Sometimes it sure does seem that a black cloud hangs over poor Filly. For the last 3 months both knees have been stiff & locking when picked up. They'd relax once they reached a point where it felt like a hitch & release. They'd lock & almost snap to a release when she stepped over the board at her stall gate. While Filly didn't seem to mind when this happened, it sure freaked out CMK. What could be wrong with beautiful Filly? Was it from her rough start in life? It wouldn't be surprising if her illness & contraction at birth had come back to haunt her. But what a tragedy if that were the case.
As CMK watched her gorgeous youngster every day, she worried at what the future could possibly hold for a filly with "bum" knees. The dreams of one day riding Filly faded away with a heavy heart. CMK just kept thinking that as long as Filly was comfortable she'd be a loving & pretty pasture puff. But what if the time came when she wasn't comfortable? Unbearable thoughts for a filly so young, not yet 3 years.
Finally the vet came out & looked at Filly. He bent her stiff legs & declared her knees PERFECT! The problem wasn't the joints at all. He palpated her legs & narrowed the problem to her suspensory ligaments. While not very sore, Filly did flinch to pressure along the entire length of her suspensories. What could have caused this? The vet asked how much work Filly was getting as the usual cause is overwork. Well that couldn't be the cause because Filly isn't under saddle, doesn't get worked, & just plays free in pasture. And other than her rough start in life she's never had an injury. The vet didn't think the rough start as a foal could be the cause. Then he started talking about dietary deficiencies & CMK slapped her head. The vet mentioned a phosphorus deficiency could be the cause but it's not common. What he didn't know as he spoke was that CMK had had her hay recently tested & it'd come back as extremely low in phosphorus. It was the hay Filly was eating through winter, right when the locking knees began. At last a cause that could be treated.
CMK was so relieved. Her overactive imagination of everything that could go wrong was put to rest. Filly should be fine with dietary adjustments. She'd get MSM & Glucosamine for her soft tissues. She'd also start getting some wheat bran added to her diet to give her the much needed phosphorus. Filly is so lucky that CMK tested the hay. Without the test results the cause of the knee stiffness might never have been found. Without a cause there wouldn't be a successful treatment. Another lesson learned, test hay so the appropriate supplements can be fed.
For Filly it's never been easy. But with all the lessons learned along the way, she'll one day be a gorgeous saddle horse & trail partner for CMK.
Today Filly is five. Wow, she's growing up. She stands 15 hands & is a big girl. This spring she's beginning her training to become a future riding horse. Her first saddling was non-eventful. She didn't even mind a little weight in the stirrups, or having them flopped around. Her second saddling went just as well. CMK stood in the stirrup & laid across Filly's back. All filly did was turn to see what was happening.. Plus she wanted a cookie for being a good girl. :) For the 3rd saddling CMK couldn't stand it any longer. She just HAD to get on Filly's back. She moved the mounting block up close & stood in the stirrup. Then she laid across the saddle & fed Filly cookies. Ever so quietly she stood in the stirrup & swung her right leg over. Filly had a rider on her back!!! CMK dismounted & mounted again, only pausing briefly in the saddle. SUCCESS! What a wonderful year this is going to be for Filly. From sick new born to having a rider on her back, what a journey. Happy 5th Birthday my lovely Filly.
