Thursday, January 28, 2010

Pony Power

Denali has been so calm lately, she's a totally different horse! There are a few variables that could be the cause of this.

A. She's being ridden consistently.

B. She's on new "calming" supplements (Ex-Stress, I LOVE IT!!)

C. EPM, she was this calm when it all started....

I read on another blog today about freaking out about something that turned out to be nothing... I'm hoping that if I freak out about this enough, that it will be fine. Last week I was working her in the round pen and she was stepping funny with her hind end. My heart stopped. I made her work harder and ignored it... Of course, my mind started running...

Last night I went and got her from her field. She was such a good girl walking in, she stopped to eat some grass, and I just gave her a little tug and she came with me. No fighting. No diving. Just listening. I love my horse.

I turned her out in the arena and she was walking SO FUNKY with her hind end, I noticed it right away. A girl from the barn (actually the one who got bucked off, did I mention that it was a diabetes black out?) noticed it too and asked me about it. I walked towards Denali and she started to trot, her trot looked normal. Then she went on her crazy rampage or running. She did this for about ten minutes and then I noticed that she was off on her right hind (my trainer thinks it's her left hind) regardless, she's off. I am hoping that it is on one side. She was tracking okay, and seemed to back up "ok." Still I really wish that she wouldn't do things that made me think that the EPM is back. I guess not "back" just not killed off. I figured that if I freaked out about it then it's not true.

Denali has been doing a lot of work, more than she's done since this summer so I'm hoping she's just sore. Sigh... The vet is coming out on Saturday to look at Ophie (Chiro adjustment) so I'm having her look at D too. It has been over a year since Denali's last (and probably first) adjustment. She wasn't very out then so I didn't put that as a priority on my list of things to take care of.

Here's hoping my crazy horse owner mind can convince myself it's A. I imagine this is how children are... you freak out over your first one's every sniffle, bump, and bruise...with your second you don't care as much.

10 comments:

Kristen Eleni Shellenbarger said...

Dont u love when they are calm out of nowhere..it's the BEST!!
I hope the EPM is gone for good..I may have missed it but how did she get it? Very scary for you and her.

Also..do u have an email signup for your blog? I follow but doesn't go to my email so I have to remember to come back to u and check things out.

xo

Becky said...

Once you have a scare EVERYTHING will remind you of it. Since Cheyenne coliced every time she rolls or acts too calm I freak out. Hopefully it's nothing & it's just you reading too much into unrelated symptoms. I'll keep my fingers crossed for her vet appointment regardless! It's ALWAYS something with horses, isn't it?

Anonymous said...

Totally agree with Becky... it's always something! I hope it's A as well, and I'm sure that there is a good chance it is. Keep us posted!

Brooke (FBX Adventures - In Parenting) said...

Thanks!! I'd love to figure out how to make an e-mail sign up!! I'm not sure how Denali got EPM. If you look back from September to November you can read lots about it. I need to go back and tag the entries with EPM so people can go check it out.

SprinklerBandit said...

I lunged Izzy the other day and she FREAKED out, to the tune of galloping and bucking and rearing and acting like a maniac. When she finally settled down, she was about a foot from tracking up behind, and usually her overstep is at least 2". I was terrified that I'd somehow ruined her when she stopped and looked at me.

She was just backing off because she was tired. Silly pony.

Denali sure has had bum luck lately when it comes to injuries.

Becky said...

You said "I am hoping that it is on one side." Does that mean if she's showing up lame on both sides it could be a sign of EPM? For some reason I always thought EPM was one sided but there's a good chance I'm entirely mistaken lol. Just curious! :)

Brooke (FBX Adventures - In Parenting) said...

If a horse is being "consistently inconsistent" which means that it you have a hard time telling where the horse is lame. Denali was being consistently inconsistent in October the way she was tracking. EPM effects horses differently, my understanding is it affects the back end on both sides, but it's hard to tell where they are lame. If that makes sense.

Brooke (FBX Adventures - In Parenting) said...

S.Bandit, I'm pretty sure Denali has been lame or injured continually since September. Sigh.

Frizzle said...

Keep your chin up, girl! There is light at the end of the tunnel, I promise! :-D
*goes back to working on Kevlar Body Armor For Horses*

Brooke (FBX Adventures - In Parenting) said...

HA HA HA!!! Frizzle, if you can figure out how to make it, I'll be first in line to buy it!