Bummer on Bolt!!

Not So Good X-Rays

I just talked to Stacie. Apparently Bolt's x rays showed "Significant" changes in both hocks. This is a 7 yo warmblood broken to saddle with viturally no work behind him. The middle hock joint is fused, but there is arthritis in the lower joint and, unfortunately changes in the upper joint as well. Stacie will have the x-rays to get another vet to look at them, but now it's pretty much a no go on a purchase.

Bolt's name comes from the blaze on his face. Not quite sure, but it has a brown spot in it. He is a really cute, good sized chestnut with, apparently, a wonderful personality and good movement. He has been standing around in the field for about two years--I think--just being a horse. What a bummer. Stacie has been looking for months and he is the only horse so far she took a real liking to.

Back here on the home front, the ground was frozen most of the day, and I was knee sore and just plain tired. I finally went out in the late afternoon to find the footing pretty good in the arena. I cleaned the stalls, then picked out the arena and hitched up the drag to the tractor and gave the surface a good grooming after I fed the Boys their dinner.

Then when the arena was nice and smooth, I collected Tucker and lunged him for a nice session while Toby and Chance watched from the pasture. Tucker looked great. Nice and forward and good an sound. That is a plus since we've had so many little issues over the last months, I never quite know what to expect.

Chance bopped over to me when I went to open up the pasture gate again--the only way to keep him and Toby from "helping" me lunge Tuck. So I slipped the halter on him and gave him a lunging session as well. He was, as well, nice and forward, but he tried to quit a few times. It's an interesting contrast with my two Thoroughbreds who just go and go like the Energizer Bunny. Chance is always ready, willing, and able to just walk instead of trotting or cantering. And, unlike the other two, lunging him will take the edge off if he is excited or wound up. With them, all the lunging does is wind them up more.

Carrots all 'round ended the evening before the sun set. Now I'm back inside just kind of sitting around. It is supposed to stay moderately warm without much in the way of freezing temps for my whole school vacation, although there are showers in the forecast.

Now all I have to do is muster the energy to saddle up and ride. It would help if we had some occasional sunshine!!