Category:

Another Vet Visit

10/2/2019

Spoiler alert, nobody was injured, sick, or dying. For once. Speedy, I am looking at you, buddy!

Nope, this was just a regular, maintenance visit. My boys see Dr. Tolley at Bakersfield Large Animal Hospital each spring for vaccinations, dentals, fecal counts, and so on. In the fall, they go back for their Rhino/Flu vaccines to satisfy USEF's requirement that horses be vaccinated within the past six months to be eligible to show.

Checking out the gums where he lost his tooth.

Dr. Tolley is heavily invested in my horses' success. He fully embraces the idea that he is a member of my team and that his role is essential to our success. So, even though the appointment was simply for vaccinations, my boys got a head to tail examination.

Listening for sand.

We started with the scale. I love, love, LOVE being able to weigh my horses. While frequent visual inspections are useful, monitoring weight gain or loss in a more scientific manner produces more reliable data. In the spring, Speedy topped out at 1,005 pounds. Last week, he came in at 986 pounds. Dr. Tolley felt the difference could be attributed to water weight. He gave Speedy a body condition score of 5.

Another head to tail check.

Izzy got the same examination. Dr. Tolley checked his mouth, temperature, heart rate and so one. We talked about his itchy mane and tail, what kind of work we're doing, and his general attitude of late. I explained that the boys now live side by side which means they play incessantly and chew the crap out of each other.

Good gut sounds.

Just last week, I had asked the ranch owner if we could increase Izzy's alfalfa ration a bit. He was starting to look a bit thin. He gets fed grass hay with a small hunk of alfalfa just because he likes it. Too much actually. When he was on straight alfalfa his energy level was through the roof. Now that the boys live next to each other, he's burning more calories.

Good on this side too.

When Izzy got on the scale, he was 1,310 pounds, 40 pounds lighter than in the spring. His body condition score was a 4. I am not okay with a 4. For an endurance horse, that would be about right. For my dressage pony, no. Dr. Tolley agreed. So, after a bit of a discussion, he wants Izzy back on the flaxseed oil and rice bran.

They're all there.

When I used up the last bag of Flaxen Flow a few weeks ago, I decided not to reorder it as I had used it in the hope that it would keep his coat from changing so much in the summer sun. Apparently, it was doing more for his weight than I realized. On top of that, Dr. Tolley suggested I bring back the rice bran as an added fat source. He also wants both horses back on a daily vitamin and mineral product.

So much for keeping it simple. Over the past six months, I've phased out pretty much everything except hay, beet pulp, and Speedy's low carb senior feed. I wanted to see if the daily buckets of stuff were having any kind of effect. I guess I have my answer.

The Flaxen Flow was definitely making a difference.

I didn't need to research the flax seed oil. Horse Guard's Flaxen Flow is well priced, and super easy to dispense. Izzy's been eating it for the past 6 to 8 months without any issue, so I reordered that from Riding Warehouse. I gave up the Platinum Performance around the time that Speedy was diagnosed with Cushing's Disease. I just couldn't afford that and the Pergoglide.

Since I like the Flaxen Flow so well, I decided to go with another Horse Guard product, the Equine Vitamin-Mineral Supplement. It's reasonably priced and contains appropriate quantities of vitamin E and selenium, Dr. Tolley's two main concerns. If you're into the science of how much vitamin E and selenium horses need, there is a good article here by Kentucky Equine Research.

To finish off my visit, Kathryn ran fecal counts to check for worms. As usual both boys came back negative. We have some really cool weather on the way, enough to maybe kill off our flies. Both boys will get a dewormer then to get anything the fecal count missed. Since I have two tubes sitting on my desk, my next stop will be to the feed store for the rice bran.

Just when I thought things were getting simplified, we're back to multiple buckets and bags of stuff. Ah, well ... horses. What are you gonna do?

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Hoof Care

8/19/2019

6 Comments

Speedy has had 4 abscesses in the past 8 months. He's 15 years old but had never had one before this past winter. There is no doubt that the abscesses are directly related to his Cushing's Disease diagnosis.

