It's been nearly three years since the time I cantered Dottie under a rider and it felt like she was bucking. I tried again bareback in case the saddle was the problem, and when the problem persisted I decided her arthritis was too bad for her to canter any more. So she was put on walk-trot only. She was sent to Oregon after that, where her arthritis worsened and she was retired from work there.
I brought her home this past October and she was introduced to the miraculous HA shot that eased her arthritis and restored her usefulness. Several weeks ago I rode her again, and have had her out on the trails about three times before today, but only at a walk and the occasional spontaneous trot.
Today I took her out and we rode all the way to the wash and for the first time since 2009 . . . we cantered.
She fell in and out of it a few times but she actually cantered without any stiffness or hopping for quite a ways, then pranced all the way home. She's feeling great and I couldn't be happier for her.
She's so much spunkier than either of her daughters, yet completely controllable, stopping and standing any time I asked her to, but ready to move right out at the slightest touch.
I think I may offer her to my dressage trainer for their summer kids' program, I think she'd enjoy that. But it's clear to me that this horse is a lot happier being used than retired.
And that's the latest from the Ranch.
Riding 29 year old Sandy in 1997
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Final results on Dash's situation
No surgery.
The ultrasound today shows the ovary back to a within-normal-range size and the conclusion is that it was, indeed, a corpus luteum, although the largest one my own vet and two equine reproductive specialists he consulted with had ever seen.
But no need for surgery. And her symptoms of discomfort have disappeared. I think her urine volume is still a bit low but that may be the result of her emptying her bladder when it wasn't really FULL for the last four months so it may need to just stretch a bit. It may have lost a little elasticity in the meantime so I'm not overly concerned about that.
Anyway, it's a relief. While I was willing to do the spay, the last horse I sent to surgery never came home and there's always a risk of something going amiss in any surgery.
And that's the latest from the Ranch.
The ultrasound today shows the ovary back to a within-normal-range size and the conclusion is that it was, indeed, a corpus luteum, although the largest one my own vet and two equine reproductive specialists he consulted with had ever seen.
But no need for surgery. And her symptoms of discomfort have disappeared. I think her urine volume is still a bit low but that may be the result of her emptying her bladder when it wasn't really FULL for the last four months so it may need to just stretch a bit. It may have lost a little elasticity in the meantime so I'm not overly concerned about that.
Anyway, it's a relief. While I was willing to do the spay, the last horse I sent to surgery never came home and there's always a risk of something going amiss in any surgery.
And that's the latest from the Ranch.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Work gets in the way
I can't wait till Tuesday.
What's so special about Tuesday, you ask?
Tuesday is the end of tax season. The Suburban Cowgirl in real life is an accountant and tax preparer and these last two weeks have been crunch time for me, and it won't be over until Tuesday, the 17th. I'll spare you the explanation of why it is the 17th, not the 15th; you can thank the residents of Washington DC for that. Go Google it if you don't know the reason.
But to update the Dash saga . . . after consulting with some equine reproductive specialists and sending blood to the best lab in the country, the lab results did not indicate a reason for the ovary issue. So the specialist suggested treating it as if it were a lingering corpus luteum (google it) so she had a series of three shots this past weekend that will shrink it, if that's what this is.
Nobody seems to think it is, but better to treat what can be simply treated instead of jumping to surgery only to find it was just a CL.
So that's where we are now. Next Thursday we will do another ultrasound. If it did shrink, it was a CL, and all will be fine. If it did not shrink . . . it will have to come out.
Oh, BTW, we're getting snow Saturday. Those robins in my orchard lied. It's not spring at all yet, no matter what the calendar says.
And now I have tax returns to do.
And that's the latest from the Ranch.
What's so special about Tuesday, you ask?
Tuesday is the end of tax season. The Suburban Cowgirl in real life is an accountant and tax preparer and these last two weeks have been crunch time for me, and it won't be over until Tuesday, the 17th. I'll spare you the explanation of why it is the 17th, not the 15th; you can thank the residents of Washington DC for that. Go Google it if you don't know the reason.
But to update the Dash saga . . . after consulting with some equine reproductive specialists and sending blood to the best lab in the country, the lab results did not indicate a reason for the ovary issue. So the specialist suggested treating it as if it were a lingering corpus luteum (google it) so she had a series of three shots this past weekend that will shrink it, if that's what this is.
Nobody seems to think it is, but better to treat what can be simply treated instead of jumping to surgery only to find it was just a CL.
So that's where we are now. Next Thursday we will do another ultrasound. If it did shrink, it was a CL, and all will be fine. If it did not shrink . . . it will have to come out.
Oh, BTW, we're getting snow Saturday. Those robins in my orchard lied. It's not spring at all yet, no matter what the calendar says.
And now I have tax returns to do.
And that's the latest from the Ranch.
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