INJURED? Yes, I’m kinda injured…

Going through this, I cannot even imagine what horses go through who have injuries – and cannot tell anyone about it or where it hurts!

So, yes, I don’t know how I did it or when I did it. But, it started hurting about 5 weeks ago. I was told that I had an IT Band issue. OK. I read up on it and had physical therapy. The pain would ebb and flow.

Well… when I first put my leg over Willow at the R Lazy S Ranch, I felt a different kind of pain. Not only did my hip and knee hurt, but my groin hurt as well. It was a sharp, ripping feeling. Hmmmmm. This couldn’t be good.

However, I assumed it was all related – or at least the same injury. But alas, I have since found out that they are different issues.

One is the IT Band thing. The other is most likely, a hip labral tear.

Ugh.

As I sat i that saddle the first day, I could not move my left leg outwardly. I could put my leg forward, but not outward. Trotting and Cantering was torture. Sometimes just adjusting my weight in the saddle was agony.

I started to cry to myself. How was this possible? I’d never had pain in the saddle.

Luckily, Hubby’s best friend (who was with us at the R Lazy S) is a spine surgeon. He arranged for a buddy of his in Jackson (another spine surgeon) to give me a cortisone shot in my hip to relieve the IT Band. And, that was AWESOME. Immediately, the hip and knee pain was assuaged.

But, I still had that ripping pain in my groin.

Hubby’s surgeon friend said that I most likely have a hip labral tear. So, I have an appointment with a local (to me) orthopedic surgeon in July. He will do something to figure out what I actually have going on… and then we will deal with it.

Until then, I limp a lot. And will probably not sit in the saddle much. But, hanging around horses, grooming horses and watching horses doesn’t hurt at all. So, that is what I will be doing.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

I don’t really know… I think I may have stepped in a hole when I was feeding, but I’m not sure. It just seemed to start one day. But, I am guessing I did something – but it was probably something I do often, just this time it ripped.

Looking at horses will have to suffice for a while – but looking at horses is a pretty great thing…

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Alfalfa Cubes. The hidden danger – and how to avoid.

I know many of us are familiar with Alfalfa cubes. Some of us give Alfalfa cubes as a treat or maybe as a feed.

But, did you know that it can be very dangerous? Alfalfa cubes are so dehydrated, often times alfalfa cubes can become lodged in horses’ throats.

Here is an excerpt from Grace Owen, DVM.

FOR HUMANS… MAYBE POPCORN OR DRY BREAD… What makes that, “Uh oh, better get some water” feeling…

I’m one of those people who always needs water with a meal. So for me, this alfalfa cube issue really hits home.

I cannot tell you how often I eat something and then have to take a drink.

I’m sure some of you have ‘dunker’ horses who dunk their hay… well, alfalfa cubes would be a huge red flag for those horses.

I, personally, don’t use alfalfa cubes as a feed. But for those of you who do, this is very important information.

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