Sunday, May 4, 2008

75% better!

Isn't Lester sexy looking in his fishnet sheet? That's his magnetic sheet that I put on him while I tack up, course I have to pull it back to his haunches when it's time for the saddle.

Dr. Matt was at the farm when I got there Friday- his wife is boarding her mare in the back pasture so he's there a lot. He takes a general interest in Less which is nice. I lunged him in side reins while Dr. Matt watched and he made the comment that he is at least 75% better! He said he looked pretty good, but that he had really weak ligaments in the hind end, and perhaps that is why he trips alot. He suggested hill work to tighten them up. Less has felt really good lately, he isn't fighting on the right rein nearly as much as he's used to. When I rode yesterday I had my Matt video us. I can still see some head bobbing and some short strides, but I do believe he is better:-) You decide.

Video from Feb 15 vs. Video from yesterday

I haven't been asking much of Less. His being *light* in my hands is all I ask for, I know he looks heavy on the forehand. In time I'll ask him for more.

I meant to give an update on Polo in my last post. He is still lame :-/ We don't have a clue what it is. X-rays showed nothing. He's not a good candidate for stall rest so we have continued to turn him out. I washed his right hind leg off again and doctored it because it was swollen again, but I know it's not *that* causing the real pain. Poor guy had so many tick bites on his thighs and between his but cheeks. I scrubbed and scratched and his little nose went to town with his head in the air, moment of sheer bliss:-) He's not one to really show emotion or admit he *likes* you or what you do for him, so it's always nice to see him react in a good way.

4 comments:

Never Say Never Greyhounds said...

Poor Polo! Glad Less is doing better though. Kind of nice to have a vet around so much, I'm sure.

Jen

cdncowgirl said...

Yay for Les! :) Something to check into... I've heard that backing a horse can help build strength in the hind end. I looked at your videos, I'm no expert (FAR from it) but he looked better to me too.

Regarding your magnet sheet... do you think they work and are worth the money? Why do you use yours and what kind of results do you get? I've been thinking of getting a sheet/boots but I can't find enough "evidence" other than that from the people who sell them (ummm, yeah so you want me to buy it, of course its great!)

And for P-lo. Have you thought of ultrasounding his legs? That's what the vets did for Cessa. Her "mystery" leg does show thickening in the tendons but she is sound on it so they think it is an old injury that swells once in awhile.

Anonymous said...

I've been coming by your blog every now and then to read about Lester's progress and his lameness.

I wrote a comment like a day after I first discovered your blog but with a computer glitch my, long, comment was lost. So I'm back again!

What is going on with Lester is almost identical with my OTTB, Ink. He does the SAME thing with his hind end sometimes when under saddle. Kind of like a tripping or 'dip' feeling. He has improved A LOT since I got him with exercise. He still appears a little short strided on the right side. I think that was the same with Lester? I lunge Ink over ground poles to help loosen his hind end and it seems to help as he appears better or somewhat normal strided after a little work. Some day are better than others. He has a consistant slight, almost un-noticable head bob 80% of the time. Some days are better and others he looks a little worse. I was reccomended to do hock injections and put him on a feed through joint supplement and go from there. Do you have any suggestions?

Reading Less' progress and his improvement from the previous and most recent video brought some light to a grim situation.

I'll be by more often and hope that Less continues to improve and I look forward to more posts!

All the best,
Keri

Maria Peters said...

He sure looks more steady. I'm glad he's doing better.

I have a question, tho', WHAT WAS MATT EATING when he was video'ing you? Apple? Carrot? LOL.