The Repurposed Horse

Turnout has gone better than I could have imagined. Spring has been absolutely loving it, cavorting around with her friends and somehow looking pretty damn sound. She's doing well enough that I texted my vet this morning to cancel our Wednesday appointment. If there's still a chance for Spring to have a life and be a happy horse, I'll continue to fight for it. She's going to be stuck inside most of this week while I'm out of town for the holidays, but once I'm back the plan is to continue to wean her onto full time turnout as the wound on her leg continues to grow ever smaller. I'm hoping that once she can be outside without a bandage the leg will really start looking better - that skin needs fresh air ASAP.  I know that our saga isn't over, and that there will likely be more twists and turns ahead. But tonight I'm feeling hopeful again, and my horse is happy again, and we have time.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out to offer words of support. It's hard for me to read blogs right now, and I've never been great at responding to comments, but please know that I deeply appreciate each and every one of you. Spring's wound is healing in leaps and bounds. Now that we've moved to dressing changes every other day, I'm noticing way more progress. If only that was our only issue, we would be rapidly approaching rehab rides. Alas, the fetlock remains low and her hock has all but straightened out. Sheis starting to get tired of the stall rest routine, and on our outdoor hand grazing adventures she is becoming increasingly difficult. Which, understandable. Outside (even in the cold) is often much more preferable to the confines of her stall. It's now become a two person job to rebandage her leg - someone has to hold one of her other legs up while I apply all 7 layers of bandage because she won't stand for it otherwise. Today ther...