Wow another good week with lots of positives and we have now reached 5months post op!
In that time we've done:6 weeks box rest
2 weeks paddock rest
4 weeks hydrotherapy rehabilitation on an aqua treadmill
1 week lunging
2months of ridden/lunging rehabilitation
Things have not always gone smoothly but I'm really happy with where we are at this stage of his recovery and believe that most of his "issues" are psychological rather than physicological which given time I'm sure will improve.
I've worked really hard to try to do jacks rehab right, I've spent a lot of time and money trying my best to give him the highest possible chance of a full recovery. I've also done a lot of research along side professional advice from my vets at oakham equine hospital and home farm, Tim at Bennett's rehab centre, my physio tamsyn and saddler to ensure I'm giving him every chance. It can be quite confusing as the more people I talk to the more conflicting advice I seem to get but I always put my vets advice above all others. Other than having a recurring slight niggle with tightness in his SI which just needs physio treatment to help relieve physically Jack has recovered really well. His scars have healed and he has no visible signs of the surgery on his spine. Mentally he still has a bit of a way to go but he is getting better and growing in confidence all the time. Time is the minds greatest healer and I'm in no hurry so Jack can take as long as he needs to recover. The only time his issues manifest seems to be in the school so with that in mind I'm consciously not riding in there at the moment! He is the most resilient little horse with great character and I know with time he will be better than ever so for now I want him to have fun, build and strengthen his core to enable him to work correctly and pain free and just forget about the pain and discomfort he's been in in the past.
Anyway onto what we've been up to! It's been a scorching week which has starting out with a progressive pessoa session on the Monday, an enjoyable and stress free solo hack on the Tuesday another lunge on the Wednesday late evening when it had cooled a bit over 2poles on opposite sides of the circle, a short lunge on the Thursday due to the horrible weather and a unplanned but lovely loose jump on the Friday. I had intended to attempt some join up with Jack on the Friday and so I'd built a home made round pen at one end of our ménage with barrels and poles on a curved line across the school and poles across the 2 corners to make it sort of round! Jack soon put paid to any attempts of joining up by repeatedly jumping out of the pen, then back in, then out again! As he seemed to rather be enjoying jumping and doing it without being asked I decided to ditch the pen and built a jump instead, I kept it small (around 65cm) as didn't want to push him and I let him choose his pace and how much he did but he happily cantered round on each rein and cleared the jump with ease over and over again :) his little ears were pricked and he seemed to really enjoy it!
Also on Friday I was treated to a cuddle with a very sleepy Jack in his stable! In 4 years of owning him I have never even seen him lying down in his stable let alone been able to go in the stable and sit with him! He has always jumped to his feet the moment he's heard the gate opening but today, perhaps because of the heat, he was out for the count snoring away and even when I walked into his stable and stroked him he only lifted his head! I was able to sit with him for ages and even got a piccie having cuddles with him lying down.... so cute!
He's due a physio appointment but Tamsyn is away so she's not coming until the 15th and unfortunately my usually sensible pony decided to freak at something while tied on the yard and slip. He doesn't seem to have caused himself any serious damage but I am going to air on the side of caution and having had a couple of days off in the field I am just going to lunge him if he is up to it until she's seen him next week. It wont do him any harm to do a bit more on the pessoa, he works well in it and the use of ground and raised poles will help to strengthen his back and core muscles further. Hopefully Tamsyn and give him the all clear and I will ride him again after the 15th :)
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