71 Days

So just after Ozzie got kicked, and we knew we would have at least 90 days off many well meaning people told me "The first 30 days will be the toughest."

Well they were full of it. Well meaning, but not correct.

The final 30 days are the worst.

Ozzie looks amazing and feels even better. He is ready.

Last week I felt a little down - frustrated that he can't be let out to gallop around - he was getting testy too and I was worried that he would need some "re-training." He was moving around a lot at the tie rail during grooming, not standing. Urgh. But yesterday he was fabulous. So it's the ebb and flow right, he's going through this too.

We have our xray scheduled for July 9 - and it will tell us if 90 days (July 17) will be enough time off, or if we need more time. I'm hoping that the xray looks fabulous and I get clearance for Ozzie to live in the big paddock, and we can start working out of the spit and fire that's built up.

So last Wednesday we went for a nice hand walk with friends up the road to the cow barn. He was a really good boy, enjoying the jaunt out. Cruised right through the muddy creek ready to keep going.

Yesterday we were out for a short walk and some other horses got turned out in a pasture next to us. They were galloping around, and toward us on the trail. Ozzie threw up his head, stuck his tail straight up, so it flew over onto his back - I think I laughed out loud. And snorted so loud, I think his whole throat vibrated. He wanted to run with those horses so bad. He still kinda listened to me, and I got him doing a few circles to occupy his mind a little...

So we are really in the home stretch - although I'm keeping open in my mind the possibility that we may need more time off (even though my gut says we are good to go).

I'm looking forward to the videos I'll get the first day in the round pen and the first time he's turned out in the big paddock. Oh Boy... it'll be fun to watch.

Here's a snapshot from yesterday, after his snorting.

Chomping at the bit

 So tomorrow is 60 days since Ozzie was hurt. And he’s been such a good boy, until now. On our walks he’s getting a bit full of himself, as our ranch manager likes to say. He pushes around in front of me when we walk past the barn, and he’s just not responding to me very well. When I enter his stall, he is eager to leave it. That’s great right? But he stands right at the stall gate, and I have to put my hand up, and stomp my feet quite emphatically to get him to back up at all. Most times I actually have to push him back. Not ideal.

Ozzie looking good at 58 days post injury. He's ready to go and is making his boredom known. 

And on Saturday he bit me. I was scratching his ear and he reached over and nipped the nice fleshy part of the inside of my arm. It did not break the skin, BUT it sure did hurt, and I’ve got a nice little round dark bruise. Later, I was taking the currycomb down his shoulder and he came around to bite again, and how ever I reacted spooked him, and we had a minor pull back reaction. Just a moment or two. He settled down quickly.

I need to change it up. We are in the home stretch and when we get the clearance to add some trotting, lunging and are clear for me to get on his back, I don’t want our relationship to have gone to pot. And I need to keep doing the things with him that I don’t want him to get rusty on.

So today, I’m giving him the psyllium bucket first (just doing this as an annual “treatment” to help move out any sand), instead of after our walk. And instead of just walking around the ranch, we are going to walk in the arena over poles, work on backing up away from me, and some other groundwork at the walk. Tomorrow, I think I’ll put his saddle on, and maybe leave it on for the groundwork.

He sure looks great, the leg is doing well and he takes any opportunity to trot a few steps. I’d love to hear about any groundwork tasks that are good to do at the walk, to keep reinforcing good practice between Ozzie and me.

July 17 will be a full 90 days. The countdown begins.