Well, I haven’t been posting much because lessons have been going pretty well. Up until yesterday, that is. It’s been super cold so I’ve been a lesson-cancelling fool. But yesterday wasn’t bad, so I got to the barn, gave Timmy a quick turnout, and then tacked up. All systems go, or at least I thought.

He seemed a little off at the walk, worse at the trot. A little bit of a shuffle step in the corners and a tiny bit of head bob were the main symptoms. The weird part was that it was so intermittent. He’d be all right for 1/3 of the way around the arena and then do a little shuffle and bob. Debbie felt his legs, chest, neck, and shoulders and said that she thought it was probably his shoulders and that I should come back tomorrow (actually today) for some light walking and trotting. And that he was probably going to need some DMSO — ick, that stuff is nasty — to bring blood flow to his injured muscles.

This morning she put the DMSO on after I tacked up. He seemed much better in the arena, though we only walked and trotted for 10 minutes or so. He was a tiny bit fresh and spooked at some pigeon cooing or some normal barn noise, and took off for 1/2 of the arena. He might have done that twice — can’t really remember. But he is obviously feeling much better. More walking and trotting tomorrow, maybe some cantering.

I’m just relieved it isn’t more serious.