BeckyD
Well-Known Member
Hopefully you've all forgotten the various problems suffered by poor Ron over the last 19 months...I wish I had!
Anyway, to cut a long dreary story short, he seems to have made some unexpected improvement. We went back to Cambridge in January, and the vets thought he was very slightly lame (1/10th) both hinds plus right fore. This is obviously a big improvement on the 4/10ths of previous visits. The physio was pleased with his back, which showed far fewer sore spots that before.
So, vets say carry on, don't worry about the slight lameness which shows more as stiffness, after all he's been through we're lucky he's not more lame.
So I've carried on riding him and he's been in ridden work for 5 months now. The lameness does seem to ease after he's warmed up. So...with much trepidation I booked our first lesson since July 2008. New instructor, and I was prepared for him to say "that horse is lame, I'm not teaching you". Anyway, all he said was that there was slight unevenness which looked like tension, but which evaporated with more work.
The lesson was AMAZING! Ronnie was just brilliant. We can't do small circles so we did lots of work on lateral flexion through his neck on large circles and straight lines, in walk, trot and canter, plus bringing him in to more of an "up" frame instead of the long & low/deep & round that I alternate him between. I honestly do not deserve such a brilliant horse. We might even be able to get out and do some dressage
Whilst it's probably only a matter of time before he breaks again, I am going to enjoy every minute of riding him. I never, ever expected he'd come back to this level of work - or be so happy with it. He just keeps offering more and more and there's none of the old pain responses. I keep getting all emotional about it - in a good way!
Thank you everyone for being so supportive, especially Bounty, CBAnglo, Brightsyde, NeddyNesbitt and others whose ID's I've forgotten but whose kind words I haven't. Fingers and toes crossed the good news isn't too short-lived...!
Anyway, to cut a long dreary story short, he seems to have made some unexpected improvement. We went back to Cambridge in January, and the vets thought he was very slightly lame (1/10th) both hinds plus right fore. This is obviously a big improvement on the 4/10ths of previous visits. The physio was pleased with his back, which showed far fewer sore spots that before.
So, vets say carry on, don't worry about the slight lameness which shows more as stiffness, after all he's been through we're lucky he's not more lame.
So I've carried on riding him and he's been in ridden work for 5 months now. The lameness does seem to ease after he's warmed up. So...with much trepidation I booked our first lesson since July 2008. New instructor, and I was prepared for him to say "that horse is lame, I'm not teaching you". Anyway, all he said was that there was slight unevenness which looked like tension, but which evaporated with more work.
The lesson was AMAZING! Ronnie was just brilliant. We can't do small circles so we did lots of work on lateral flexion through his neck on large circles and straight lines, in walk, trot and canter, plus bringing him in to more of an "up" frame instead of the long & low/deep & round that I alternate him between. I honestly do not deserve such a brilliant horse. We might even be able to get out and do some dressage
Whilst it's probably only a matter of time before he breaks again, I am going to enjoy every minute of riding him. I never, ever expected he'd come back to this level of work - or be so happy with it. He just keeps offering more and more and there's none of the old pain responses. I keep getting all emotional about it - in a good way!
Thank you everyone for being so supportive, especially Bounty, CBAnglo, Brightsyde, NeddyNesbitt and others whose ID's I've forgotten but whose kind words I haven't. Fingers and toes crossed the good news isn't too short-lived...!
