I am thinking a bit about rehabilitation. I wouldn't usually worry about this (Blue is a pasture puff, and that's all he needs to be) but he still drags the one back toe pretty badly, and strengthening his hind end (especially in case of a relapse) is especially important. I'm not sure how to even start this. I don't want him trotting circles, and we live in flat Ohio - no hills to walk up.
He goes out all night with his herd and gets a bit of exercise that way. My daughter, Emily, has volunteered to walk him bareback in figure eights in the arena to build him up a bit. To be honest, Emily's imagination is fueled by my stories of jumping and competing on Blue, and her eyes got wide when I showed her our box of show ribbons and photos of us in our younger days. She is desperate to ride Blue, even just bareback at the walk.
As for Bluehorse, he is happier and healthier than he has been in nearly a year. I have some big decisions to make to keep him that way. Vaccinations, worming, season changes, herd changes - all can cause enough stress to throw him into relapse. Constant vigilance.
Here is our video of the day
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