Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Today's horse work had a couple of big ups and downs.

First I worked on trailer loading with Grace. I put a bucket of grain deep in the trailer as a reward if she did decide to get in. I've found that grain doesn't work to bribe a scared horse, so that wasn't my intention, I just wanted her to have a great experience if she got in there. Lo and behold, I walked into the trailer and she walked right in behind me. She really wanted that grain. She was afraid to back out so I got out to give her room, and when she was finished with her grain she turned around and looked at me. She didn't try to get out, she wasn't stressed, she was just taking in the scenery. When I took her lead and asked her to come out the step down was big and that kind of surprised her but wasn't really a big deal. What a horse!

Then I got Tonka out and saddled him and we worked for a little bit but he wasn't with me, he wasn't happy, and I was afraid he was going to come out of his skin so I got off and we went in the round pen. When I asked him to trot off I saw why he wasn't doing well. He's lame. At first I thought it was the leg that had had the tendon injury but when I looked closer I saw his hind end was all wrong. His EPSM is really bad after our work yesterday. So I walked back to the trailer totally dejected. I think I'm going to have to retire him, at least during the winters.

So tune in tomorrow for progress on Bella. I hope she's sound enough to be my riding horse.
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5 comments:

  1. Margaret1:37 PM

    I am so sorry about Tonka. Hopefully a winter break will be good for him. I really think many more horses could actually use this.

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  2. froglander8:09 PM

    Hope Tonka feels better :)

    I found a company in Florida that does genetic testing for the type of EPSM/PSSM that can be detected that way, thinking of having Cody tested just to see, not that he has had any symptoms, just want to be on the safe side.

    http://animalgenetics.us/wordpress/2010/12/testing-for-equine-polysaccharide-storage-myopathy-pssm/

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  3. Andrea -Mustang Saga8:20 PM

    Margaret, unfortunately time off doesn't really help him, and may make him worse. If he doesn't stay in condition he's more likely to tie up if he does have a sudden spike in exercise. But I'll be careful and start him into work again slowly in the spring, like I did last year.

    Krisit - Wow, I wish I'd known about that company before. I'm going to have to hang on to that link for future reference. Tonka's test was around $75. I can't wait to hear your test results. I'm sure it'll come back negative, but you're right, it is good to know. Maybe he and Tonka aren't at all related. That would be good! (Although I like to think of them as cousins)

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  4. Laughing Orca Ranch1:15 PM

    Yep. Ups and Downs. Bummer about Tonka. I hope he improves and that you'll also have Bella as a back up. Great moment with the trailer loading, though.

    ~Lisa

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  5. froglander6:35 PM

    I like to think of them as related too :)

    They also have one that looks like it could maybe tell what breeds comprise my mustang goofball, pondering that one.

    http://www.horsetesting.com/DNATyping.htm

    And I have the noseband in the car, but the day I had thought to try it I realized I forgot a chin strap so have to dig that up first. Thanks again for sending it!

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