Andrea Rides Cody

Last Thursday (7/3) before Cody's lameness Andrea went out for the first time to ride Cody since our little trail ride. Here's her report:

"Went riding on Thursday with Patti and Dal, and Cody was practically angelic. We didn't go into the woods for fear of the gnats, but we rode around in the field-y part for a good 45 minutes or so, Cody lead the group, Cody was the last horse, and Cody was in the middle--very well behaved at all points.

Only when we turned for home (going up that final hill to the stretchy gate) did he decide he was annoyed. Some prancing was involved, then sidepassing, and when I tried to straighten him out a bit, there was a tiny little jumpy-buck-like motion, but nothing too serious. We then circled a tree and tried it again at a walk, and it was much improved. He walked very civilly into the barn :-)"

Now if only he could stay sound then this more than once a week riding is really going to be great for him. Leave to the "children" to go lame right as company is arriving.

She went out again this Wednesday and he wasn't really looking any better:

"So, I went out to Pinto Creek to ride tonight--though opted not to ride Cody due to his apparent soreness. His stance was even looking kind of sad, with his left front leg positioned further infront of him than his right. I took him around at a walk for a while on the ground with his long leadrope, just trying to see if it loosened up with some movement on level ground, but I just didn't think he looked sound enough to have a very happy or productive ride. I also didn't give him any bute, although Patti and Scott said that if you wanted to give it to him for the next couple days, they'd be willing to administer whatever dosage you'd like, just let them know. Again, I was just being cautious and not wanting to push him through pain, because it really did look like walking was painful for him today."

I'm slightly worried despite the assurances that if he really was foundering to the point of rotation and having to stand the way he's standing, I would have felt a lot of heat in his hooves. We're still thinking it's his shoulders right now. I told Patti to give him some bute last night but I guess that didn't go so well:

"You know the look on a person's face when they were SO ready for dinner, but the food was disappointing? That's totally the look Cody had, applesauce notwithstanding. He was not going to eat it, not more than two bites, anyway. How about molasses? Good for two more bites. Dumped that out and tried just sprinkling plain ol' bute on it and that was good for about two bites....then he was totally done and annoyed. I don't think he got much of the bute, sorry."

Kids, I tell ya! I'm starting to think I'm going to have to put Cody on that same supplement that Axel is on. Cody is getting up there at 18, but he really should still be in the prime of things as he has a pretty easy life.