a time out, and Cairo turns 3

Happy 3rd Birthday, Cairo! 3/16/13

After Morgan's ride last Tuesday, which went really well, Lucy seemed sore and stiff and that is why we just did some low-key walking trail rides on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Friday I rode in the ring to see where we were at. She looked good on the lunge line, but threw a ton of bucks and romped around. When she had calmed down and was stretching out nicely, I hopped on. She started out feeling ok but then felt not quite right, and then felt lame.

I decided it is vet time so I made the call and set up the appt. I am concerned that if it were muscle soreness, she would most likely work out of it as she warmed up, but she felt worse and worse as the ride progressed. All we did was walk and trot, too. Maddy took some video for me and it looked like her right hind.

She got Saturday and Sunday off and I gave her bute both days, and then on Sunday afternoon I gave her some Ace to make her rideable without lunging first (didn't want to put a ton of stress on her body lunging if she wasn't feeling well). The Ace kicked in and I had a very nice, rideable horse...who was still lame. Notice the hitch in her RH, especially around corners.



The vet is scheduled to come out on April 3 for shots so she will get a little vacation and some hand walking, maybe walking trail rides if we get a really nice day, and as long as things don't worsen we will wait until then. I emailed my vet and included the video and she assured me that Lucy would survive until April 3. She trots around her paddock and looks sound, and stands square on both hind legs in the barn aisle and in turnout, so I am not tooooooo too worried. I let her loose in the indoor today to have a roll and she trotted around a bit and looked totally fine.

I am wondering if Lyme disease may be a factor since she seems sore through her whole body and the "lameness" side of things seems to travel from leg to leg, but I will follow my vets advice in terms of diagnostics and I hope we will get some answers so Lucy can feel better and I can start enjoying her again.

In other news, Cairo almost broke my knees the other day:



Um yeah, OUCH, Cairo. I survived with a nice big bruise on my right knee cap and I felt like I got hit by a Ridgeback sized bus. She looks cute and cuddly but she is at least 75lbs!

I really can't stay mad at her for long...