August's abscess.

I tend to be pretty proactive in the vet care department. When I know I can't treat something, I call the vet immediately. But by keeping my med kit well stocked, I find that life is a lot easier. For one, emergencies are a lot less stressful, and two, I can pretty effectively treat most run-of-the-mill injuries, and even some not so basic issues, all without the need for a visit from the vet. Izzy's recent eye wound comes to mind. There is still a small area that needs to finish healing, but having saline solution and an irrigation syringe handy probably saved me a vet bill.

It's almost healed.

When Speedy developed a hoof abscess earlier this month, I was thankful to have had plenty of bandaging material and Numotizine in my med kit. While I didn't use all of the Numotizine, I put a pretty big dent in the tub. So much so that the next time he abscesses, I'll only have enough for one or two wraps.

I was also unbelievably lucky that my farrier showed up while I was on the phone with the vet. Within 10 seconds he was able to diagnose an abscess which saved me a long trip across town and a vet bill. He was able to make such a quick diagnosis because he had hoof testers and a hoof knife at his finger tips. I'll give you a quick guess as to what now resides in my med kit.

Hoof tester and hoof knife, and yes, I know how to use them.

Yep. I bought myself hoof testers and a hoof knife. While there are many hoof testers on the market, I reasoned that I didn't need a professional grade pair. I won't be using them that often, and with any luck, never again, so I went with a modest pair. I ended up ordering the Tough 1 Pro Hoof Tester 13" from the Riding Warehouse. At $29.95, less with a 15% coupon code, they're perfect.

Not wanting to be a total chick about my new tool, I cut away the wrapper and actually made sure I knew how to use it before a crisis strikes. I poked around at both Speedy's and Izzy's hooves trying to determine just how hard I need to squeeze. I eventually realized that I can squeeze as hard as I can without getting a reaction on a healthy hoof.

You'll notice that I also bought a hoof knife. It's a fairly cheap one, but again, I don't plan on needing it very often. It's a stainless steel, double edged knife that feels good in my hand. It seems sharp, but I didn't test it out. I actually hope I never need to use it. At $3.95, it's practically disposable anyway.

And this. Lots of this.

And since I was prepping for future abscesses, I decided to restock my dwindling supply of Numotizine. My last tub was half this size and cost $40 (from the vet). This tub, a full 3 pounds, ran me only $33 including free shipping from Amazon. Amazon Prime is the best "club" we belong to.

Here's to hoping that neither of my horses ever abscesses again, but if they do, I am armed and ready!

6 Comments

My Big Brown Buckskin(?) and Other Tales

8/12/2019

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Every summer and winter, Izzy's coat gets super light. This summer, I decided to try and keep the luxurious seal brown it gets in the spring and fall. I don't even recognize this horse. I don't think he's been that color since 2015.

November 2015

This spring, I started topdressing his feed with Horse Guard's Flaxen Flow, a cold-pressed flaxseed oil. He's been on it for 5 months. It didn't keep his coat dark, but his coat is a lot shinier and softer than in summers past, and he has even kept some of his spring/fall dapples.

I know. He doesn't even look like the same horse.

I now suspect that this color, this buckskin-esque blond, might be his natural summer/winter color while the seal brown is his spring/fall color. His RPSI Pferdepass (passport) lists his color as dunkelbraun, which translates as dark brown or black brown. Or in Izzy's case, just brown.

In other news, the big dunkelbraun horse really did a number on his eye over the weekend. There should be a rule that owners with more than one horse will never be required to medically treat more than one at a time. With Speedy's abscess needing daily packing and bandaging, it is not fair to also have to syringe and scrub out Izzy's eye.

The arrow is pointing to a small cut in the corner of his lower eyelid.

The reason I have to keep such a well-stocked medical kit is because I need it at least three times a week. Someone is always whacking or scraping something, usually both at the same time. On Friday, Izzy probably laid down too close to the fence because his left foot had some gouges near his pastern and his left eye looked as though he'd been in a fight in which he lost. He has a small cut in the corner that's below his ear.

