Lame as a Duck

I’ve always wondered what the expression “lame as a duck” meant. Turns out it’s a political term that refers to a politician who no longer wields any political power as they are about to be voted out or have come to the end of their term. Nonetheless, I will still use it to refer to my horse, who is currently lame as a duck. Not that she’s lost her power… she’s plenty willing, just unable.

Probably a year after I got her I noticed that she had a small limp that appeared to be in the right hind leg. It was a really wet and cold February that year and I figured maybe it was just some stiffness from standing in a cold, muddy pasture. After the summer came, the limp would come and go and it was so subtle that unless you were really looking for it, you couldn’t see it. When I noticed it I would rub her down in liniment and it would go away for awhile. By the next winter we had moved to a new barn and she was to be stalled at night and the pasture was on high ground so it wasn’t going to get very muddy. I thought that would solve the problem, but it didn’t. By the following spring it was noticing enough and happening often enough for me to call the vet out.

When the vet showed up, I lunged Secret at a trot for almost ten minutes before she could see what limp I was talking about. She did a few flexions and determined that Secret, indeed, had a limp, but the cause was unclear. She suggested putting front shoes on. So a week later the farrier was out. Secret was a perfect angel for her first shoeing (and hot shoes at that!).

The limp seemed to get a little better, so I kept the shoes coming. By the fourth shoeing she had started misbehaving whenever the nails were driven. It was about this time that we again moved to yet a new barn. About two weeks after moving, just in time for Secret to be due for shoes again, my farrier had a stroke. A week later Tom Biewlawski, a fabulous farrier and an equally wonderful person, passed away… I know Secret and I both miss him and I’m sure he will always be fondly remembered by us and many other people and their horses.

Secret and I have since been through a string of farriers, with questionable results. So, I finally had the vet out again last week. This time we did more lunging and more flexions. She came to the conclusion that it was the right front foot that was the problem. Now, Secret WAS actually lame in the right front that day. Both the barn manager and myself stressed to the vet that she had always been lame on the BACK. But there was no arguing with what was before us. We did a nerve block on the front right foot and within minutes she was trotting around well. So, the suggestion was to put corrective “natural balance” shoes on the front to relieve any heel pain that she might have. That was Tuesday, on Friday the new farrier she had recommended came and put the shoes on. I should mention that she had also left me a sedative to use when the farrier comes because Secret has actually started rearing during the nailing on of the shoes. The sedative worked… she was so stoned the cross ties were holding her upright… the farrier was very happy.

The following Tuesday evening I went out to ride and… OMG she was lamer than ever! In the FRONT! She was actually doing the whole head-bob thing (ie. REALLY LAME) and could not turn to the right at all. I was devastated. I was frustrated. It’s gotten to the point that I feel like everything that I do just makes her worse! Would it have been better if I’d left her barefoot? Is she ever going to be sound again? How much money am I willing to spend to make her better? What if I can’t make her better? What will I do then? All of these questions ran through my mind in about 4 seconds. Then I pushed them aside because I had my board exam to study for and didn’t have time to dwell on it until afterwards. Nonetheless, I called the vet the next morning and she wanted to give the shoes at least a week before making a judgment on them.

My board exam was yesterday, so I went out today to check on her (this past Friday was a week… so it’s been 9 days of the shoes). I started by free lunging her in our new round pen (SO excited about that!). She looked better! I think there is still a little limp in the right front, but the head-bobbing is gone. BUT, I think the right hind looks off again. My trainer used the term, “dead lame in the back”. UGH UGH UGH! So, then I threw the bareback pad on to see if she would look worse with weight on her back. After trotting a few laps the back leg seemed to warm up and not look so stiff. So, I’m thinking that she’s better?? My trainer recommended calling the vet and letting her know exactly what we’re seeing and letting her make the call. So, the journey continues. I hope this duck can learn to fly again…

Mechanical Hackmore: tool or torture?

When I first got Secret she was being ridden in a plain O-ring snaffle bit. After I started riding her, I noticed A LOT of head tossing and bracing against the bit. She was only three at the time and I knew that she might be having some teething issues, so I went to a nylon Indian bosal. She rode really well in that for two years but then I decided that I wasn’t super happy with the release it gave and, therefore, its usefulness as a teaching tool. So, I switched to a cross under bitless bridle. For us, this was totally useless. She ignored it, ran through it, and was just generally a witch! At that point, about three months ago, my trainer suggested going back to a snaffle bit. Secret took the bit fine and didn’t brace against it like she used to. She was responsive to it, but she was still running through it.

So, my problem was getting her stopped once she decided she was going. I didn’t have a problem with steering and I really want her to learn to neck-rein because its easier on the trail. I did some research and decided to try a Jim Warner Hackamore.

