In which the trails are soggy but we are happy to be out on them

Last week we had some sunshine.

This is an access road for the power lines.  Truck traffic really ripped up the mud

Sunshine in November is rare.  Our usual weather is coldish, wettish, and very very grey.  Occasionally we have really cold and clear.   But this year has been weird.

Temps in the 40s, and rain

We've only had a few overnights get below freezing temperatures--and even those have been a low of 32* for an hour or two. 

The light before sunrise in our valley is pretty

It's disconcerting.

My truck is in the shop (sigh), but Nancy (bless her!) loaned me her truck...and then she brought lunch over to the vet clinic so we could hang out and chat while we were waiting between Fiddle's appointments.

Nancy brought lunch AND DESSERT!

Fee's first appointment was a dental.  

She had one little tooth-nub retained in the front, which Dr H could practically remove with
her fingers (after local anesthetic), plus flattening the molars as usual

The Dragon  had her front teeth removed last year , which improved her life tremendously--and she gained 60 pounds!  I cut back her hay, and she's back down to her "retirement weight" of 1220 now.

Several of our favorite routes got logged this fall, which means
we are exploring new trails

Her 2nd appointment was a soundness check.  She's been reluctant moving downhill in recent months, a sign of soreness in her stifles and/or hocks.  That's not surprising, given her background:

• racetrack (pacing in harness, we don't know how long)
• endurance horse for 8 years/1000+ miles (plus training miles)
• three-time X-State completions
• various ligament bonks along the way
• she's 23 years old (almost 24)

We no longer ride far or fast.  

In fact, we mostly walk unless she asks to go faster--which she definitely did yesterday!  Walk, trot, pace, gallop and cantaloupe!  Not much gallop or cantaloupe, but enough to make me remember that my horse isn't dead yet, and maybe not even close to it.

A two-hour, 7 mile ride once or twice a week is sufficient for both of us

• She got a course of Adequan last month, which always helps.  
• Doc Garlinghouse recommended a product called Lubrisyn (which is apparently legal for endurance horses, although I don't care about that anymore) which is a feed-through joint supplement and we use that.  
• She also gets a dose of Bute before we head out on a ride because she's not an endurance horse anymore and it's okay to use pain killers now.

Her soundness check was mostly to determine if she needed joint injections for hocks or stifles, because it's obvious she needs one or the other, if not both.

We've traditionally traded off on her injection sites:  one year stifles, the next year hocks.

The vet's opinion:

• She is remarkably sound for her age and high mileage.  Good flexibility, especially in the lower limbs on all four, and front legs are doing well.
• She can use more support for her hocks, so she'll get injections for those in a couple weeks.  We didn't want to do those the same day as the dental b/c of a low-but-real risk of infection after the stress (and blood) of tooth extraction.
• What we're doing to support her is working.  The supplements, the exercise, and the turnout on pasture are all helping her to stay flexible and sound.  Not sound enough for endurance, but sound enough to be comfortable and have fun.

"having fun" is the goal for both of us

In the meantime:

Riding, even in the rain, makes the world better.