Because doesn't everyone keep saline, irrigating syringes, clean containers, and fresh towels on hand?

After hosing off his face and then scrubbing it with a soft towel, none of which he appreciated, I repeatedly syringed his eye with saline solution. He didn't appreciate that treatment either. I hand-grazed him for a while and realized that his eye wasn't affecting his soundness or his appetite, so I saddled him up and rode. Afterward, the eye was less swollen but still oozing.

Once I scrubbed all the crust away, I could also see a small scratch about two inches to the left of his eye.

The next morning, the ooze and swelling were gone, but the cut in the corner of his eye looked a bit more pronounced. I syringed it with more saline solution, and then I rode him. He seemed just fine. Eye injuries can quickly turn into something scary though, ask my friend Sarah whose gelding fought for three months to keep his own eye, so I am keeping a careful "eye" on things.

And finally, do you remember the photo I posted a few weeks ago of the new bunny who moved in? Well, he's getting tamer by the minute. He now comes running when he sees me pull up because he knows he's getting a handful of senior feed. Izzy introduced himself by pressing his nose deeply into the bunny's fur and taking a big long whiff. The poor bunny just hunkered down praying that Izzy wouldn't carry him off as breakfast. And that was it. Once Izzy satisfied his curiosity, the bunny was welcome to share his feed.

None of us have named the bunny yet outside of calling him Bunny. I guess he's been named.

Life with horses is definitely not dull. There is always something to celebrate, medicate, or simply contemplate. It's what keeps me coming back for more.

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RAAC 2019

8/9/2019

6 Comments

Yep. We qualified for the California Dressage Society's Central Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) on the very last day. It's this weekend. Like I said in an earlier post, I was fine with not having qualified. I had already decided that it was too expensive anyway, and my money would be better spent on Speedy's vet bill (I kid you not, that thing is STILL sitting on my credit card).

RAAC 2018 - my favorite photo of all time.

And then I got a wild hair and threw caution out the window. I downloaded the premium and realized that entries had closed the day before. In for a penny, in for a pound, right? I filled out the entry, paid my late fee, and started packing (mentally anyway.)

Why yes, yes that is a flipping abscess days before the biggest show of the year.

And then on Tuesday, Speedy trotted off lame. I shook my head in disbelief. It was hard to be too mad about it, especially since I had only just decided to go to the show a week before. I pulled his tack and got on the phone with the vet.

The only way to get even part of the entry back, which was a hefty one, was with a letter from a veterinarian. Just as my call was answered, my farrier, who was not supposed to come on Tuesday, pulled up the driveway! I quickly explained to the office manager that Speedy was lame, but I was going to have the farrier take a look, and I'd call her back.

He was due for a trim anyway.

My farrier put the hoof tester on the right front, and wham-o! Speedy flinched pretty hard. A quick flick with the hoof knife revealed a small abscess track. My farrier dug down until a bit of blood appeared, but the abscess didn't drain. He was certain that the infection was higher up near the heels.

A summertime abscess here in the land of baking heat is not so common unless your horse has Cushing's Disease. Before this past winter, Speedy had never abscessed in his life. It was three abscesses in quick succession that suggested to my vet that we should test for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Speedy's numbers came back just above normal, so we started him on daily Pergolide (Prascend). My farrier was certain this abscess was related to Speedy's Cushing's Disease.

After some back and forth discussion, we decided to pack the hoof with Numotizene and cross our fingers. My farrier said it just might drain in time for the show, but if it got worse, I was to call him so he could clean it out some more.

Packed with Numotizine.

Sadly, it didn't get any worse, but it hasn't improved either. Yesterday, I sent an email to the show secretary telling her that Speedy and I had to withdraw. I attached the letter my vet had provided. I'll get most of my entry fee back, but I may need it to pay for this damn abscess if it won't drain on its own.

I've already called my farrier and asked if he can come back out to dig deeper, but I haven't heard back from him. Hopefully this thing resolves over the weekend. I go back to work officially on Monday, so it's going to be a lot harder to get Speedy into the vet to deal with this.

Hell's bells; it's always something.

