Think First

Hot weather has been in full blast these past few days which means hose downs & baths galore! The approaching summer is both friend & foe to Ben. He loves being naked finally, but with that comes the allergies he gets this time of year along with bugs & sweating. He can tolerate the heat fairly well but has his limits especially with his age. As horses get older a lot of things become harder. They can't cool themselves off as well as a younger horse or build muscle as well as a younger horse ect. You get the point I'm sure. For defeating all these nuisances we turn to a fly mask (Equine Sun Visor), fly boots (Kensington), fly spray (Endure), SWAT (for those sensitive areas & extra coverage), & a fan (appropriate for barn use for when he is in his stall during feed times). For those fun summer bath times we use the Equitek MicroTek to keep any possibility of skin issues at bay. Allergy wise he will begin taking a Chinese herbal both his Chiropractor & Vet deemed appropriate for his symptoms & current condition. The herbal is called Xin Yi San. His allergy symptoms vary pending on weather but typically range from runny itchy eyes, sneezing or blowing (whatever you want to call it) , & because of that he gets broken blood vessels in his one nostril occasionally resulting in minor nosebleed. He sometimes tosses his head but very minor. Summer time also tends to be Ben's "hard keeper" season & he sometimes looses weight. Last summer he looked beautiful with lots of muscle & held his own very well. This summer will be different for him. He has gone through hell & back with his ulcers that riddled his GI tract from beginning to end & now month 4 of his treatments. He will not look as he did last summer but that does not mean he is not improved or looks good. Yes he has lost his topline he once had, but the thing people don't seemed to know or recall is he has never had a great topline in all the years I have had him. He was emaciated prior to me owning him & was like a coatrack with fur. My then trainer/barn owner helped me in building him back up & nourishing his health. He never fully filled out completely despite great efforts made by all through the years. He is a senior with issues hands down. For the first time last summer he actually filled out that topline beautifully thanks to walking the trails, but expecting him to look like that again is completely unfair to him & I as his owner. He is 27 yrs old just overcoming a huge health hurdle in his life & not being ridden but instead given the time he has more than deserved to heal properly. I have done & do everything humanly possible to bring him back to full health. No he doesn't have a full rear end & no he probably wont ever have that, as it was extremely difficult to get in the first place but that does not mean he is not improving. Since he became sick his muscles decreased as with any ill horse would. The only area that has muscle loss is his hind end naturally as he is not worked & again has been sick for months. 

Ben has been doing well despite the summer challenges (even though they are just beginning). He has all his needs met & then some to keep him comfortable this season. His weight has not decreased but held steady nicely. He has a natural athletic look about him & the moves to go with that when he's feeling it! His eating habits have been great & he seems to be keeping himself nice & hydrated. His hoof that had the bruise isn't as strong as before because of the damage it sustained during his fall off the trailer, but again holding its own. During his chiropractor & acupuncture session the Dr. commented on his calm demeanor. His session went well. He had a tight back but all was put back together as it should. He hasn't been done in a few months as so much has gone on but we are now back to our every 8 week schedule as before. He is still not allowed any vaccinations at this time due to the unneeded stress it would cause his immune system when he needs to put it all towards healing. I also received a comment on how good his weight was looking from another boarder which is always nice to hear. 

Next week he will be getting his toes done & his massage. He seems to be enjoying his new lifestyle though when things change even just a little I can see some stress symptoms in him. Always the sensitive & in-tune type he is. I don't know that I will be riding him again as I have said in previous posts before. Certainly not when he is undergoing any treatment but even after. He has his arthritis in his knees which cause some tripping & he has more than done enough for people when it comes to riding. He has more than earned the right to have a sound & comfortable retirement. Do I miss riding him sure but he has given me 6 yrs of that & given his all each time. I am just thankful to have him with me by my side where he belongs. That is what you realize when you go through the ordeal we have. You just want them not what they can or cant do. Just them healthy with you. That's what matters. He will not have a "ridden" body type but develop his own new one that fits his needs to keep him happy & comfortable.

Until next time