Continued (Cough) Uneventfulness

At this point, I should probably put the blog on hiatus because really, we're not doing much of anything right now! Riding has been minimal at best.

Look at all the grass growing!

Bridget's cough has returned (for those that haven't been here in a while, she was diagnosed with heaves/COPD/horsey breathing difficulties 3 summers ago). She's breathing fine, but I hear her coughing once or twice in a row the odd time just standing or grazing in the field so it's time for a check up.

Otherwise looking good though

She's been OK the past couple of years, partly I think because I moved her home and she's in a paddock outside all year long rather than in the barn. The more cynical side of me also has to acknowledge that the last time it was obvious I was trying to get her fit for eventing. I've not been trying to get her fit for anything in a while, so there's a good chance it's been mildly lurking the past two summers and I didn't really notice anything beyond that one cough when we warm up (and her appalling tolerance to cardio exercise, but that also is a normal Bridget thing too).

OK, maybe she's a bit too round, lol

The good news is she's super responsive to clenbuterol/ventipulmin. The bad news? I phoned the vet and the soonest he can get here is June 17th. The horses are WAY overdue for shots and teeth at this point too. I called in November, but they were scheduling a month out then, then Christmas holidays, then couldn't get enough people together here in Jan/Feb, then COVID. Now they are backlogged with appointments. So that's where we're at with that! Lesson learned, I will book our fall appointment early this year! Anyway, back on topic, our Vancouver vet prescribed the ventipulmin so this more local vet would like to see her first. Despite all the logistical issues, I'm actually not too worried - I'm not needing or wanting to ride much, she's spending 99% of her time out on pasture and if it escalates I'm sure either vet would send me an emergency prescription to get us by.

Look! Sophie is growing! She has space between her front legs now!

Then she does things like this and I'm not even sure she's anything but legs and troll hair.

.5 sec to dumping dinner bucket.

Sophie's been just hanging out in the field too, and really filling out on all that pasture! She's building some muscle at long last and finally filling out through her chest and hindquarters. Which of course got me wondering about whether she's just a late bloomer or if she's really been getting enough out of her winter timothy hay/vitamins/minerals/alfalfa cubes regimen. I know a lot of people recommend spirulina for muscle building and topline, so I've put in an order for that and we'll see what happens next winter when she's off pasture. I had kind of resigned myself to the fact she is just really slight and dainty, but that seems to maybe not be the case. She's growing into those feet and long legs at last.

OK, she's definitely part pony and eating everything on offer. Perhaps it's the salmonberry bushes adding to her new physique?

Coming up from the field for dinner. They swear they're starving. Bellies indicate otherwise. It's kind of fun when they're in the bottom field - there's a couple of acres of grass and trees way down there, but there's just a little path they have to follow to come up here to the barn - it seems to often encourage galloping  :)

Sophie demonstrating the gallop up the path a couple of months ago. (Have I mentioned the property owner is into building miniature steam trains? There are tracks all over the property now, the trains are taking the place over :)

I am SO glad I just lightly backed her last fall - the difference in her physically between then and now is huge.  Riding and training wise, ring resurfacing has been delayed so we're looking at another two weeks wait before we can get back at it. I'm getting very excited for that and have REALLY been missing my old barn a lot. Fingers crossed, all the pieces of the plan will fall into place and Sophie and I will end up there one day and even have a bit of show seasons at some point.

Didn't realize what a welsh pony head she's got til I saw this picture.