The Jim Warner is a mechanical hackamore that looks more like a medieval torture device than anything else.  I talked to a lot of people at the tack shop about it before purchasing it and they had all positive things to say. But, afterwards I started reading about it on horse forums. The general consensus seemed to be that all mechanical hackamores are harsh and cruel and would only be used by the most inexperienced, insensitive, and inhumane horse person. Well, I’ve always subscribed to the theory that the bit is only as harsh (or as soft) as the hands, so I decided to give the evil mechanical hack a try.

My horse is so responsive and well-behaved in this hack that its mind-boggling!!! My goal is to eventually have her drop her head and travel down the trail pretty independently on a loose rein and when I do want to make a change I want her to listen to my body and seat BEFORE my hands. So, when I ride her in this hack I’m focusing on giving “steering” signals with (1) opposite rein against the neck, ie. neck reining, (2) body and legs, ie. turning my upper body, moving my outside leg back, and bending her around the inside leg, and (3) lastly very light pull and release, almost like a wiggle, on the direct rein.  She’s starting to pick up on the neck reining very well actually. I’m debating getting a horsehair mecate rein as I’ve heard that the tickle of it against the neck encourages them to move away from it… not sure if it will really help that much?

Secondly, when I want to transition down a gait or stop I’m focusing on changing my body language and even the vocal cue to get her to drop down and I only reinforce with the rein if she’s not responding. Even then it’s a very light pick up of the rein, not a jerk or strong pull. She has only gotten a really sharp yank on this hack twice and both of them were when she spooked and jumped forward into my hands. The good side of this was that the pressure from the hack immediately shut her down as opposed to her running through it as she used to do with the bit and the cross-under.

I had thought that shutting her down in a “spook” situation would only scare her more, I mean horses like to move their feet when they’re scared right? But, much to my surprise, it actually seemed to keep her calmer. Instead of being able to take off and work herself up into a frenzy she was forced to stop and realize that nothing was about to eat her (she is actually smart enough to figure this out pretty quickly if you can get her stopped and turned around!).

So, overall I’ve been VERY satisfied with this medieval torture device. We’ve made a lot of progress in our schooling since I’ve started using it. Best of all, Secret doesn’t appear to mind it… in fact, she seems positively fond of the thing! I have a hard time getting it on her, not because she’s shying away from it, but because she is forcibly shoving her head into it and getting her lip caught on the curb chain! I’ve never seen a horse so eager to get their bridle put on :D

Back in the (English) Saddle!

I haven’t been out to the barn much at all lately. In fact, I don’t think I’ve actually laid eyes on my horse in about two weeks before today. My board exam is coming up on July 23^rd and I’ve been using any spare moment to study. But, I felt as though I had made good progress this week and deserved a reward for being so diligent. So, I set up a trail ride with a friend for this morning at 9am.

Now, two weekends ago I had finally decided to get my western saddle restored. It’s currently in the possession of a very nice cowboy who’s working on it. That leaves me with my close contact M. Tolouse, which I LOVE and it’s very comfortable. But, I haven’t used it in awhile because Secret’s canter had been SO bouncy and I like the security of having something to grab onto on the western saddle. I was gonna HAVE to use it today, I’d left myself no choice.

I arrived at the barn and fortunately, as I hadn’t been out in awhile, everyone wanted to chit-chat, which bought me some time to psych myself out about the saddle and work up my nerve. Then it was time to groom. WOW… Secret was really dirty! It was like that sweaty, matted on dirt. Gross! I brushed out as much as could since she was still sweating and threw the blanket on, then the concussion pad, then the saddle (after wiping the mildew off), tightened the girth and climbed aboard.

I have to say I felt kind of silly. I had a definitely western-esque hackamore bridle with an English saddle. But I was somewhat comforted when my friend emerged with a dressage saddle and bridle, draw reins, and saddle bags!

We had a wonderful ride. It was all pretty much at a walk with a bit of trotting as my friend’s horse is still somewhat lame in the stifle. But, it was a great time. It was nice to go out on Secret and not feel like she could blow up at any moment. She was back to her old pokey self and I love it!

 After arriving back at the barn we entered the large outdoor arena so that my friend could work her horse over some cavelleti (gotta build up those muscles to help the stifle!) I trotted Secret around and it was SO hot that she was very calm about the whole thing. So, I made up my mind and told my friend, “I just want to try a canter down the long side. Just to try to start conquering my fear.” She moved to the center of the arena and I set off. She picked up the correct lead on cue and went right into her nice, slow, smooth canter. It’s hard to tell if it’s partially because it was so hot and she just didn’t want to expend extra effort or if it’s because her atrophied muscles are rebuilding post-chiropractor and she’s better able to use her back end. But, either way it’s wonderful!

About half-way down the long side she did get kind of squirrely. But, even at the trot she likes to jump off the rail right in that spot so I was kind of expecting it and since she was in such a nice canter that I didn’t slide even the slightest bit in the saddle. Then I turned around and cued in the other direction. Again she picked up to correct lead and we cantered a whole circle with a very nice bend! She has made such improvement in the last few months that I am absolutely astounded! At that moment, for the first time in a long time, I felt as though I was truly borrowing freedom, instead of fear.