So as some of you know, my gelding right now is only getting groundwork. We are having the vet out Friday for another eval and a lyme disease titer, but in my opinion, it’s not looking real great…especially since if he DOES have lyme (though this was tested last year), I will be retiring him permanently.
He was doing better for a bit, but unfortunately backslid again (not bucking anymore, he actually got up to walking quite calmly, but then he came up lame on a front ankle so we stopped) and so he has been off riding. The more time goes by, the more I start to think that this horse will never be sound for riding.
To make it clear, I will not ever get rid of this horse, because he is the best pony ever and I can always ride another horse if I for whatever reason absolutely feel I need to ride (which isn’t often).
I’m toying with the idea of ground driving, and we are definitely going to a show in a couple weeks where he will be shown in-hand and if he likes it we will probably do more. He’s also been taught quite a few tricks, and now that the weather’s warm, we’ve been going on walks in the woods with other horses so he can get some fresh air and eat some grass.
I want this horse to stay entertained, happy, and (mostly) out of pain. We do have exercises we do (walking over raised objects, walking in the chambon, etc) to keep his back strong and his muscles nice and supple, though these have been few and far between lately because of the limping.
Are there groundwork ideas we can do that would be fun for him so he keeps entertained and busy and maybe even gets a little exercise, but at the same time are easy on his body?
