New Blog Title and Injury Update

Yep, The OTTB Blog is now War Horse.  Those that know me also know that I see "OTTB" everywhere and it drives me nuts now...that's what I get for choosing a blog name after a loooooong hiatus from the internet horse world.  I've been searching for an appropriate title and corresponding URL for awhile, and I finally decided that "war horse" is very fitting.  Why?  Soon is considered a Thoroughbred war horse for his 50+ starts at the track and years of racing.  It has a personal connection for me as well, and thus we have decided to turn this blog into War Horse.  Ta-Da...

Soon's accident with the paddock fence on 13 Jan has been a giant pain in my ass.  He had his check up with the vet after six days of cold hosing, cleaning, wrapping, and stall rest.  He got the green light for the bandage to come off and to go back to turnout (and I got complimented on my wrapping skills!), but that only lasted about 24 hours before his leg got huge, hot, and painful.  I expected swelling, but we ended up going back to the wrapping and cold hosing for another five days.  He has looked awesome the last couple of days, even got lunged a little the last two days.  Today he got the wrap taken off again, and now that the wound is more closed up and probably in a better position to be exposed, I'm hoping we don't have another set back.

Progress as of 23 Jan

On the riding note...THIS HORSE IS A SAINT.  After 11 days of stall rest with only hand walking for exercise (last two days featured short lunging sessions of walk/trot), I got on him today without lunging and he was very well behaved, all things considering.  There was some extra snorting, some excess energy and one jump/spook out of a corner, but that was it.  That was it!  We just did some light walk and trot, lots of lateral work, and focusing on getting him forward into the contact.  He did feel full of it and was very forward compared to how behind the leg he normally wants to be, but he felt awesome and very elastic.  That extra energy really helps him feel even more uphill and through, so that was a nice little treat.  He settled down after the first 10 minutes and worked pretty well.  I even got a couple circles of good, polite stretch at the end, which I considered a miracle after 11 days of stall rest!

He should be going outside in his big field tomorrow, so hopefully (fingers crossed) that life will return to normal.  I'll be heading out for the next six months to another work location a couple hours away - right now the plan is for a friend of mine to ride him during the week and for me to ride on weekends.  We'll see how that goes and adjust as necessary!  I'm sad to not see him everyday, but I have some awesome, much appreciated barn friends who will help keep an eye on him and keep him busy for me while I'm gone.  :)