The week of Oct 18-24

Today Vegas got another little trim. He goes back and forth between weighting the heels and the toes. Today is the toe. Also sometimes when he is standing he won’t weight his heel. However when we encourage him to this daily...we call it doing his ‘yoga’ by lifting up the left front, pedestal training and bows.. the right front is looking good on the ground. His tendons are tight but I can relate to that having just started yoga myself.

His soles have been so non existent (thin) for so many years that there is a black dot necrotic abscess ‘hole’ by the apex that continues to grow out on his right front. Later that day he got another tiny trim, just backing up the heels. The foot is so contracted that the bulb skin has taken over and grown overtop of the heels, trimming the heels back into the bulb skin uncovered more ‘hidden heel’. After the new plane was found, the soft bars were shaped. Vegas was walking a lot better that night, with much bigger strides and landing flat with that right front instead of toe first.

The next day was unusually warm. There was also a storm warning, so hay was put in the tires and some was spread. Usually the horses come when I say 'come on' in the way that I do, but they didn’t, and remained in the far field. They were busy relaxing in the hot weather. Oh well. I put some carrots in the ‘magic bucket’ in the shelter and we returned towards house.

Before we made it there the rain started, just as we made it inside it began to pour. Good for soaking feet. :)

October 20th was a breakthrough day for Vegas. He was fully weighting the right front and most of the time standing square with fronts. The right front frog is finally engaged, and the foot opened up somewhat.

Vegas was feeling good, he was finally not grouchy to the other horses or us. He is curious and seems interested in his environment, and is acting friendly.

On October 23rd it rained and Vegas was a bit cold. His coat is still behind the others because it is his first time living the natural lifestyle, and he only began at the end of August. We moved him and fed more hay and he was fine.

The next day was warm and sunny. We lunged Vegas in the round pen and it went well, not limping and he was taking bigger strides.

He still has a long way to go to get his body unlocked but he's doing ok so far.