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In yesterday's post, I mentioned that someone else besides Izzy had an abscess. In case you were unable to guess who the someone else is, it is none other than the gray pony, Speedy G. Little stinker. Every single winter he manages to come up with some kind of injury that gets him out of work for several weeks (or months). Speedy's abscess was a lot more interesting than was Izzy's. When Dr. Gonzalez put the hoof testers on Speedy, he nearly fell over. And that was just in the middle of the hoof. As Dr. G gently probed Speedy's sole, it was a lot like the game where you hide an object and then shout out temperature settings as the searcher gets closer to the object. In Speedy's case it was hot, hotter, you're burning up, you're on fire! Speedy's abscess wasn't well hidden; Dr. G found it right away.  Yep. Right there. As Dr. G dug out layers of Speedy's sole, he kept glancing at me to see how I was handling Speedy's pain level. You see, Dr. G is not my regular vet; we always see Dr. Tolley. Dr. Tolley frequently calls Dr. Gonzalez over to see what's going on though as Dr. G. is a relatively new vet, and it's good for all of the doctors to know all of the patients. I know Dr. G. from many previous visits, but he's never actually treated one of my horses. As it happened, Dr. Tolley wasn't in on Tuesday, so Dr. G stepped in for his maiden voyage on the good ship Team Speedy. While we've met many times, he's never been with me from the start of a visit all the way through to the end. I sort of felt sorry for the guy. While I am not that client, I bring my own special brand of crazy to each visit. What's that? Can I touch it? Why does it look like that? Where does that go? Is it supposed to be that color? Ew. Cool! Okay, that's just gross. What do I do after that? What's my other other option? For HOW long? Wait, I didn't get the picture - do it again! You get the idea. Dr. Tolley totally digs it that I ask questions and want to be involved in every step of the treatment. They are my horses after all, and I am the epitome of a hands-on owner.  So when I leaned over Dr. G's shoulder and gave an ooh, ahh at the gunk coming out of the hole he had just opened up, I think he was a bit surprised. When I told him to squeeze it harder, I think I scared him. Not that I want Speedy in any pain, but I have no problem causing some quick discomfort if it's going to get the job done more effectively. He squeezed harder.  Fortunately, Speedy's abscess is shaping up to be a pretty typical pimple in the foot. You give it a good squeeze, out comes the gunk, and then you wait for things to heal over. Dr. G's remedy was for me to wrap it every other day over the course of the next 7 to 10 days.
He gave me a neat little syringe with a flexible tip that fits into the hole he dug out. Last night, I unwrapped his bandaging job to clean out the wound and rewrap it. The little syringe made it easy to flush out the hole. I was able to irrigate it well enough that the Betadine solution actually oozed out of a fresh drainage hole in Speedy's heel. I saw that as a good thing as the abscess has finally cleared his hoof. I soaked a small stack of those mini gauze pads in straight Betadine and packed them into his hoof. I wrapped that with a waffle-like cotton roll, and topped it all with vet wrap. The obligatory duct tape finished off the bandages. While it was still quite tender and puffy, Speedy was definitely more comfortable. I imagine that by the end of the weekend Speedy will be almost back to normal. I guess that's one way to get out of doing flying changes! Be careful what you wish for. The other day, I was hopeful that Izzy's overly dramatic lameness was due to an abscess. I was right, of course - abscesses are fairly easy to spot, but it turns out that I have two with which to contend. His, and someone else's.  Welcome to Bakersfield Large Animal Hospital, Inc. When someone else's abscess didn't improve, I made an appointment with Bakersfield Large Animal Hospital (BLA) and decided Izzy might as well go along for the ride. Before loading both horses, I gave Izzy one final check. I walked him up to the arena for some lunging and was happy to note that he was sound in both directions at all three gaits. I pondered whether I should still take him, but then decided an off property trip would do him good, and a final "all clear" from the vet would relieve any lingering doubts.  Outdoor supply closet. Just a quick aside for local folks: Dr. Pipkin retired this past spring, and the remaining crew from Bakersfield Vet Hospital's large animal practice bought out her practice (clients included) and moved into her facility. Doctors Tolley and Gonzalez, along with practice manager Kathryn Kelly, have since incorporated and now own Bakersfield Large Animal Hospital located on Taft Highway. This was my first trip to BLA.  Stocks for examining mommas, foals wait in the pens. Izzy's examine went pretty quickly. I showed Dr. Gonzalez my calendar and briefly gave him a rundown of how Izzy's abscess had manifested and progressed: overnight ballooning of the fetlock, acute pain in the toe accompanied by daily improvement, with no visible drainage hole. Dr. G had Rudy take Izzy for a walk away and trot back to which he remarked, "fancy mover!" Yeah, what girl's heart doesn't do a pitter patter with that comment?  Rudy giving a very well behaved Izzy a quick lunge. Then came a lunge to the left. Izzy was sound. To the right, not so much. It was easy to see, but Dr. G still only gave it a 1 out of 5 on the lameness scale. On soft ground, Izzy was sound. Then came the hoof testers.  React somewhere, horse! No matter how hard he tried, Dr. G just couldn't find "the spot." Izzy wasn't completely pain free though; he was a bit sensitive around the toe area, but there wasn't a holy cow, that hurts! type of reaction. Even so, Dr. G started paring away at Izzy's sole trying to find that little bit of mis-colored sole indicating the location of the abscess.
