2022 Riding Journey

#25 A Shorty Update...

So...

A month ago, I was getting Shorty ready for a bareback ride when I noticed his left front leg was slightly swollen.  It wasn't too obvious in the walk that he was lame, but in trot he definitely was.  

From there, it's been one, long, mysterious journey.  Shorty hasn't recovered, he's actually worse than in the beginning.  There's been times that it seemed like he was on the mend, only for him to go back.  It is stressful. 

A trip to the vet has resulted in us knowing that it's not an abscess, bowed tendon, infection, or something stuck in his leg.  We believe, though we're not sure, that it is a tendon sheath injury.  

There is not much information to be found on this type of injury.  What I have found is that it's much like a bowed tendon, in that it takes a long while to heal and he may only heal to a weaker state than before.  

There's not much we can do for him.  We've put him on Bute (ibuprofen for horses) to take away some of the pain.  Without it, he's just about crippled.  

Of course, I haven't been riding him.  

I count myself blessed that he hasn't done anything like this for the five years that I've ridden him.  He's been such a good boy through it all. 

I hope to start him on a mild exercise plan, which from what I know, will help him to heal more.  And hopefully, later on in late August or September, I was thinking we could start doing in-hand work.  It's something I've always wanted to try with him, maybe now's our chance.  

My hope is that we could go back into riding in time for a No Stirrups November challenge.  But I just don't know what will happen in these next few months.  This may end up being the start of his retirement.  I don't know.  

But I am grateful for the five years we had.  And also for just having a horse to love and worry over.