Update on Deuce, and a possibility...Magic

This post is long past due! I have just been SO bummed for the past several weeks that I didn't feel like writing this. Deuce had all summer off after his weird parking out incident in June, and I was hoping that it had helped and that whatever problem he had been experiencing had corrected itself after his shoes were pulled and he got a good trim to put his feet back at the correct angles. My farrier came out September 22nd to trim Deuce, and I was really hoping, and planning, to put front shoes back on him and bring him back into work. Well, that didn't happen. It was painful for Deuce whenever the farrier pulled either front leg forward. I palpated Deuce's back, and it was still very sore. There was no way Deuce could be put on a hoof stand to shoe him, and no sense in shoeing him just to stand in the pasture, unless there was a valid therapeutic reason.

I took Deuce back to the vet, and when we got him on a flat, level surface and viewed his back from above and behind, he is not symmetrical from his left side to his right side. The right side of his back looks atrophied. He also is resistant to flexing his head around to the right. Five days of stall rest with 2 grams of Bute twice a day did help some. He was able to tolerate flexing his head around to the right more, and his back was less painful. From there, he was turned back out and kept on 1 gram of Bute twice a day. He became more painful again. Next, he was put on stall rest without Bute. He remained painful. He has been back on turnout without Bute since the middle of last week. Sunday, his back was still painful, but I could pull his legs forward further, especially the right front, without him pulling back.

My vet had been in contact with both Va Tech and NCSU-CVM. Deuce will need to go to one of the vet schools for x-rays of his neck and withers. We are wondering if Deuce had a wreck as a baby that is just now showing up. Do any of you have any ideas? Whatever the problem is, Deuce is in pain continuously. He is not really showing any neurological problems, either. That is placing something like EPM further down the list of possibilities. Also, does anyone have an opinion of VA Tech versus NCSU? My only experience is, of course, with NCSU. I was thinking about trying to wait until a clinician I know is on clinics there.

This could very well be a career ending problem for Deuce, which is why I have been so bummed! This is my favorite time of year to ride, too. So I have been keeping my eyes open for something to ride. Early last week I went to check out a mule that I could free lease. She was very pleasant to ride, and would be something that I could trail ride.

Then I saw a horse posted in the "Giveaways" forum on COTH the middle of last week. She is a 16.2 hand 7yo OTTB mare, and she has done some eventing. I went to look at her Sunday. Another family came to look at her as well, though, so I was doing a really good job of not getting my hopes up...until I rode her! I REALLY liked her. She was willing to come into a nice frame for me, and was very nice to ride. It was evident how much I need to get back in shape, but she was responsive and soft. After cantering some, I was able to get a really nice forward trot with her pushing deep from behind and coming nicely onto the bit. I just couldn't sustain it for very long right now!


The owner went to check out the facility of the other people that afternoon, and I was expecting to be told that they would be getting Magic, as they have a lot going for them. The girl is in regular lessons with a big name trainer, too, and had been able to come out and look at Magic once or twice before. However, she told me that she would still like to come look at where I would be keeping Magic, and wants to see me ride her again. So I am still be in the running. The owner is coming to look at the place where I would board Magic on Saturday, and I am going to look at her again Sunday. Comments and conformation critiques are welcome!