Sit the Trot

Today we had the gorgeous and clever Dr Christakos come out to us to investigate further into Axels discomfort under saddle. We started with a ridden assessment. I didn't have a crash test dummy for the first hour so it was up to me to hop up. Even though I knew it wouldn't be pretty, I was so happy to sit on my boy again. In walk he felt ok (as always) and then the moment I put my leg on to ask for trot I got all the unhappiness and resistance again every time I asked The next stage was nerve blocking the front feet, this made sense as he had a mild response to hoof testers on his frog, especially front left. So we went ahead and by this time my crash test dummy Bri had arrived. Off she went, and again, the resistance going into trot with no difference. Back to the grooming stall and this time hind feet were nerve blocked, this was where we weren't expecting to see much. Back into the arena again and Bri asks for trot, again that resistance, but then... a little chan...

So, off to the vets we went last week. We shipped him to Littleton Equine to meet with Dr Christakos. I had hummed and hawed about where to take him as many of my friends had different suggestions but on advice of my trainer and vet we stuck with Littleton, at least for now. He shipped well as ever and we arrived on a swelteringly hot afternoon ready for some tests! Dr Christakos began with some palpitations and then trotting him up on the hard surface. Following on he was lunged in the round pen to watch him moving freely. After that we went to some pretty extensive flexions, he was pulled pushed and trotted. All followed by back XRays, all of which showed, well not a lot. Nothing substantial came up. So, onto the next things. We are going to Nerve Block and try riding and seeing what we get... watch this space my darling friends! Littleton Equine Axel pretty pissed about waiting in the pen Lunging like a good boy! Flexions!

Sometimes life feels like it just keeps throwing you too many lemons, you make your lemonade, then your lemon meringue pie, then your lemon drizzle cake then more lemonade... you eventually realize you just have too many lemons. The last few months have definitely been filled with a few too many lemons for us. We've had to say a goodbye to my soul dog Boo, been battling taxes, new school year stress, finance stuff, US Visa issues and Axels soundness... so many damn lemons. Axel, my sweet boy is really not right. He qualified for regional championships with some really good scores and I was so excited to have a solid five or six weeks to really crack our test riding symmetry ready for the champs. Alas, as seems the theme, it was not to be. Ulcers now pretty much cracked, he isn't even rideable and we don't know why. It could be neck again, or something in his back. He looks good on the lunge but cant even trot under saddle. It makes me so sad for him. He looks better tha...