Liebster Blog Award

Liebster Blog Award!

I'm so excited to be nominated!  Thanks so much to Hawk at Forging Fiction for the nod, I've never been nominated for a blog award :-)

How to accept the award: The Liebster Blog Award is a way to recognize blogs who have less than 200 followers. Liebster is a German word that means beloved and valued. Here are the rules for accepting the award:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and include a link back to their blog.
2. List 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the 11 questions given to you.
4. Create 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate.
5. Choose 11 bloggers with 200 or fewer followers to nominate and include links to their blogs.
6. Go to each blogger's page and let them know you have nominated them.

11 Facts about me:

1. I was born on April 15th, which is, of course, Tax Day. 
2. I love Sushi, I could literally eat it almost every day. 
3. I've owned a boa constrictor and a ferret as pets.
4. I'm a huge NFL Football fan, particularly of the Green Bay Packers.
5. One day, I'd like to have my own farm, so I can see my horses when I wake up AND before I go to sleep. 
6. My favorite color is Green, which is convenient because it's one of my "horse colors."
7. I love Photography and wish I could do it as a profession.
8. I've watched every season of Sex and the City at least 5 times.
9. I talk to my horse... like out loud. 
10. I once rode a cross-country course in 100 degree heat with a very recently broken nose. 
11. My favorite movies are mostly historical, Gladiator, Braveheart, Lincoln... 

Questions for me:

1. What is your favorite childhood memory?
The first time I jumped at a horse show.

2. If you could have a super power, what would it be?
The ability to be in two places at one time.

3. You have one wish - what would you do with it?
To travel to every country in the world.

4. What is your favorite color?
Green

5. What are you most passionate about right now?
My horse.

6. You win the lottery.  What is the first thing you buy?
Horse farm with house.

7. What is something that intimidates you?
Super pretty "girly" girls... seriously.

8. What is a quote that best describes you?
“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”― Friedrich Nietzsche

9. If you had a week off from work, what would you do?
Catch up on all the things I keep meaning to do, but never find time for...

10. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
Ireland.

11. What is the most dangerous/daring activity you have ever partaken in?
Does holding a Tarantula count?  :-)


11 questions for nominees:

1. Why did you start blogging and who in real life knows that you blog?
2. Black or brown tack?
3. Favorite Comfort food?
4. Favorite Color?
5. If you could ride any horse (living or not), who would it be?
6. What other pets do you own?
7. What is your "hidden talent?"
8. You win the lottery, what would you buy first?
9. You can travel anywhere, for an infinite amount of time, with an infinite amount of money, where do you go?
10. You're intimidated by?
11. Favorite movie?

11 bloggers: I wasn't sure at this point who had been nominated, I tried not to pick those who had, but if this is one of multiple nominations, I'm sorry!

1. Kelly at Princess Diva Diaries
2. Karly at All In
3. Martha at (Re) Training as an Adult Eventing Rider
4. Mary at Simply Horse-Crazy
5. Syd at From Racehorse to Princess
6. Redheadlins at My Mojito
7. Lauren at She Moved to Texas
8. Sarah at Collecting Thoroughbreds
9. Suzie at Diary of a Young Horse
10. Kelly at Dressage Pony
11. Hillary at Equestrian at Hart

Building Blocks

Alex and I have been working in the surcingle for the last few days with some success.  The crud on his back is fully healed and he seems to have only minor intermittent sensitivity to medium pressure without the muscle relaxer.  Although he's still girthy and grouchy at times, my vet doesn't think it's ulcer episode, since he's eating, drinking normally and generally appears to feel better.  Tonight I tried tightening the surcingle very slowly tonight and stretching his front legs out in front of him to keep any of his skin from getting pinched.  I will probably give him tomorrow off and then lunge him in the surcingle again on Thursday.  If that goes well, I would like to put him back in full tack on Friday.  I've also decided to try him in my other saddle, because I think the PJ might be too narrow for him (it always slid back a lot on him no matter how it was placed) and could have caused some back pain along with his hocks. 

Anyone else have experiences with a saddle being too narrow?  Tell me your signs, symptoms and remedies, I'd be really interested to compare.

The Back On Track back blanket will be here next week, I'm not sure at this point whether we need it, but still want to try it to see if it does anything for him. 

The crud on Alex's legs is also slowly healing and there hasn't been any stocking up for several days.  I since I used multiple things, I can't say that it was the Vetericyn or the "concoction", but I will say I think the "concoction" + Desitin really is helping.  So here is what I have been doing for the crud on Alex's legs/pasterns:

Legs:
Scrub with Iodine shampoo, pick off any scabs, let shampoo soak for at least 5 minutes, dry legs and coat with Gold Bond powder (I use the spray powder, but the other stuff works too).

Pasterns:  Scrub with Iodine shampoo, pick off any loose scabs, let shampoo soak for at least 5 minutes, dry, spray with Vetericyn, cover/rub in with the "concoction," cover with Desitin.

I have been doing this pretty much every day, but may slow down once he heals a little more.

"The Concoction" contains the following in equal parts:

Triple Antibacterial
Antifungal (like what is used on human feet)
Hydrocortisone

Make sure you use all creams so they mix evenly (the ointments don't mix well)

Thought this might be useful for others in the same boat!

I'm Baaack!

Yeah, Alex would never put up with this!

... from my beach vacation and ready to get back to my blogging.  I returned to find Alex nearly free of the dreaded crud on his back.  As expected E had taken very good care of him in my absence for which I thanked her profusely.  Unfortunately, he was still battling a pretty bad case of crud on his hind pasterns, the right hind in particular.  Google to the rescue! I found that others had some success with a mixture of triple antibacterial, hydrocortisone, anti fungal and Destitin creams, so that is what we're currently using, after a scrub with Betadine shampoo and a spritz of Vetericyn beforehand.  This concoction seems to be working, but we're only three days in to treatment. 

