Taking care of Business

Since I've been riding really consistently three+ days a week I decided to do a little maintenance stuff this week.

Cartman trotted and walked the 5 mile trail three times last week and I can tell it is getting easier for him.  I thought we'd take a little break.   Monday I hauled him down to Longview Fairgrounds to meet up with the chiropractor.  It was rainy, grey and gloomy, oh, and COLD.  I had gotten up two days in a row to snow on the ground.  Agh.

C didn't have any major issues chiropractically, he did have the usual sore spot on his right hip.  This has been an ongoing thing that only shows up when the spot is really prodded.  I try to get him adjusted periodically and hope this will stop happening as he gets more muscled and fit.  I can't find any problem with saddle fit and I consciously check my balance as I ride to make sure its not me causing the problem by leaning.

Also his right knee was out a bit.  After his session he dropped into that soft arena dirt and rolled, and rolled, and rolled- right over!  Even with the shark fin withers he flung himself right over.  I hear he's now worth at least $200!

After leaving work a little early Monday I had to stay until 4:45pm Tuesday,  so no horse activities except for the standard stall cleaning, paddock cleaning and feeding on Tuesday.

Today, Wednesday was spring shot day!  A little early this year but I wanted C all up to date before he goes to stay with my trainer while we vacation the first week in April.

Everyone got the standard 5-way, WNV, and Rabies vacc.

Cartman was such a good boy, he didn't even have to be tranq'd for sheath cleaning.

Taj, Cartman's older brother, is pretty much his opposite, although he was really quite well behaved today!  Since we knew he'd need drugs for sheath cleaning Doc just gave him a nice cocktail right off the bat.  It certainly made giving him his shots a lot easier.  He didn't even try to run over me or kick the vet.  Oh happy day.

The girls were all perfect for their shots, love those mares!

Tomorrow I need to put a call in to Pinky's hoof doctor.  Every day I pack clean cotton into the small opening between her shoe and the keratoma tract.  Then I put Neosporin on the coronet area to try and keep that crack from spreading upwards.  Unfortunately it doesn't appear to be getting any better. The hoof is growing but there is still a vertical crack extending all the way up.