Shortly after beginning our Training Level season I decided it might be a good idea as Houston grew older and started to show more stiffness to have his hocks injected. Boy was that a BAD idea. Houston felt so wonderful that he went out into the pasture the next day and pulled his stifle. He was completely lame.
After calling the vet and having x-rays, tests and tons of stall rest I was told he probably wouldn't recover. That was a challenge to me as an owner. I did EVERYTHING to a T that I was ordered to do by the vet. Houston was hand walked, stalled and treated like a king.
We had monthly vet checks and after 4 months the vet looked at me in amazement and said "he's better, and I didn't think it would happen". I grinned from ear-to-ear. Houston and I went from Training Level eventing to walking in the arena mounted for 10 minutes a day, 20 minutes a day, trotting in straight lines only for half the arena for MONTHS to build back all the muscle we had lost very slowly.
During Houston's unfortunate injury he managed to become a cover horse for a local magazine. This picture was taken while waiting for our monthly vet visit.
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