Getting Rained On

I have some good timing. It was sunny most of the day and it's sunny now but when I pulled into the barn it was cloudy and getting pretty dismal. Axel was hiding from the wind in the lean to and Cody was out grazing by himself. I thought Axel was still sore but he came out of the shelter and was walking on all 4 feet. He was a little off but way better than the 3 legged gimp.

As I was grooming and tacking Cody the wind started really whipping around. Cody stayed calm in the barn aisle. I gave back the low back pad I was trying, I'll have to order one for myself sometime when I have extra cash, they aren't cheap. So I thought I'd try and add a gel pad. It's not meant for western saddle but I thought it would maybe fill in some of the gap in Cody's back. Cody walked across the driveway without limping too much so I thought we'd limp across the road to the ditch and forego the boots for today. Things were slow going as they usually are when we leave the barn (time for another chiropractor visit maybe?). I thought we could make it down to the drainage ditch between the two corn fields and have a canter but we only made it along the first section of beans. Between Cody's slow moving and diving for grass and spontaneous stopping and backing up we just didn't make it very far. Perhaps he was trying to tell me that it was going to start raining and we should turn back. So I went with his last bout of backing up and we kept going for a while before turning around. We cantered a bit, sort of his idea, but he slowed to a walk when asked.

As we came up the grass next to the pasture we trotted for a bit since the rain had started. Axel was running and bucking and cantering. After the first few bucks I guess his foot hurt so he was literally cantering on 3 legs. At least 3 strides of canter without putting that hind left on the ground.

Cody didn't really want to go back outside in the rain and the wind but it died down after I untacked him and gave him a treat so I put him out and grabbed Axel. He walked soundly to the barn even over the gravel. He didn't want to stand on that hind left for me to clean hooves but he eventually did and he walked out sound even on the cement. I don't think he had any more bute since Tuesday so I think he's on the mend, just steps wrong once in a while. I think I might have to break down and get him some magnetic bell boots and a cold wrap. The magnets seem kind of fishy to me but supposedly they help, at least they would block him from kicking himself more. The cold wrap I might start using after I ride in addition to if he comes up lame. Unfortunately the bell boots are kind of spendy, the cold wraps are not.