One thing I learned yesterday is to never ever take for granted having a healthy, sound horse.
And it wasn’t because Ace presented with yet another problem. It was because for the first time in nearly three months he was completely sound!
I lunged him walk/trot to watch how he was going, and as hard as I tried to find something wrong, I just couldn’t! And on top of that, my typically mellow boy was goofing off big time. He took off into a canter and would hop around at the end …

It’s been an interesting few weeks for Ace and I. He’s been displaying signs of lameness since mid-June. Initially I thought it was a stifle issue, so we did lots of conditioning work and he got marginally better. A few weeks ago I had the vet out to do a Coggins, float Ace’s teeth, and check over that stiff right hind.
After feeling all over his leg, and using the hoof testers and flexion tests with no results, we did a nerve block. Because the vet agreed that it seemed the …

Well, it’s not Ace’s stifle after all. When he came out for a routine float, I also had the vet check out Ace’s iffy hind end. Turns out he damaged something on his fetlock or pastern. Xrays were clean, so I was thrilled it’s not arthritis. It looks like he’s injured his suspensory branch and will need at least 2-3 months off to heal.
It’s a big deal, so I’ve been sharing about it over on my main site. See the vet visit in pictures, and be sure to check back …

We are still moving forward … in more ways than one.
1. Under Saddle Training
Ace  has grown very sensitive to my legs and takes very little pressure to respond appropriately. We are now doing walk, trot, canter regularly and have even gotten some transitions straight to canter from a walk. He is very energetic and forward at the trot especially. He’s starting to pick up his energy and pace at the walk too.
I also discovered the other day that Ace will turn with just leg cues. I still have a lot …

It was finally warm enough today to give Ace the first post-winter bath. And boy did it feel good! I thought about titling this post something catchy about “spring cleaning”, but then realized Ace’s bath wasn’t so much about cleaning him off as it was transferring his loose hair and dirt to me. Either way, it was a beautiful thing.
Ace gets a cookie for behaving so well for his bath. I gave him one the day after I bought him last fall, and he wasn’t thrilled. He stood well for …

It’s been a pretty stressful three weeks for this still-new horse owner. I was anxious for today to get here because the vet was scheduled to come do spring shots and check out Ace’s leg.
Quick Injury Recap
Ace caught the inside of his left front leg with his own hoof during a stupid moment and banged it up but good. He had a nice, bleeding cut, some swelling, and was quite lame. He was hosed, bandaged, and kept on stall rest for four days. Then he was looking good and moving …

This morning I told my hubby that unless I found Ace’s leg miraculously better today, I was going to make sure the vet came out to see him ASAP. I didn’t have much hope that it would be after two days of thick lumps.
When I unwrapped the bad leg and ran my fingers down, there was nothing there but a scab!
The lump that was on his tendon and extended around the side by his cut was completely gone. Other than a scab from where his cut is still healing (very …