Hippotherapy - Got The Kinks Out

I had hippotherapy this morning with Robin. I was very stiff and sore before I left the house and even thought about canceling my appointment - but I was glad I went. As I did the exercises on horseback, I could feel the tight muscles start to relax; to the point, I could do all of the stretching exercises with no problem. As I have said before hippotherapy is wonderful and without it I would not be back in the saddle.

I was tired when I finished so I didn't ride Bouffe, but still brought him in to be groomed. I worked on his cracked heel and fed him carrots as we went. He is such a nice horse and always seems appreciative for the extra attention he gets.

OTTB, Multiple Sclerosis - A Day of Rest

My MS has been acting up to the point that I think I may be having an exacerbation, only time will tell. But I still felt well enough to go to the farm and visit Bouffe. It was just as well that I wasn't going to ride because Bouffe's back was still sore. 

I had Leslie look at Bouffe's back and she thought it was arthritic caused by him trying to get off where ever the real problem is. She was going to look at him further today. She also suggested that I try Reiki on Bouffe. One of the boarders is certified in giving Reiki treatments and I should talk to her.

So, Bouffe got a bath and ate hay until he was dry. I also bought some corn oil, which Leslie is going to put in Bouffe's grain to help  him gain weight and his coat to shine. 

The next show is two weeks from this Sunday. I hope we will be ready.

OTTB, Multiple Sclerosis - The Ups and Downs

On Monday I was bragging about how well Bouffe and I were both doing. Well, forty-eight hours sure did change that. It is something I am used to and have experienced hundreds of times, but it is still a disappointment when it happens: My MS is acting up and Bouffe is not doing a well as he was on Monday. Typical examples of the ups and downs of horse training and Multiple Sclerosis.

First lets talk about Bouffe. His back is sore by his withers and his coat looks terrible again. The only explanation I have for the back issue is the fleece saddle pad, which I used on Monday instead of the usual quilted one. I did this expecting the added padding to help his back that has a tendency to be tender. But of course just the opposite happened. I imagine that along with the wither pad the fleece was too much padding and it all got bunched up. I did rub Bouffe's back down with Bigeloil and it was better almost immediately. 

As far as Bouffe's coat goes it was cloudy today and there was no sunlight shining off of it like there was on Monday, but it still looked rough. After doing some research I plan on taking Robins suggestion and have vegetable oil added to Bouffe grain everyday. It will help him gain some much needed weight and provide nutrients for a better coat. Since it is so high in fat it will also help Bouffe's energy level, but I hope not too much. 

As far as I go, my energy level had been depleted by the time I finished grooming and putting the Bigeloil on Bouffe. But still I walked him up the hill to the indoor arena and while still holding him with the shank I let him walk around in there. The highlight of the day was he wasn't afraid this time! I then took him to the round pen and free longed him both directions at a trot. He was sound and traveled better than last week, even though he didn't want to go in a clockwise direction without me making him, which was the finally to my energy. From there I limped back down the hill and turned Bouffe back out. I was so exhausted that I had to sit for five minuets before I could put the grooming supplies and the saddle (which I had gotten out expecting to ride) away. I then drug my exhausted body back up the hill and got in my car. 

All of this was an experience I wasn't expecting when I left to go to the farm this morning. Maybe Friday will be better. 

OTTB - Spurs, No Nose Band and Counterclockwise

Today, Bouffe went the best he ever has since I have owned him. But three things had to be happening: I had to be wearing spurs, Bouffe was not wearing a nose band and we were traveling counterclockwise around the ring. Three things that are learned behavior from ten years on the racetrack. 

Now the spurs, no, not all exercise riders wear them and Bouffe could still be testing me on that one. But on the racetrack itself and even walking around the shed row everything is always done in a counterclockwise direction and Bouffe would be very happy if it stayed that way. But one thing Bouffe is going to have to learn to like is traveling clockwise in the ring. We worked on that today and even trotted but he wasn't happy and we changed to a counterclockwise direction to end the session on a positive note.