6 Comments

A Little Catching Up

6/12/2019

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#1
In the fall of 2017, Speedy sliced open his coronary band and separated the hoof capsule from the coronary band in the process. The injury kept him on the disabled list for several months. This link will get you to my last update which has links to the original injury.

Is it a line, or is it a crack?

While he's been back to work without any effects from the wound, his hoof has never quite looked the same. My farrier hasn't expressed any concerns about it, but I've kept a close eye on it just the same. When Speedy was in to have his tooth pulled, I asked Dr. Tolley to have a look at the line that runs down the length of his hoof.

Dr. Tolley loves his Dremel Tool.

Dr. Tolley whipped out his Dremel and went to work on Speedy's hoof. He closely examined the "line" running down Speedy's hoof wall. My farrier calls it a line, but it has always looked like a crack to me. The vet confirmed my farrier's diagnosis; it's a just a line and isn't causing any structural damage. When Speedy injured his coronary band, it left scar tissue which is affecting how one small bit of hoof grows out, but it's only on the surface. The "crack" doesn't extend into the hoof wall.

Just a surface line.

Now that I know that it's just a scar and not a crack, I can quit worrying about it. I'll have to tell my farrier that he was right. The next time he calls it a "line," I won't insist on calling it a crack!

#2
In other news, after 4 years of ruining fly masks, Izzy has decided to wear one. He's kept this one on for about a week. After riding and cooling my horses off with a shower, they get to graze freely on the grass down by the paddocks and pastures. One at a time though, I learned my lesson. One horse won't go anywhere; two horses wreak havoc just because they can.

Wrong size, super old, but he's wearing it!

I decided to use the grazing time to see exactly how he was getting the fly mask off. I slipped it on under his halter, so that when I put him back, it was already on him. Instead of worrying about the thing, Izzy spent his whole time grazing. I think he forgot he was wearing the fly mask. When I came out the next day, it was still on him.

So that's been the routine: I hose him off, slip the fly mask under the halter, and let him graze for 30 - 40 minutes. When I put him away, I slide the halter off, and he doesn't notice a thing.

I promised him a new one if he'd keep the old one on, but I am afraid to ruin what's working. For now, I am just going to continue with this ratty old thing until he's a confirmed fly mask wearer. After that, we'll see about a new one.

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Tooth Update

6/7/2019

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Several things have happened since Speedy got his tooth pulled. The first thing was that he was immediately better about taking his daily Prascend tablet. The ranch owner reported that he was very relaxed and didn't do the my head is taller than you can reach dance. This is an enormous relief because it is the ranch owner who volunteers to administer the pill. Without her help, he probably wouldn't get it every single day.

Recently pulled on the left, baby tooth on the right. Both Speedy's.

As an aside, I don't remember how or where I found the baby tooth, but I thought it was cute, so I saved it. The adult tooth, an incisor, is interesting in its own way. If you'll look at the top quarter of the tooth, there is a chip out of the left side. That's the notch that Dr. Tolley carved to hold the wire in place so that it wouldn't slide down.

The rough edge at the bottom of the tooth shows where it fractured. The other side is completely smooth. The colors on top of both teeth show the enamel, cementum, and dentine. Remember, I geek out on this type of stuff!

Image borrowed from the internet.

But back to Speedy ...

Even though he was never in obvious pain, there must have been some discomfort having a fractured tooth. I had been able to carefully bridle him and ride while the tooth was wired to its neighbor. He never fussed more than normal, but since the tooth came out, he has been easier to bridle.

The hole is just under his tongue to the immediate right of the bottom tooth.

I've been able to rub my finger over the empty socket. He doesn't love it, but he's not a fan of me poking my fingers in his mouth as a general rule. Putting my fingers in his mouth typically means something unpleasant is coming. It's a Pavlovian response, for sure.

Dr. Tolley said it would take about three weeks to heal completely. It's been a week, and already it looks super healthy without any infection. He's eating better and has been grazing since the day the tooth was pulled. For now, it's healing well which is all I can ask for.

I am just glad it wasn't a middle tooth!

