The sign of a happy woman

This weekend Rick gave the okay to start hand-walking Russell again. But after stacking six tons of local grass hay in the barn yesterday afternoon/evening and doing chores, my knees were too achy to face it. Rick told me to get on, and he watched how Russell moved. The verdict? He is moving normally, so I can RIDE Russell for his short daily constitutional!

Onward and forward (at a slow walk, loose rein :-)

I've grown accustomed to his face...

Wednesday Rick ultrasounded Russell to see how he is healing. He showed me the normal right tuber coxae images he took right after Russell's injury, and then showed me how his left looks now. The fracture is easy to see even for me, but also visible is some calcification in the void. It is healing. Of course, I assumed as much by how comfortable Russell is acting. When I take him out to hand-graze him I am really hand-walking him, because I criss-cross the pasture looking for and pulling up thistles. He moves freely and comfortably, and seems none the worse later for the activity.

Rick continues to think it likely that Russell will be able to be someone's trail horse when all is said and done. Whose, I don't know. My head says, "Not mine. I can't use 'just a trail horse,' because I can't go on trail rides. With Brian here and not wanting to ride, I am restricted to our home arena. That's perfect for schooling, but boring if you can't do more than walk and jog around and around." But my heart hears Higgins' voice, and I can't deny how much I like this horse. This horse. "I've grown accustomed to his face...."