Kentucky is currently hotter than satan's buttcrack at the moment. Swamp-ass weather. Swamp boobs. You name it.
Hampton's symptoms of anhidrosis started early this year. We tried two more Grand Prix's in May but ... it was a massive, massive failure. One go resulted in the worst score of my life. And the other I retired when he quit at the start of the canter zig zag. I mean buried his poll and shoulders, stopped and grew roots. Completely offline to any aids. Total 404 error shutdown. Normally a happy worker, his face looked almost catatonic in photos. With cranky ears and grinding his teeth. He was back to normal thankfully when we returned home but gave ulcer meds anyway.
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| Stepbrother Royale is a newly minted Second Level horse now by the way! |
I am not sure if this was a result of lack of energy due to the anhidrosis, some training issue I have created in the show ring, ulcers, me just sucking at riding, or something else. But the Grand Prix is on hold. Maybe temporarily, or we may never return to showing that level. I have always said I would stop pushing when he said no. He has already gone FAR beyond what his confirmation is really appropriate for.
We still school all the GP at home (and wonderfully, he doesn't shut down ever at home). But as far as showing, I am going to enjoy my absolute bomb PSG/I-1 schoolmaster I have produced. And while we are at it, I'm trying things like showing in the snaffle.
| Drove up to Hoosier Horse park at 5 am. Showed the PSG at 8:30 am, home in Louisville by 11 am. That is how you horse show! |
We tried a PSG last week in the snaffle and I wasn't sure exactly how it would go. He can be a bit of a monster at home in it. To my surprise, he was ... lovely. Up in the poll, no diving, no teeth grinding, no shutting down. Just an organized, mistake free PSG. (and won the class!) Still kind of lethargic, but smooth and obedient. And much happier. We will try an I-1 in another week or so and see how that goes in the snaffle. Maybe he is just a snaffle horse and it simply has taken me 10 years to figure it out. ha.
He is still sweating but it's wimpy and patchy and just not enough. He is currently getting One AC, a beer, the new Finish Line sweat supplement and cold showers.
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| It was 97 here. Some sweat on neck and shoulders, but he was puffing. Nostrils flared. |
He is also dealing with that old huge hoof abscess that blew out in October. It's finally just about at the bottom of the hoof and while I don't think it hurts him, I wonder if his foot feels weird or unstable as now the crack grew.
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| yikes? |
Otherwise he is wonderful happy Hampton. And my only concern is to keep him that way. If this heat ever breaks we will be back out on trail rides and finding other trouble to get into. For now, it's 15-20 min rides in the mornings.
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| Hamp: Is you real duck? Me: No. |
Ugh dangit Hampton you HAVE TO sweat this weather! It's so gross! I wonder if adding acupuncture to all the stuff you're already doing would help? That was going to be my next try with Jack if the SweatAgain didn't work, since he wouldn't TOUCH the expensive beers I tried lol (asshole).
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry the GPs didn't go well but holy shit you have still produced SUCH an amazing horse and you should be so, so, so proud <3
Ditto on how proud you should be of yourself and Hampton!!!
ReplyDeleteBest of all is that you became such a fabulous team while listening to your horse, accepting responsibility and letting his welfare be the most important thing. SO much admiration for your training methods. ❤️
Apologies if you've already explored this. Last year OneAC seemed to stop working for us as well. I upped the dose (doubled) and he slowly went back to normal sweating. I know around here with the insane humidity, when the nights stop going below 80 we struggle no matter what we do. Twice a day showers were the only things that helped.
Jessica over at Hopeful Jumpers who is a vet just did an post about acupuncture and anhidrosis.
ReplyDeleteoh my gosh that's a crack! what a trooper he is for blowing that out.
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