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Hey, Tooth Fairy!

5/30/2019

2 Comments

Boy do I have a good one for her. Hopefully she leaves me enough money to cover Speedy's latest vet bill. His tooth got pulled yesterday.

Very sleepy pony.

In mid-March, Speedy whacked his jaw on one of the poles that supports the roof over his shelter, knocking a tooth loose. He has a frustrating habit of whirling and pacing when he's anxious, so that was our best guess. Hoping to save the tooth, my vet anchored it to the neighboring tooth with wire. You can read about it here. When after two months the tooth still hadn't settled back in place, Dr. Tolley said it needed to come out.

Numbing his mouth.

Equine dentistry is very similar to human dentistry. Speedy first got a tranquilizer/sedative and then just like you'd do to a human patient, Dr. Tolley numbed Speedy's gums and lips. After that, he snipped the two wires that were holding the tooth in place. He first tried to pull the tooth with a good wiggle, and then he grabbed a tool similar to a flat-tipped screw driver and attempted to dig it free.

Using pliers.

When neither of his first attempts accomplished the job, Dr. Tolley grabbed a pair of good old pliers. With a firm tug, Speedy's tooth popped free.

We all cheered when it came out.

Just like when a kid looses a tooth, there was a fair amount of bleeding that Dr. Tolley mopped up with gauze. Once he cleaned up Speedy's mouth, the bleeding stopped. He next examined the hole searching for fragments.

Clean up.

The incisors, like all equine teeth, attach deep within the jaw bone. Without an x-ray to confirm it, Dr. Tolley wanted to be sure that the fracture had been a clean one without tooth fragments hindering the healing process. It should be completely healed in about three weeks, but I am to check it daily for any signs of an infection.

Bottom row, just below his tongue.

When I asked Dr. Tolley about aftercare, he shrugged and said there wasn't a therapy that he thought would hasten the healing process. He said to just ride him. By the time we got home, Speedy was happy and appeared pain free. I gave him nearly an hour to graze and wander. He might have still been numb of course, but he happily chomped on the grass, pausing for a long drink at Izzy's trough.

Hopefully he ate dinner last night. I warned the ranch owner, who doles out Speedy's morning Prascend, that he might be particularly grouchy about getting his pill this morning. Hopefully the text I get is a good one.

2 Comments

Wound(s) Update

3/25/2019

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Things are healing (mostly) well. I am a tad bit concerned about the wire holding Speedy's tooth in place, but at least the wires are still there. Before I elaborate, a friend tagged me in a Facebook post with this picture attached. I don't think it needs much explanation.

This looks annoyingly familiar.

If you only land here sporadically, you're missing out on all sorts of drama. You really should check in more frequently. Either way, in mid-February, Speedy tore open the front of both front legs, requiring sutures on the right side. The second injury happened about an hour after returning to the ranch from the vet. That wound should probably have been stapled closed, but it's healing fine anyway.

We appreciate symmetry around here.

When Speedy was in for his tooth, Dr. Tolley examined the scabs that are hanging around and gave me permission to work them off. I was hesitant to do it before because I didn't want to screw around with the epithelialization of the last bit of skin. I still don't like to yank the scabs off, and neither does Speedy, but with a good soaking and a scrub brush, they're coming off easier and easier. Once the wounds are clean and free of debris, I am still coating them with some AluShield. At this point, the AluShield is really just to make myself feel better.

Speaking of his teeth ...

I have to rinse them every day to keep the grass and hay from clogging up his "braces."

Again, if you aren't a regular reader ... Speedy tried to knock out his bottom left incisor a week ago. Dr. Tolley wired it back into place, and so far, everything is holding steady. I am worried about the wire irritating a bit of his gum though. If you look at the last incisor, the one closest to the top as you're looking at the photo, there is a bit of gum that looks annoyed. I can't tell if the gum is simply healing - that's where the tooth was displaced, or is the wire rubbing on his gum? I'll watch it for another day or two. If it still looks a bit pissy, Dr. Tolley will get a photo, and I'll probably get yet another vet bill.

