Well, delays have continued but at least we are making headway and getting out to ride some! Sully & I, Skyler & Scooby are all getting stronger and fitter and she has enjoyed coming out with us, wanting to go faster more and see new trail.

Sully had a check in with Jessica for Osteopath work in early March; she also agreed that he was not presenting with EPM, and noted his stifles being the loosest ever (she’s been working on him over 3 years now); he was definitely having some issues there, with one side ‘out of joint’ which she fixed. It is a matter of getting him fit again and tightening it all back up to get it to stop causing issue. He is on homeopathic joint remedies, as well as we began a series of Adequan injections, and I finally got the track around the pasture completed so they are moving more looking for that grass peeking up (and also have taken down the track fence twice 🙄). He’s still a happy guy out on trail and isn’t avoiding me to be caught (knock on wood), so I do believe he still loves his job and heading out on trail. My goal is to get us back to 50s, but honestly I just want to keep on riding together for years to come so I’m doing what I can to make things right and take this year as it comes.

While Sully continues to improve, I don’t feel I can make any significant headway in our current state; our spring schedule has gotten crazy with work, soccer, and other school events, so even just finding 30min to work him a few weekday eves in the pasture has proven more difficult than I care to admit… I realized that we can’t keep going this way and sought out options for “Rehab Boarding/Training” to get him consistent exercise. I would love to keep him local, which I found a few spots that could do that, but then realized in talking to Brielle in NJ (trot-trot-standardbreds) about getting myself equipment for ground driving, that it would actually be better to send him to someone who really knows the injuries they come off the track with, how to rehab them, and has access to vets that still use old-school methods to treat them. So Sully will be heading up to her for a 30day program, including a vet visit with her main vet, with hopes that he returns stronger and ready to keep moving forward. Wish us safe travels next week!

Other updates…
*Luna is growing by leaps and bounds and is now out and free roaming (and playing) with the dogs. She is quite entertaining ❤ she was just spayed, and weighed in at 4lbs compared to the just over 2lbs when we brought her home!
*Scooby turned 16 in late Feb, as well as celebrated 1 year with us on March 5th with a ride out of 14miles! He’s really done well over winter and can’t wait to see him shed out this year.
*Doug’s birthday! (and Obi’s, who’s now 9).
*The tack box was completed and installed in the trailer! At the moment, the trailer is with a friend working on troubleshooting my interior light issues (we got it narrowed down to a bad wire).
*Soccer is in full swing for both kids, with some wacky VA weather resulting in a snow squall during their last game and very windy conditions.
*Asher and a classmate competed in National History Day for the district and won their division! They will be headed to a state competition later in April.
* I’ve had horses at home officially for 2 years! The 2nd field is sooo close to done being fenced which will make them all happy to be out on grass again, but also means 2 are in muzzles! I’ve certainly learned a lot about pasture management, and also have lots of ideas for our “own place” someday.

So sadly I’m missing Foxcatcher this weekend as well as the Fleetwood ride this spring I had planned to take Skyler to as well. My plan right now is to take Scooby to No Frills to drag ride and see how he handles 13+ mountain miles and camping! Gotta start somewhere with him right? Once Sully returns we’ll be back to planning our first riding/camping trip together, and already on the books is another clinic in early June held by Hope Horsemanship and Emily Kemp again for both of us to attend.

I’ll post about how Scooby does with me for the next month (and of course some riding by Skyler too) and fingers crossed, prayers appreciated, for Sully over the next month!