Feeling better

I took Nell out for the first time in a month today. Tony the farrier had ordered I give her field rest as he had also picked up on the inflamed tendon and said to give her a few weeks off and today I decided to try her on a gentle hack around three gates. Or at least it was meant to be gentle. She was fresh and bouncy so we actually did a lot more than I thought she'd want to and I had to fight her to stand still or slow down on several occasions. She is short stepping ever so slightly in the walk and trot but her head set is level and sound. She may always have a slight issue with that leg but thats old horses through and through. I have also made the hard decision to stop jumping her. Popping a log occasionally on a hack won't hurt but I won't be taking her into the mini jump classes like I had planned. She loves to jump and so do I but for her own good it won't be a regular occurance anymore.

In other news, Rocky was ill before Christmas with an abcess under his jaw. It wasn't strangles although the location was suspect and the vet gave him some antibiotics to perk him up. He's much better and it's mostly healed so he also went out today. He has a pelham and double rein now and his downward transitions are already looking better now that he is unable to evade the bit.