In for a penny, in for a pound. What I can say? We're kind of an all or nothing team.

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Equine Orthodontics

3/21/2019

2 Comments

Speedy knocked a tooth loose. I told you that yesterday. The plan had been for Dr. Tolley to squeeze Speedy in between other appointments while I was at work. That didn't happen, for which I was secretly glad. I wonder if Dr. Tolley deliberately didn't squeeze him in knowing how much I love to be involved in my horses' treatment. Besides just being a concerned owner, I dig this kind of stuff. In the end, I got to watch.

Besides the standard IV tranquilizer/sedative, Dr. Tolley needed to block the nerves in Speedy's mouth much like your own dentist does when drilling out a cavity or creating a crown. For horses, this means blocking the ipsilateral mandibular nerve which is accessed through the mandibular foramen, an opening in the lower jaw.

Locating the mandibular foramen

To find the opening, Dr. Tolley followed some very specific measurements. He marked the location on Speedy's jaw with a Sharpie Marker much like a surgeon will do before cutting.

A six inch spinal needle.

Then he used a very long needle which he injected into the mandibular foramen via Speedy's throat latch.

Injecting anesthesia into the mandibular foramen.

While Speedy "cooked" a bit, Dr. Tolley brought out an equine skull to show me what he had done.

You're looking down the skull toward the front teeth. You can see both mandibular foramen(s) - the two circular openings, almost in the center of each side of the jaw.

Dr. Tolley's nerve blocking manual.

Dr. Tolley's purpose was to "flood" the canal with anesthesia, numbing the teeth along that side of the lower jaw.

Since I was fascinated by the procedure and because Dr. Tolley loves it when his clients are just as geeked out by this stuff as he is, he went and brought out his manual for doing these types of procedures. When I asked if the book was written for lay people such as myself or for veterinarians practicing medicine, he quickly assured me that this was literally his how-to guide.

Regular wire.

Once Speedy's mouth was numb, the procedure was fairly simple. Dr. Tolley took a length of regular wire and threaded it through Speedy's undamaged teeth much like you would use dental floss.

Flossing with wire.

Of course, nothing with Speedy is easy. Even though he was quite tipsy and numb, he still put up a fuss. Eventually Dr. Gonzalez joined in to help steady Speedy and keep his tongue out of the way.

Replacing the wire after the first one snapped.

Once the wire was through the front teeth, Dr. Tolley wrapped it around to "capture" the damaged tooth - the one on the far right. When the wire was wrapped around the teeth, Dr. Tolley twisted it tight, clipped off the extra bits, and smooshed it flat.

All hands on deck for this Goddess.

To support the tooth even more, Dr. Tolley wrapped a second layer of wire around the upper portion of Speedy's teeth. To ensure that the wire stayed up high, he used his Dremel tool to carve out a bit of Speedy's tooth to act as a guide, or a track, for the top row of wire. He secured that one exactly like the first.

Equine orthodontics.

And that was it. Dr. tolley finished off the whole job with a shot of penicillin. Speedy can go back to work at any time. Of course, I am to check his mouth for loose or broken wires and regular flushes with water won't hurt. In six weeks, Speedy goes back in to have the wires removed.

We opted not to take x-rays, but in the event that the tooth is fractured, I'll start to see signs of infection, and then we'll have to pull the tooth - a more expensive and less favorable option.

While Speedy should be fine, and I stress the should, I've taken all shows and clinics off the table. That means that I won't be going to the Lilo Fore clinic after all. I could take Izzy of course, but frankly, my wallet can't handle anything else right now.

I hope Speedy gets to show later this summer, but it was just stressing me out too much to try and get him ready for a clinic by mid-April. I felt an enormous weight lift from my shoulders with the decision. I've got some Izzy plans for May though, so you'll still see us out there.

Let's hope Speedy is done with the theatrics.

2 Comments

Some Words About Teeth

3/20/2019

7 Comments

First of all, you kind of need them; horses too. Keeping with the theme of this winter though, Speedy tried to knock his out.

Bottom row, far right.

