Dr. Cawley was out to see Sargent yesterday. On the morning of day #3 of the Brent Graeff clinic, Sargent’s left stifle locked up. When it unlocked, there was a loud pop followed by severe lameness. I was devastated! Sarge has had leg issues come and go. Seems like now that I am working him more, there are more issues. I was beginning to fear that he may not be a rideable horse! In today’s economy, the future of a non-useful horse is not too promising. I am SO attached to Saragent, I spent 3 days anguishing over how to proceed. Then my vet came…
The lameness following the stifle lock-up will heal fine. She prescribed him one week off training, Bute 2x/day and a dexamethasone/furisone/DMSO ointment messaged into the joint daily for 1 week. The bigger issue is his recurring leg problems. Well…he does have poor conformation, toes out in front, cowhocked in rear, over-reaches. But, these issues can all be compensated for with FITNESS. Sargent has virtually NO muscle in his hips or shoulders. We need to put his training on hold and I must become his Personal Trainer. Sargent and I need to get fit together. If figures I fell in love with an animal as imperfect at I am! It doesn’t help that he was malnourished for the first year of his life. He had a poor start, but not it’s time for tough love, LOL!
Dr. Cawley gave me a list of exercises to help build Sargent’s muscle strength…lounging/sending over cavalettis, lounging/sending up and down hills, backing him in hand the full length of the arena. She suggested beginning with 10 minutes of cavaletti work, 10 minutes of hill work and backing the arena x2. This workout will be done 3-4 times weekly. Slowly, I will build him up to double time for cavaletti and hill work and 4 arena length back ups. Since all of this will be done with me on the ground, I will also improve my own fitness.
Dr. Cawley also suggested I find a quality gaited horse trainer to help me assist Sargent in finding his gait once again. He did a great running walk when I first began ridding him, but now he only paces. I found a Parelli instructor on-line that also specializes in gaited horses. I will plan to purchase his DVD’s on gaited training. He does things the natural way and that’s how I want to train Sarge. Additionally, she suggested I put him on Cosiquin. I ordered some from Valley Vet today on-line. I also bought some cavaletti stands and an amino acid muscle building supplement. I am committed to helping Sargent reach his full potential.
Unfortunately, we will have to miss the Dennis Reis Ohio Tour Stop on September 11. Sargent and I will not be ready for the evaluations. I hope we are up to participating in the Michigan Tour Stop on September 25/26. I think we’ll make it!