I know Bouffe wore a shadow roll when he raced, but from his high head carriage in this win picture, it wasn't doing much good.

That is also the way he carried his head when I first started riding him. And of course my first reaction was to use a martingale to help keep it down. WRONG! It was just amazing how, as soon as I stopped using a nose band his head went down to the proper level. If I hadn't paid attention to the fighting he was doing when the bridle with a nose band was put on, his head would still be up in my lap.

Bouffe did excellent in a counterclockwise direction completing one full turn of the ring at a trot without me asking him to do it. I also put a makeshift yoke on Bouffe, which because I could hold on to it, made all the difference in me being able to post and be on the right diagonal.

We also did our usual figure eights and bends in both directions. I have to say today was a very successful session. 
  

OTTB - No Nose Band

As disappointing as I was on Wednesday, that was how satisfied I am with today's session. Bouffe looked good today. His coat shone in the sunlight, and he had a great attitude about working.

I did have my spurs on, but I have worn them before and never got this type of response to my aids. The Passier saddle I didn't like on Wednesday, fit me perfectly today,  just by raising my stirrups two holes. My knees then fit into the knee pads, which gave me more support when Bouffe trotted. With a thicker saddle pad, along with the wither pad, the saddle fit Bouffe perfect too. But as crazy as this might sound, I don't think any of these were the reason Bouffe was more responsive today. It was the nose band, or lack there of. When I was putting the bridle on, Bouffe fought me, until I took the nose band off the bridle. He then opened his mouth and accepted the bit and bridle with  no resistance. Going without a nose band is learned behavior from the racetrack, where horses typically go out for their daily gallop without one and Bouffe showed me today that's the way he wants it to be.

I have to find out if I can show without one. The USEF says in equitation a nose and is recommended. That leaves a lot of room for interpretation, but I think Leslie will know for sure.

All an all, this was the best training session I have had with Bouffe since I owned him!

OTTB - Free Longing Success (Sort Of)

I knew Leslie had a round pen but I had never used it until today. I took the longe line and longe whip to the round pen before I got Bouffe. I was prepared for him to not know what to do; therefore, I might have to use the lounge line instead of free longeing him. But as has been the case so far Bouffe knew exactly what to do and trotted and walked on command while loose in the round pen. The only draw back being, he only wanted to go counterclockwise. I did get him to change direction for brief periods of time, but he was definitely telling me by his actions and his way of traveling that he preferred counterclockwise. I would say he wasn't lame or even sore behind. He just had a shorter stride in the clockwise direction. It was very hot, even early this morning, so our session only lasted fifteen minutes, which did at least give me a better idea of Bouffe's hind end problem. 

We are taking tomorrow and Sunday off, and I need to talk with Leslie first, but I hope to start back riding on Monday. 

OTTB - Good News and Bad News

The Passier saddle fits Bouffe great, but that was the extent of the good news from today's visit. It was very hot today, even at 9 am; so, I wasn't planning on riding even if the saddle fit like it did. 

After fitting the saddle I put the longe line on Bouffe and longed him as Leslie suggested. Going in a counter-clockwise direction, like at the racetrack, he was sound when he jogged and even cantered a little. But as soon as I had him change directions he balked, and not only didn't want to trot he wouldn't even walk without encouragement from the longe whip. When I finally got him to jog he was off again in his right hind and I stopped. 

I have been reading articles and books this afternoon about lameness in OTTB's and they all pretty much say the same thing... left front causes lameness in right hind and vice versa. If you look at Bouffe's photographs, you will see the osselets on both ankles along with white hair on his left front, which isn't an identifying mark on his Jockey Club papers. The hair on the left front turned white because somewhere along the way someone did something (blister, surgery, or the likes) to his ankle that killed the pigment in the hair. 

Where do we go from here? I'm not sure. The first thing I want to do is longe Bouffe in a bigger paddock so I can make the circle larger, which may help him move easier in both directions. Steuart  Pittman from the Retired Racehorse Training Project says, that continuing to lunge horses with problems behind helps, along with an equine chiropractor and massage therapist. I will start with the longing on Friday.