Speedy's a worrier. He paces and whirls when he thinks he's been left on his own, which NEVER ACTUALLY HAPPENS. On Sunday morning, while I lunged Izzy, Speedy apparently paced and whirled a bit too hard and whacked his face against the pole that holds up his roof.

You're looking at how far the tooth has been displaced.

I swear I cannot make this stuff up. When I saw the blood on his mouth, I pulled back his lip and saw a tooth hanging to the side. I gently pushed on it to see if it was loose, and he snapped his head back with an audible intake of breath. That sucker looks like it must hurt.

From the side.

Since he was eating and looked fine otherwise, I decided to wait to call the vet until Monday. Frankly, my wallet couldn't handle a Sunday emergency vet visit for something non-life-threatening. The ranch owner and I both agreed to give it one day to see if the swelling would go down overnight. It didn't.

Super funny blooper photo. We had tons of photos of his nose and nose hairs, but this one was the funniest.

I called the vet on Monday afternoon, but due to a busy schedule, a day off, and the dentistry required to fix this, it was decided to drop Speedy off last night so Dr. Tolley can get to him some time today while I am work. The plan is to wire the tooth back into place. Sort of of like having braces.

I'll let you know how it goes. Oh, and Universe? F*#@ you!

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About the
Writer & Rider

I am a lifetime 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

Email Karen

About Speedy G

Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. We're currently showing Third Level for the 2019 show season. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.

August 2018

About Izzy

Izzy 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 schooling and showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.

March 2019

Bakersfield Dressage approved!

FOR THE SMALLER EQUINE ATHLETE

I love her stuff!

National Awards

USDF Second Level Rider Performance Award - 2018

2nd Level Rider Performance, 2018

USDF First Level Rider Performance Award - 2015

1st Level Rider Performance, 2015

USDF Training Level Rider Performance Award - 2013

Training Level Rider Performance, 2013

State Awards

CDS Ruby Rider Award - 2018
CDS Second Level Horse Performance Award - 2018

Ruby Rider Award, 2018

2019 Show Season

Show Rating
(***) CDS/USDF/USEF
(*) CDS
(s) Schooling
(c) Clinic
(r) Ride-a-Test Clinic
(Q) Must Qualify

2019 Pending …
10/26-27/19 SCEC (***)
11/17/19 Pacific Dress. (s)
12/7/19 El Sueno (***)

2019 Completed …
6/15-16/19 - El Sueno (***)
6/23/19 - TMC (*)
7/13-14/19 - El Sueno (***)
7/28/19 - TMC (*)
8/25/19 - TMC (*)
9/8/19 White Birch (s)

Qualifying Scores for 2019

Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC)
3rd Level Qualifying
3 Scores/2 Judges:
Score 1: 63.514% Lindholm
Score 2: 62.105% Lindholm
Score 3: 63.243% Wadeborn

CDS Championship
3rd Level Qualifying
5 Scores/4 Judges:
Score 1: 63.514% Lindholm
Score 2: 62.105% Lindholm
Score 3: 63.243% Wadeborn
Score 4:
Score 5:

Working Towards:

CDS 3rd Level Horse Performance Award
3 Judges/3 Shows:
Score 1: 63.514% Lindholm
Score 2: 62.105% Lindholm
Score 3: 63.243% Wadeborn
Score 4:
Score 5:
Score 6:

CDS Sapphire Rider Award
Third Level: 63.514%
Third Level: 62.105%
Fourth Level:
Fourth Level:

USDF Bronze Medal
First Level - 70.179%
First Level - 72.600%
Second Level - 62.879%
Second Level - 61.970%
Third Level -
Third Level -

Another Vet Visit

Hoof Care

My Big Brown Buckskin(?) and Other Tales

RAAC 2019

A Little Catching Up

Tooth Update

Hey, Tooth Fairy!

Wound(s) Update

Equine Orthodontics

Some Words About Teeth

About the
Writer & Rider

About Speedy G

About Izzy

National Awards

Stuff I Read

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About the Writer & Rider

About Speedy G

About Izzy

National Awards

Stuff I Read

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Archives

About the
Writer & Rider