get out of jail card

The first Shockwave Treatment appears to have been effective! It was a unanimous conclusion among the four of us that had gathered for Koda's follow-up appointment. The vet, our trainer, Brad and myself agreed that Koda had improved since he received the treatment. He was sound to the left, and had just a tiny hint of lameness visible when going towards the right. You really had to look hard to see anything off.

Koda got his "get out of jail card" and proceeded to "go". In this case "go" is full pasture turnout. The increased potential for re-injury is scary. You can't wrap them up in bubble wrap, they do what comes natural. We were at a good point to try full pasture turnout, so we did.

A second Shockwave Treatment was given, and the next morning Koda was turned out to pasture. One week later, things are still going good.

Instead of turning Koda out with Nemo in their regular big pasture, he is being turned out with a docile middle age mare in a pasture about a third of the size. It's a good intermediate step. A step that I think us humans needed, more then the horse. 

Nemo is an Alpha, and his favorite horse to put in order is his brother. Altho they are stalled at night next to each other, they haven't been turned out together the entire summer. Keeping them separate during this step was probably a wise choice.  

Our next appointment is scheduled for three weeks. We will reevaluate Koda, possibly do a third Shockwave Treatment and make a longer term care plan. I'm curious to see what that will be, and how this evolves...

Photo credit: Brad