It's mainly his hind end and the vet couldn't tell which leg it was or if it was both. And his front left but I am hoping that maybe his front left is off because he is compinsating for his hind. That's just kind of a foolish optomistic hope and not any scientific explaination *G*

The vet wanted the other vets to see him so I have to drive him up to the vet's this coming weds. Meanwhile I cancled my hunter pace =( and gave him 3 days of rest however they have seemed to do him worse than when I was riding him. But the vet suggested it so.....

When I was riding he would seem to get better after a while. But I watched him trot a couple of strides (that's a lot for his lazziness -grin-) and he was really bobbing his head. Where as before he only sightly bobbed his head. Before he bobbed it up, implying his front left. Today he was bobbing it down and didn't do it long enough for me to catch on to which hind leg (I'm a bit slow you know!).

So I'm going to give him a little bute tomorrow to see if it takes the swelling in his joints (oh his legs are no swollen or hot anywhere and the vet said it wasn't a soft tissue thing and it wasn't his feet) away for a bit and ride him just a little to see if it makes him better. Least when I was riding him before it was getting better, both while I was riding and also long term. I noticed he was slightly better the day after the day before.

Well I hope it's something treatable. I hope I don't have to shoot him -VBG-, least not this year :-p. My trainer was going to take me to a big time xcountry course to school next friday and I was really excited about going. They had steps which are my favorite and I never get to do them at the level I compete. She said they have big steps like Pre Lim and up but she paused and then said after some thought: they might have some steps I could do that were training level. I was so happy when she said that because it meant she thought I could do training level stepps! That's exciting. I have jumped a training level bank before. It's not so much the importance of doing it. It's just the fact that she thought we could do it. And she knows us real well and wouldn't say we could do it if she didn't think so.

I will be very dissapointed if I can't go. And the way things are going now I think I won't be going. It would be really pushing it and I don't want to push it. I'm gonna wait till then comes and see how it is. See what the vets say and see how he is etc. It would take a miracle but mircles have been known to happen =) I also have an event coming up in two weeks. Though I think I will definitly be able to go to that. Cross your fingers for me.

It's so frustrating because Jeff was coming around. His canter is really really good now. At my last lesson (which was my first lesson this year, since it was the start of summer) he did a 3 beat canter even though he was off then! I'm impressed. And he's really clicking. I am getting bord trotting now! Imagine. And my instructor has started correcting me more and being real picky on me which she didn't do as much before because we were focusing more on Jeff. And she asked me if I was going to move up a level this year. I decided to do one show a level above and then next year maybe move up. It will have been my goal for Jeff. Who knows. Maybe he'll surpass my goal.... =)

But now that he is so good he gets lame! Sometimes it feels like no matter what I do I can't win. Like is just wasn't meant to happen. Well if I look at it that way I'll never get anywhere will I? When it comes down to it, it doesn't matter if it was meant to happen or not. I'm gonna make it happen. When my determination snaps you know something's wrong =). But since it hasn't. Since I'm more determined than ever, everythin is gonna be fine.

Jeffery is a survivor. He came from being a big-time baby (as his pedigree is supurb in the racing world) to a humane society and now to here. And when he gets weak he has me. And if nessecary I can carry him around the xcountry course. He's always been the most sound horses. He's never been lame. This is just one obstical to overcome. One of thousands. Thousands we've already gotton passed. I've been real lucky with him. He's spoild me rotton with his legs and his personality. I never have problems of that kind with him. Infact if he had had a normal canter from the beggining he would be probably the most perfect horse. But he's perfect now anyway. If it is arthritus, I can handle it. He can too. I have arthritus and I'm only 17. Or I have something in my fingers. It could be anything but it hurts when I try to clean 20 stalls in -20 degree weather =) too much piano....