No camp

I clearly well and truly jinxed it by announcing that we are going out for the first time to an event, on a lorry. We're not now, as R is a bit lame. I think she's got a bit sensitive soles from hard ground, maybe last weekend's grazing... Not sure.

Yesterday it transpired that R is a bit lame – though not majorly limpy. She seemed very stiff and pottery on her front feet – particularly noticeable in trot and canter. I already noticed a shorter stride over a week ago when my riding instructor was riding her and I could see her from the ground. Though, she has been doing eg an hour's lesson with me on Tue and seemed fine. We also hacked out on Wed and she seemed OK, maybe a little pottery again but put it down to being on tarmac. We did have to walk over some gravel and she was crab-walking a bit, but I tried not to force her or make her go faster than she was comfortable with.

Yesterday, the fronts weren't extending as much as they would normally and yesterday she looked to be a bit uncomfortable. She also tried to lift her head when I asked upward transitions, which to me looked sort of pain related. Also on harder ground and when walked in-hand she would 'give-in' more every few steps. 

I gave her rest of the day off and same today. Walked her a bit in-hand in the back sand school today, and even though she moves 'ok', the shoulders were still stiff looking and there was occasional give in one of the legs (I think it was the right-side, but it's hard to say as my instructor claimed the left side looked sore).

I contacted the hoof trimmer by text yesterday for a bit of advice and he reckoned it was bruised sole, though he didn't really tell me what I should or shouldn't do with R. He asked if one of the hooves is hotter and if there is a digital pulse. I couldn't say one of the hooves was hotter than others, and they weren't any warmer than rest of her body, really. Also I couldn't detect pulse. 

Friend suggested putting her feet in Epsom Salt and warm water for 5 mins to soothe her feet if nothing else. I did this today and she seemed fine once she realised the bucket wasn't going to eat her leg! 

So we're going to take it easy this weekend and I will just try and walk R in-hand tomorrow again, or gentle lunging...

It's tricky, but it was to be expected that it wouldn't be perfect all the time, going shoeless. Three weeks in and R has actually coped really well, I could even ride her almost straight away...  The ground is quite hard now, it's just probably been a bit too much for Rainbow's feet at this stage, accumulation of things.... Hopefully a bit of rest will do the trick.