Spring means DLB!

[which_chick]

Except this year spring also meant abscess, so... no DLB for me. Other people will be play dressage clinic, but I will not. *sigh*

I signed up early and got my paperwork and my check in and everything but Birb had other ideas, so...



He's getting better, has been weight bearing on the foot since last week's exploratory surgery on Wednesday (it's Friday today) but while he's sound on grass, on a dirt driveway footing he's still gimping (sometimes, not every stride, but you can see it sometimes) when trotted on a circle. This is a 1 on the lameness scale.

I should probably explain a little for the non-horsey folks among us. Lameness is assessed with the horse being unridden. If it's visible when the horse is not being ridden, one does not GET ON THE HORSE. For very inconsistent lameness, like "so faint it might not be there", you might could ride the horse, but lameness assessments start with the horse in a halter and lead, not being ridden.

Horse lameness is assessed as follows:

0 -- horse is completely sound
1 -- lame, but inconsistent and difficult to observe
2 -- consistently lame on a circle, hard surface, or incline
3 -- consistently lame at the trot regardless of circumstance
4 -- obviously lame at the walk
5 -- limb is non-weight-bearing, horse will not move

A 1 is a "NQR", he's definitely not at his best but he's also not bound for the glue factory. And he's improving. He was a 2 on Monday but had improved to a 1 by Tuesday. He was a "less lame" 1 on Wednesday, but I had to make the call for dressage clinic by Wednesday night, so... I was "Yeah, he's still NQR, we're going to pass." Dressage clinician is super careful about horse welfare and she's eagle-eyed -- if I can see it, DLB can definitely see it too. We will have other clinics and there's no need to attend this one, especially since they had other people to take my slots in the schedule (which means I get a refund, nice!).

Ordinary hoof abscesses usually take about a week to get better, so he's pretty much on schedule for recovery. I'll have to look at him tonight and see how he goes, but I'm hoping for getting back to riding this weekend.

Comments

[heavenscalyx]

Oh no, poor Bird! I hope he heals quickly.

[adafrog]

I hear you. My horse has been doing the lame thing for the last month. :/ Causing consternation to his human and vet.
'Luckily' the clinic I was supposed to be in was canceled already.

[mistressofmuses]

Glad you could get a refund for the clinic and that there will be others to attend once he's hopefully better. But ugh, bummer. Lame lame horse.