Spontaneous Healing

Wow - it has been far too long since I last wrote on here! Vacations, busy schedules, have kept me away.

I rode Sweetie briefly last weekend - she was very good - we just walked around in the field a bit. And I rode Rocky this morning - lots of trot circles/figure 8's. He was also very good. Sammie has ridden Arthur a handful of times - our new favorite thing is to walk him down to the pond/"tank" and back up to the barn.

The good news is that Penny has been on her treatment, "Marquis", for EPM for about 2 weeks and I can already see the difference in her demeanor! She is much perkier and happier in general. Her hind end seems to be moving more naturally - not such a hesitation when we go in/out of her stall. I played with her a bit this morning. Only about 10 minutes of "work" if you can call it that - I played some Parelli games with her, and then asked her to go both ways on a circle, first at the walk and then at the trot. To the left seemed a bit harder on her. (Her "lame" leg is her LH). You could also tell when moving her hindquarters around that she would not cross over her back legs to move that way like she would to the right - a clear sign of lameness. But she finally did cross just barely one time and we quit there.

I also need to get Penny ready for Sammie to ride, and so I practiced mounting/dismounting a few times with Penny. She was so good, let me lean over her on my belly and scratch her everywhere before swinging my leg over.

And then the good news about Arthur's facial paralysis - over the last two weeks, I have started to see some improvement! His ear is now moving with the other ear at about 85% capacity it seems, and his nostrils are now about even instead of the right one drooping down lower, and his lower lip on the right is only drooping the smallest amount now in comparison. I'm so glad I didn't attempt to put him through an expensive treatment/surgery to correct this and that things are improving so well! It really is amazing to see. I was so worried about him for a while.

The other thing that has happened is that about a week ago, we finally got some rain here in TX. So the drought grass full of sugar has started to come up, and I have had to keep Arthur & Penny up in a dirt paddock so that their laminitis issues don't flare up. Thank goodness they keep each other company so well! They are enjoying all the hay and their feet are not aching, so I know I'm doing the right thing. In a week or two, I will start letting them out for a few hours in the morning, and work up to being out at night again. All for now!