I've been composing posts in my head and then never making it to my computer. School has started and so in a sense my life and freedom have ended. Not that I had a ton but anyways... :)
Demetrias has been on daily aspirin and that seems to be keeping his pain under control. His eyes don't look great, more like eyes with cataracts but he seems comfortable so I'll take the creative white designs for now.
Getting him back in shape has been a much longer process. We have started back into lessons which has been excellent mostly for my brain. Kim can see him and how he is responding and so she is able to assure me that he is fine. We still have many explosions and often his preferred method of movement is up rather than forward but this keeps me awake.:)
D has never been great at concentrating when a lot is going on and so now its even more of a challenge. My new phrase is "I never got his ears." When he is truly with me his ears are floppy and to the side to catch what I'm saying and what is happening around him. When his ears are pointed forward he looks lovely but often isn't listening. :)
I have been really blessed by the people at my barn. On many accounts my horse looks normal and seems to have nothing going on and most wouldn't notice his eyes. The people who know what has happened are so good about talking to him every time they are near which helps immensely. One of the girls rides a buckskin and D has a hard time differentiating between him and the sand. He can see her "floating" but the actual horse always surprises him. Because Coley is amazing, without my asking, she says something to Demetrias as she approaches him from behind. He is usually okay if they are coming toward us but she pretty much says something anytime they pass closely. Its these little things that help me each day.
D is my boy, I am his person and I am glad to be on this journey but sometimes the enormity of our situation overwhelms me. I am aware of everything that goes on and have to modulate my responses so he doesn't react to my body tension or movement. This is true of any rider but is amplified if your horse is tuned into you the way mine needs to be in order to work successfully. Yesterday he struggled to move forward on the left lead canter. I continued to drive forward and insist on proper forward movement so when going up didn't work he went sideways and almost fell. Would a completely sighted horse do this? Yes probably, but this whole process blows my mind.
Our ride tonight never really went anywhere because he was so off. I am his main source of exercise since he really doesn't move when turned out. This is another of my responsibilities which I am up for but somedays I just need to list them so they don't seem too many.
In short, he is doing well and I am grateful for each day we have.