Eventually, he decided to leave it alone as he didn't want to dig a big hole for nothing. After much back and forth, we decided to just leave it alone and see what happens. He agreed that riding would be a good idea as pressure on the frog increases circulation which might move the abscess out and away. Of course, if Izzy comes up lame, I can poultice it with Numotizene to help draw out the abscess. In either case, my farrier will be out in three weeks, so he'll have a chance to find what's left to be found. And then someone else's foot was up. Check back tomorrow for that one. Over the weekend, I drove by Blue Truck, who lives at the ranch, and realized that it had been several weeks (or longer) since it had been started or driven. It has also been cold. For a truck as old as mine, that usually means I am going to need jumper cables or a new battery.  The trailer also needed a check up. As I'd predicted, Blue Truck didn't start right up. It took a few tries and one final plea to the Almighty. He must have been listening because I finally got the engine to roar to life. Keeping it revved up ever so slightly, I took off around the neighborhood trying to get Blue Truck's fluids moving.  My fingers were crossed that the lights would come on. When I got back to the ranch, I turned the truck off and then tried to restart it. The engine turned over slowly, but it finally caught. I decided to drive it home to give the battery more time to charge. I ended up driving it to work the next day, and then I drove across town to the vet hospital the day after that. (More on that tomorrow.)  Lights working! When I decided that I would need to take the boys to the vet, I realized my trailer hadn't been moved since late August. How could that much time have gone by? Surely we'd been somewhere over the past three months. After some checking back through my calendar, it was clear that we hadn't. With Blue Truck's battery fully charged, I hooked up my trailer, prepared for a long morning of trouble shooting. To my surprise, nearly everything went easy peasy, and the lights worked from the get go. I was particularly glad about that though as I had some wiring redone in August. There was one issue though, and I am more than a bit irritated by it. I glanced at a piece of plastic laying on the ground next to the trailer and realized it was one of the vent covers that we just replaced two years ago.  It looks like it was chewed off! I am great at finding the silver lining in nearly any situation, but really?! The only consolation is that this particular roof vent is directly over the shower pan which means that even when it rained last week, nothing was damaged. So yah! for small blessings, I guess. Now of course I have to go buy all the stuff to fix it AGAIN. With winter just arriving, I am not going to have much time to procrastinate.
It's always something, isn't it? We're on day 16 of UlcerGard, but I can't say definitively if it's working or not. The changes that I've seen in Izzy's attitude could just be a maturation of our relationship, but I don't think so. I think he feels better.  I love these soft, quiet eyes. A month or so ago, I did a 4-day treatment of UlcerGard. He's always had a strong friendly streak, but on the Ulcergard, he let his friendly flag fly. The dude was all over me. A few days after the last dose of UlcerGard, we had a ride that could only be described as a hot mess. He forgot that I was even there. I consulted my vet, and he recommended a few weeks of UlcerGard.  He looks for me all the time now. In an effort to build on his friendliness, I decided to make a game of giving him his daily dose. I started with two peppermint candies in my hand along with a tube of UlcerGard. I kept it in plain site so that he wouldn't be surprised by it. With no halter, I loudly crinkled the first piece of candy as I unwrapped it, and then I let him nose my hand a moment before letting him nibble it from my fingers. While he was chewing, I uncapped the UlcerGard and popped it in his mouth. The first time, he wrinkled up his nose and let me know that it wasn't as tasty as the first treat. I quickly crinkled the wrapper of the second piece of candy, and he immediately forgot about the UlcerGard. He now lets me slip it in his mouth without hesitation, and he has gotten friendlier with each empty tube.  Searching for more candy ... or UlcerGard! One morning, I got to the barn particularly early as I had to be to work by 8:00. I found him curled up, still very sleepy. I walked up to him slowly and squatted alongside him, stroking his neck and face. I slipped him his candy, much to his delight, and followed it up with the UlcerGard and a second piece of candy. He sleepily blinked at me, but stayed right where he was even as I drove off. he was completely unconcerned by the early morning interruption.  He never budged. The change that I am most noticing is the relaxation all over his body. He's not holding tension in his back like I usually see. He looks droopy most of the time, almost like he's about to melt down into a big brown puddle. He also can't get enough of me. He's constantly licking me or gently chewing on my jacket or belt loops. All he wants to do is play with me.  He so wanted to to grab my phone! I am definitely liking this friendlier, more relaxed horse. I hope it is the UlcerGard doing its thing. If so, it will be money well spent.
