Jailbreak!

Christmas came early for Derby on Monday.  His vet pronounced him healed and gave the green light for turnout.  It didn’t come a day too soon – though he was a total star while stuck on stall rest, he was getting bored and grumpy.  On Sunday,  when I went to put him back in his stall after grooming and handwalking, he said No, sticking his toes in and balking in the aisle.  I cajoled him in with some cookies, which worked.  But then he realized that he’d been suckered, and stood sulking, ignoring his hay.

So I was thrilled when we got the OK to put him back out. I slapped on his bell boots, and fed him a couple tabs of Ace to blunt his enthusiasm a bit.  It was muddy and slippery, and I wanted to keep the exuberance in check.

Ace takes about a half hour to kick in, so in the meantime, I thought I’d let Derby burn off some steam in the indoor arena.   I turned him loose and ….well, you can see for yourself.

He actually did trot and canter around, and while he threw a few bucks he didn’t hit the afterburners and cause me any heart palpitations.  I took his leftover breakfast hay outside, and had a discussion with his turnout buddy, Remy, about keeping a lid on things.  The two were the picture of equine reasonableness:

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6dV_NrNHQo&list=UUhEhEjeOq6-1OrgVPP7t8Cg&index=2

I’ve been grounded this week due to some lingering effects of food poisoning (awesome) after being out of the country last week, but am taking a lesson on Manny tonight, and am planning on getting on Derby on Saturday.  While I was away, he managed (while in his stall, wearning a sheet) to wound himself on his back – right where the saddle would go.  He had a bloody wound and a large swelling last week, according to my vet who saw it when she was there to do his teeth while I was away.  The swelling is gone and it’s healing, but was still very tender this week.  A few more days, though, and we should be FINALLY good to go!