while he wasn't getting a saddle put on we played more with hunting the pole and clicking when he got it right. He started to pick up on it and was pretty happy he learned how to get a treat to dispense. He's also gotten WAY better at woah on the lunge. Clever pony. 

So things go. Rocking Horse is still a big maybe. If it works, it works, if it doesn't, it doesn't. We'll see how shoes+jump school Thursday go. 

Getting all the help

Ben had his dual farrier/vet appointment this morning. Since he got worse last Monday, he's been mostly on stall rest with small bits of turn out with chemical help. His vet didn't want him romping too much if this was a ligament problem.

The good news? Not a DDFT lesion because he has no sensitivity to hoof testers over his heels. The bad? No obvious gas tracks of an abscess on rads. One suspicious area though. He was positive to hoof testers medially and laterally, worst over the nail holes. Medial has been the main problem, so who knows what's up with the lateral side. We pulled both front shoes and he's in for the next week. Poultice over the foot and over the coronary band, give an abscess every route to blow. 

His vet said she doesn't send horses to MRI that are that positive to hoof testers. Recheck next Thursday.

All we've been doing these days... He finally gained the last bit of weight he needed to though with all this rest