I had a nice ride on Cerise this morning. She is getting stronger in her hind end. I use Sore No More to help determine the state of her muscles. When I apply it over sore areas I get a soapy reaction and it is clear over other areas. I am not sure why this happens but it seems to be consistent.

The hardest thing for Cerise to do is to take her right lead. Once she is in the canter she can hold it fine. This would go along with the soreness in the left hind since it is the push off leg to take the lead. Cerise is having more trouble making her right turns but she is not dropping her shoulder the way she did a few weeks ago. Her attitude is great and she is eating well and gaining weight.

Since I have not been riding her much I have made a point to still spend time with her. I go out a bit before feeding time and bring her and Remi up to the trailer and tie them and we just hang out. I sometimes have to get on conference calls in the evening so I put my cell phone on speaker and listen while I scratch the horses or brush out their tails. Tess and Lady come hang out with us and I can let the chickens out briefly where I can keep an eye on them( I have lost several lately to varmints).

I have looked back over the several months leading up to her getting the EPM again and I have a theory on how her system became susceptible. I had been gradually cutting back on her KLPP and also her blue green algae feed supplements. I wanted to find the smallest amount that she would maintain on. Unfortunately, I got sick in Feb. and I missed the signs that her system was not getting enough support. Combining that with Cerise going on a hunger strike because she was not getting enough attention, her digestion suffered.

Tempting as it is to cut back feed supplements I have learned my lesson. I had the same lesson about my own health when I tried to cut back on my own program.
Even if money is tight, health is actually one on the best investments we can make for ourselves and our horses. Madalyn