Staying Positive

Today Boomer was putting weight on the leg while resting.  Still limping/toe touching to move.  I was happy to see that his default resting posture was with both heels on the ground.

Its amazing how easily we take for granted the health of our horses.  Boomer gave me 300 endurance miles in just 5 months in 2010.  How incredible is that?  He has really turned out to be an amazing horse and partner.  

I will do everything I can for him.  We are lucky this injury is not going to involve invasive treatment.  No surgery or anything like that.  

The hardest part is the stall rest.  I know we have to do it.  The biggest thing I have learned through my reading is that tendons and ligaments heal s-l-o-w-l-y.  A horse will look sound way before the ultrasound will look clear.  So, trust the ultrasound, not the horse.  

I have nothing but time.  I am going to make a commitment to spend a minimum of 2 hours a day with Boomer while he is on stall rest.  I can clean his stall and do clicker training.  I can groom him and I can sit and read a book.  Point is, I'm going to spend time with him and not just abandon him in the stall.  

Once he is ready for hand walking, I will be more than happy to do that once or twice a day.  That was already our form of exercise lately, so no big deal!  Once the baby arrives, we will have to figure out some details for a few days until I feel up to getting back outside.  Though, it will be spring by then and I will be thrilled to go for a walk with Charley and Boomer and the baby!  I hope eventually we can add medical-teeny-tiny-turnout to the routine and I will be thrilled to sit under a tree and play with my baby girl while Boomer grazes and gets some outside time.  

We can and will make this work and I will stay positive.