Alex also seems to be feeling better about his back, we've been lunging with just a bridle Sunday, Monday Tuesday and tonight (we started right tonight for a change of pace) and he looks pretty comfortable.  He's also less sensitive to medium pressure in the areas that were previously uber sore, so I am hoping we're still moving in the right direction.  He only really flinches when he"knows" I'm going to poke, prod or scrub him, he's tired of it and I can totally understand how he feels.  Poor guy has spent more time in that wash stall since his arrival than practically any other place in the barn!  Alex is such a sensitive guy that I think a lot of what goes on with him is remembered pain,  which of course makes me feel like a bad horse mommy that he was ever in pain, but c'est la vie I suppose.

Next week my goal is to get him back into the surcingle/side-reins and see how he feels about having something on his back.  We'll be using the muscle relaxant recommended by my vet for a little while to keep him super comfortable as we keep progressing back to regular work.  I don't want him/us to have a bad experience that pushes him back into pain mode before I can help him build his back muscles back into shape; he's such a "thinker," I'm certain that would be a set back.

I think I'm also going to buy a Back on Track Back Pad and see what that does for him.  I figure I can always sell it on EBay or something, if I don't feel like it helps.  I can't afford a full BOT blanket, so we will start with the Back Pad.

Hope everyone is having a fabulous week!

Vacation and Anniversary

This is what it looks like when I'm gone for a week...

 

This week I'm on vacation in St. Augustine, Florida.  I was really torn about leaving Alex for 7+ days while he has this skin infection (crud) going on and I was still uncertain about his back soundness, but I didn't have much of a choice.  Luckily for me E, my barn buddy graciously agreed to keep an eye on the big guy and give him a few scrubs to keep the crud from taking back over.  This is the longest I've ever left Alex (our previous record was 5 days) and I have to admit I was/am a little nervous.  BUT, I know E will take great care of him in my absence, so really there's nothing to worry about :-)

 

On another subject, June 1, 2013 marked one year together for Alex and I.  It has been a roller coaster of a year from the never ending abscesses to the hock injections/back injections and crud, but it's all been worth it... The planner in me feels like we haven't accomplished much, but then I have to remember the first year coming off the track for an OTTB is full of ups and downs... AND... we'll get there.

 

I love my big man more every day and hopefully we're going to get back on track once the crud is defeated.  Can you tell I already miss him?  ;-)

 

 

Injections Complete

So it's been a little over 24 hours since Alex had his back injected.  I would say he's 80% improved just from his non reactions to medium pressure. He does still have one spot where he is moderately sensitive (it was his worst spot) which I'm hoping will continue to improve.

Tomorrow we'll start back with some light lunging and see how he feels. My vet said I could lightly ride him on Friday, but I think I'm going to play it safe and lunge him a few days first while checking his back for soreness.  I really hope this works, I've been ripping my hair out trying to get him comfortable.

Today I found that he had some "crud" on his withers/back and that made me feel like the worst horse mommy ever. Gonna have to get to work on that tomorrow when I can bathe him.

Now I have a question for my followers... I'm considering buying a Back On Track blanket (I think it's called a Back Blanket). I know some of you use BOT products.  What do you think of them? Particularly interested in those that use them for back/muscle soreness. Worth the hype/price? Lay it on me! :-)

The Downward Spiral

I realize its been a wee bit since my last post... sorry about that, but as per usual, when something big is going on, the frequency of my posts suffer.  Maybe someday I'll learn to use my blog properly!

For the last three weeks or so, Alex and I have been having a lot of trouble with the canter.  He'd either buck or depart rocking and throwing his head up.  At first I thought it was behavioral/strength related, maybe he was just weak in the back end, having trouble balancing.  I spent several very frustrating nights wondering what I was doing wrong. 

Finally I decided it had to be pain related and called the vet.  After examining Alex and watching him jog, he pronounced him in need of hock injections, which we did the same day. 

Alex returned to light work after a day off, and a day of lunging. Both trot and canter felt great although there was a little anticipation, and I thought our troubles were over.  

A week ago today, I went out to ride after giving Alex the weekend off and it was bad... he would canter and then buck and run sideways almost into the fence.  The vet came back out the next day, pronounced him back sore, gave me some muscle relaxers to see if we could get him to relax and therefore alleviate some of his soreness.  I was told to ride him lightly on the flat and ask him to stretch. 

Wednesday we had an absolutely terrible ride even though I lunged Alex beforehand, as soon as I asked him to canter, he began alternating bucks and rears and felt like he was going to fall over with me.  This was not a behavioral thing... this was extreme pain.  After talking to the vet again (I'm sure he's probably tired of me by this point) we agreed to continue the muscle relaxers for a week, working him only from the ground and see if things improved. 

I saw slight improvements with the meds, but Alex was still tender to even medium pressure on his back, definitely didn't want to be ridden and just generally appeared to be uncomfortable.  Apparently he'd been compensating for pain in his hocks (which are just perfect now) and really done a number on his back.

Since the pain he's in is not likely to subside entirely with rest and Alex seems to be in so much pain, I've decided, with the vet's guidance, that he's going to have his back injected.

This whole thing has been so depressing and frustrating, which is why I just haven't had the heart to blog.  All I can hope for now is that this finally gets him some relief.

Rolex Show-Jumping!

Sunday brought Rolex Show Jumping with alternating cloudy and sunny skies.  It was a tough course, I think there were only four double clean rounds!  My favorite photos are below :-)

My Favorite!

 

 

Andrew Nicholson and Quimbo
Winners Rolex 2013

 Despite the interesting start, it was a great weekend, can't wait till next year!