We got a break in the rain (3 inches in four days) and headed to the fairgrounds. Brego's feet are wet and he's definitely not comfortable over gravel, but he was perfect on turf. He was actually also mentally excited to work, very responsive, no resistance. We did a lot of trot work, working on straightness and correct inside bend, with just a little bit of canter. His canter departures were crisp and balanced. It was very pleasant to get on him after more than a week off and both of us be excited for the work.
So I would like to claim that he is over his stone bruise or whatever ailed him, although his feet are too soft from the rain for any long distance work. So the current plan is to get back into the grove in the arena or on turf and possibly revisit the Vettek SuperFast epoxy for the Hunter Pace at the end of the month (June 28). Even though the territory is not exceptionally rocky, the distance, coupled with the copious amounts of rain, leads me to be cautious. I will probably follow the same protocol as before: Put epoxy on a couple days before and remove it a couple of days after.
When it rains, it pours, and there's no getting around mud in New England. My choices to keep his feet dry are limited to keeping him stalled more often, something I am loathe to do. I truly believe that 24 hour turnout is best, barring extraordinary circumstances, especially for big, hardworking joints. When the ground is wet, his feet will get wet. Hopefully, we can get to a happy place where he is comfortable over most terrain, under most circumstances barefoot, even when wet, and I can use the epoxy to protect his feet for those times he's just not up to the task. As always, adjusting to the new climate will take time and I am constantly learning and tweaking my maintenance program to keep both horse and rider as comfortable as possible.
In other news, Brego has reached minor celebrity status with upcoming interviews in some wonderful horse-themed publications. I will post more information on these exciting developments as the content is published publicly. Most long time readers know that when I am quiet on the blog, big things are afoot. Hold tight, we have some fun times ahead!
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