I am pretty sure my gift givers have already checked me off their lists, so this is really an after Christmas list. I nearly always get a bit of cash and a Riding Warehouse Gift card, two of my favorite things, so this list is what I'd like to get with that hoped-for-cash/gift card combo. #1 - LeMieux Engage X-Grip Full Seat Silicone Breeches; $112.95 We all know that I already own about 40 pairs of breeches. Sadly, most of them were bought back when I was reluctant to spend a bit more to get riding wear that was truly flattering and comfortable while still being functional. In fact, I've weeded out everything that I don't adore and have piled it to sell or give away. Even with that purge, I still have more than enough everyday breeches, but ... A little good news that I haven't yet shared here: I have lost a bit over 30 pounds with around 5 to go. That means all of my everyday breeches, and even those I show in, are really baggy, and not just a little loose around the waist. I can actually pull them off without unbuttoning them. Enter the LeMieux breeches ...  Size 26, please. #2 - Romfh Ladies' Long Sleeved Signature Show Shirt; $79.95 Not only are my breeches too large, but so are most of my shirts. If I am getting new show breeches, I need a new shirt as well. Am I right? In all seriousness, my tastes have begun to change and my determination to stick with a more conservative look is beginning to waver. Coming from the endurance world where everything was neon or wildly colored, the elegance of black and white spoke to me. No longer. I am ready for some pizzaz! The Romfh Show Shirt would definitely work in the maroon color, but I'd love it more in navy. By the time I am ready to spend my Christmas cash, I bet some new spring colors will be available. For now, I'll take this one in a medium.  Eye-catching, but still classy. #3 Ovation Glitz Riding Helmet; $99.95 I love this helmet. It fits me perfectly, it's comfortable, and it's fun to wear. In fact, I have three of them already. One is old and tucked away for guests. My second one is one I bought last year as my new show helmet. Now I want to replace the third one, my everyday helmet. It's been around for several years, and while I haven't had a fall in it, it does get baked in the sun while I ride. I wear a small/medium.  Navy, please. #4 B Vertigo Lexington Dressage Saddle Pad; $59.95 My boys could use a few things as well. I bought this pad in white for last season, and it looked great on Speedy. The trim sparkled in the light, giving the pad a really fancy air. If I have a bit of money to spend, having the navy one along with my white one, would give me some options at two-day shows.  Speedy says, "Yes, please!" #5 Pyranha Wipe N Spray Equine Fly & Insect Repellent Spray; $52.95 Last summer, in an effort to protect Izzy's coat from fading, I ditched my beloved Pyranha and gave several other products a try. His coat still faded and the flies harassed him mercifully. He rubbed out his mane and tried to do the same to his tail. I am not making that mistake again. Our particular breed of flies despise the Pyranha, but only the oil-based version. They walked right through the water-based formula. A gallon of this stuff would make a great gift!  Izzy's favorite color! |
About the Writer and RiderI am a lifelong rider.
I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010. Welcome to my dressage journey. 
Photo by Lori Ovanessian
About Speedy GSpeedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
July 2020 (PC AJSK Photography)
About IzzyIzzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
March 2021 (PC Tess Michelle Photography)
Bakersfield Dressage approved!
My favorite breeches!
FOR THE SMALLER EQUINE ATHLETE
I love her stuff!
Watercolor Artist and Friend
National Rider Awards
USDF Bronze Medal - 2020
USDF Second Level Rider Performance Award - 2018
USDF First Level Rider Performance Award - 2015
USDF Training Level Rider Performance Award - 2013
State Rider Awards
CDS Ruby Rider Award - 2018
State Horse Awards
Speedy G - 3rd Level Horse Performance Award - 2020
Speedy G - 2nd Level Horse Performance Award - 2018
Working Towards:
CDS Sapphire Rider Award Third Level: 63.514% Third Level: 62.105% Fourth Level: Fourth Level: 2023 Show Season
Show Rating (***) CDS/USDF/USEF (*) CDS (s) Schooling (c) Clinic (r) Ride-a-Test Clinic 2023 Show Schedule
TBD 2023 Completed … Pending 2023 Qualifying Scores
Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) Qualifying Training Level 3 Scores/2 Judges/60%: Score 1: Score 2: Score 3: Archives
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