2 days later

The pony is definitely feeling better after the stifle injection. She looks fantastic at the walk - and she willingly and easily stayed beside me walking to the arena. Yes!


However, while she definitely looks A LOT better, she is still pretty off at the trot. When I let her off the lunge line and shooed her away, she willingly took off at a pretty forward trot. She looks better on a straight line than she does on a circle. Not surprised, circles are tough, especially with arthritis. But, she was off, even in a straight line, so I can't get on her to eliminate the lunging on a circle factor...yet. She also cantered all by herself, ON all four legs. She kept it slow, and did about half the arena two or three times, before stopping and holding the right hind up for a couple of seconds. She cross-cantered to the right, and switched without me asking her to after a couple of strides.


Still...all of this is progress. Previously, she wouldn't canter at all if I let her loose, or if she did, it was on three legs. Today, she cantered with the same amount of pressure I use to make her walk around. A good sign...she clearly wanted to do it. Also, she was tossing and rolling her head -- she REALLY wanted to play and buck. But she seems to know her body isn't quite there yet. When I went up to her to bring her back to the barn, she rolled her head around three times and looked at me with a hairy eyeball, as if saying, "Mom, if I felt just a little better, I'd make you work to catch me!" I had to laugh, and I actually hope she does just that in the near future!!


I haven't lost hope yet. I keep reminding myself it has only been 2 days since the injection. And, she may need longer to feel the full effect. I hope in a week or so I will be able to report that she's sound enough to ride.