Just an update...

It has been almost two years since this disaster struck.  I want everyone to know that she is doing pretty well.  If you didn't know that she went through all of this, you wouldn't be able to tell.  I can, because I know the little things that still show.  I just want you so see how well she is doing.  It is still pretty chilly up here in the mountains in February so she is still a little fuzzy. She is doing well.  I hope this finds you with your own story of success with your horse.  It has been such a long, long road.

Some things bring people together

As I check my stats on this blog site, I find myself in wonder at the number of people in different countries around the world who are researching this condition.  I notice that this condition does not recognize borders or geographic locations.   l see that people around the world care deeply for their horses.  I see searches from as far away as Russia, South Korea, New Zealand, Ireland, Columbia, Germany, Canada, and Switzerland.  I would love to hear from you.  We share a common bond.  We love our horses and they are sick.  Our languages may be very different but grief is similar.  I hope that this blog has given you hope in knowing that you can get through this but it does take swift action and time.  God Bless you.

All's well that ends well

Things are going well.  I put Truffles through her paces today in the arena.  We trotted and loped, side passed, backed, changed leads and did all manner of things. She performed without a hitch.  We even took a little trail ride. (she hates trails) She is back to normal and that makes me glad I went through with the surgery.  She could probably be shown again after she gets back in shape.  I am  still riding her in a hackamore and she seems to like that a lot.  I don't know if I want to try her bit anymore.

CHOW TIME

Truffles decided to be a little camera shy as well as a little dirty from rolling around in her shavings, but I wanted to add a new post.  She is wearing a fly mask because the flies get a little pesky around this time of year.  Her legs are wrapped because, when she lays her large frame down, she scrapes up her front fetlocks a bit and I hate that. I keep her legs wrapped to keep her from having scabs all over her fetlocks.  With that information out of the way, I can give you the update.  It has been a little short of a year and my vet pronounced her 100% sound.  No more MRSA, no neurological damage, her eye blinks, she makes tears, and her ear swivels.  She lets me ride her bareback or with the saddle and everything is as it was before all this happened. Actually, she has gone from a silly filly to a mature mare.  She is a little more serious about life, now.  We have all noticed that change in her.   It was a terribly long road. It was one of the most stressful things in my life.  It was worth the work and worry. It was expensive to treat but my horse is not just a horse, she is family.  I am glad she is back.

Still standing

So far everything is going well.  There is nothing new to report.  I would love to hear from those of you who have contacted me in the past to tell me how your horse is doing.  I pray that you will also have good news to report.  Please share with me your struggles and trials so that they may be shared with others.  I am glad that we have come this far and would love to hear your story, too.

Seven months later.......

I like to ride my horse alone. I ride as an escape from "the world."  So... when I want to take pictures, I have to take them myself. I guess you will have to trust that we went riding this day.  Everything is working well on the pretty princess.  Her lip is straight, her ear swivels, her eye blinks, and she walks steadily. You can see, here, that I have been riding her in a hackamore and I don't fight with her head set so if she wants to carry her head a little higher, I let her because after all this, what's the big deal where she carries her head.  I notice a little twitch in the side of her mouth after we work and that may be permanent.  I doesn't seem to bother her very much so we just ignore that.  I give her a little massage to help relax the twitch but I don't know if it really helps. It is the middle of February and she looks a little rough.  She is still a bit furry and not groomed to show quality, but after a 7 month lay off she still looks pretty good.  I can't wait to see how she looks by May.

This site has a good explanation

More people have come across my blog because they have had to encounter this ugly problem with their own precious horses.  I am humbled to be able to help you know what may lie ahead in your journey.  I am adding in a wonderful site that explains the problem and shows some good pictures of the problem.


http://www.roodandriddle.com/2011/09/my-horse-has-what-temporohyoid-osteoarthropathy/