Mavros has now completed his laser treatment with Gillian Tabor. He has had six sessions over a three week period. The swelling on his tendon has reduced and although he is still unsound in trot, he has gone from a 7/10 lameness to a 4/10 which is the first sign of any improvement that we have seen in the last year (apart from a brief respite after some steriod treatment). We have also been giving him Ruta Grav 200c, which is a homoeopathic remedy for healing tendons and ligaments (both of which he had damaged). Although his laser treatments have finished Gillian says that the laser should have stimulated the repair process for the damaged tissue, so it should continue to improve over time. The unknown quantity is still whether it will make a full recovery. At least we have a small glimmer of hope now. In the meantime, he is allowed out of the stable and into the yard and school during the day (and has managed to escape a couple of times onto the lawn and into the field). Roll on the day when he can rejoin the others full time.
Tommy has taken a turn for the worse. All of the progress that he seemed to be making has disappeared and he has reverted to the "behaviour" that he had when he arrived with us, nearly a year ago. Gone are the beginnings of the lovely flatwork in walk and trot. Now every time he is about to work properly in trot, he throws his head back up and gallops off. This consistent type of behaviour seems to us to be indicative of something wrong, which, whilst his back may be better, is still deeply troubling him. We have been advised to try him on bute for a couple of weeks to see if he seems more comfortable. If he does, then there is clearly a problem and we will need to start further investigations - possibly a full bone scan. We are all worried sick and Poppy is devastated.
Brazil is continuing to make great progress. He is just lovely to deal with in every way. What more can I say about him? He is a poppet. However, due to the snow and ice and then his swollen leg (where he was kicked by Tommy) we seem to be out of time to get him fit for point to point this year, which is a real shame. Poppy will be starting to take him out show jumping while we work out what is going on with Tommy.
Poppy has started work more seriously with Rocky now. She is long-reining him, all tacked up and he is coming into a lovely outline. We have advertised him this week and true to form, Poppy thinks he is coming on so well that she doesn't really want to sell him now. She does need something sensible to jump though and if she keeps Rocky she will continue to have a string of novice horses. I would really like to see her with something that she could compete seriously.
In terms of showjumping prospects, out of all of our horses at present, Oaklea is the one who shows the most natural talent for it. He has been off work for a couple of months now, but now looks ready to gently start work again. Poppy rode him at the weekend in the school. Hopefully he will be shod soon and then we can start to get him fit again.
Tommy has taken a turn for the worse. All of the progress that he seemed to be making has disappeared and he has reverted to the "behaviour" that he had when he arrived with us, nearly a year ago. Gone are the beginnings of the lovely flatwork in walk and trot. Now every time he is about to work properly in trot, he throws his head back up and gallops off. This consistent type of behaviour seems to us to be indicative of something wrong, which, whilst his back may be better, is still deeply troubling him. We have been advised to try him on bute for a couple of weeks to see if he seems more comfortable. If he does, then there is clearly a problem and we will need to start further investigations - possibly a full bone scan. We are all worried sick and Poppy is devastated.
Brazil is continuing to make great progress. He is just lovely to deal with in every way. What more can I say about him? He is a poppet. However, due to the snow and ice and then his swollen leg (where he was kicked by Tommy) we seem to be out of time to get him fit for point to point this year, which is a real shame. Poppy will be starting to take him out show jumping while we work out what is going on with Tommy.
Poppy has started work more seriously with Rocky now. She is long-reining him, all tacked up and he is coming into a lovely outline. We have advertised him this week and true to form, Poppy thinks he is coming on so well that she doesn't really want to sell him now. She does need something sensible to jump though and if she keeps Rocky she will continue to have a string of novice horses. I would really like to see her with something that she could compete seriously.
In terms of showjumping prospects, out of all of our horses at present, Oaklea is the one who shows the most natural talent for it. He has been off work for a couple of months now, but now looks ready to gently start work again. Poppy rode him at the weekend in the school. Hopefully he will be shod soon and then we can start to get him fit again.