Just when you think that things can't get any worse, things happen to show you that they can.
Ben has now been on box rest for well over 5 months. I have actually lost count. He has been allowed 'controlled' exercise for the last 4 weeks, starting with 10 minutes in-hand walking per day, gradually increasing up to 30 minutes per day. This week he was allowed a rider.
I have completely lost my nerve handling him. Even on sedalin he is unpredictable. Most of the time he is donkey and then he will explode and then go back to being a donkey. Not many people had seen his explosions and I am sure they all thought I was exaggerating.
I couldn't bring myself to ride him, so asked one of the yard staff to help me. The girl I asked is a lovely rider. Really quiet and gentle, but has a good seat and a confident attitude. Yesterday she got on him and he was fine. They just walked round the edge of the school for 20 minutes. Today we decided to walk in one of the 'safe' fields I often ride in. Ben has walked round this field at least 3 times per week for the last 7 years. He knows it well. Today, he showed off his acrobatics and completely exploded with his rider. There is no way that a professional rodeo rider could sit through what he did. She went flying and Ben proceeded to gallop off round the concrete yard, bucking and farting as he went. Luckily he was fairly easily caught when he ran out of steam. It was the most horrible experience.
The physio was due out at lunchtime anyway, and she said that he doesn't seem to have done himself any harm. She said that his back is the softest it has ever been and he is doing well. She looked at the videos I had taken (as there was no way I was going to take him out of his stable) and said that he is moving well.
So just as I get a glimmer of hope that he may be recovering, I am feeling that my confidence has been completely and utterly shattered and I am worried I won't ever want to ride him again. I do understand that he is on box rest and going out of his mind, but today he looked like a demon horse who was possessed. I never in a million years thought that he had it in him to go that crazy. I feel responsible for his rider, and while I know that it is her job and she chooses to do it, what if she gets hurt? It doesn't seem right asking someone else to risk their limbs because I don't want to.
I am just at my wits end completely. And then to top it off I got my vets bill. Did you know 3 tubes of sedalin cost me over £100!!!
Ben has now been on box rest for well over 5 months. I have actually lost count. He has been allowed 'controlled' exercise for the last 4 weeks, starting with 10 minutes in-hand walking per day, gradually increasing up to 30 minutes per day. This week he was allowed a rider.
I have completely lost my nerve handling him. Even on sedalin he is unpredictable. Most of the time he is donkey and then he will explode and then go back to being a donkey. Not many people had seen his explosions and I am sure they all thought I was exaggerating.
I couldn't bring myself to ride him, so asked one of the yard staff to help me. The girl I asked is a lovely rider. Really quiet and gentle, but has a good seat and a confident attitude. Yesterday she got on him and he was fine. They just walked round the edge of the school for 20 minutes. Today we decided to walk in one of the 'safe' fields I often ride in. Ben has walked round this field at least 3 times per week for the last 7 years. He knows it well. Today, he showed off his acrobatics and completely exploded with his rider. There is no way that a professional rodeo rider could sit through what he did. She went flying and Ben proceeded to gallop off round the concrete yard, bucking and farting as he went. Luckily he was fairly easily caught when he ran out of steam. It was the most horrible experience.
The physio was due out at lunchtime anyway, and she said that he doesn't seem to have done himself any harm. She said that his back is the softest it has ever been and he is doing well. She looked at the videos I had taken (as there was no way I was going to take him out of his stable) and said that he is moving well.
So just as I get a glimmer of hope that he may be recovering, I am feeling that my confidence has been completely and utterly shattered and I am worried I won't ever want to ride him again. I do understand that he is on box rest and going out of his mind, but today he looked like a demon horse who was possessed. I never in a million years thought that he had it in him to go that crazy. I feel responsible for his rider, and while I know that it is her job and she chooses to do it, what if she gets hurt? It doesn't seem right asking someone else to risk their limbs because I don't want to.
I am just at my wits end completely. And then to top it off I got my vets bill. Did you know 3 tubes of sedalin cost me over £100!!!