Epilogue

It's a rainy Tues. morn. in KC.  Horse wise last eve around dark I arrived at farm to feed and remove fly masks.  Horses unexpectedly bolted en mass from our little enclosed feed area with the trainer thankfully behind them instead of in their path. Major disaster avoided,  particular given my present inability to  move.

And so, the horses got their best fast twitch muscle work in a while--it was a full speed bolt for a furlong or so--that's been the training concern that we've been unable to get the lazy #17 to go at speed by himself and that therefore he'd lost his speed.  And--ironic this happened while Mr.  Trainer is glued to the ground with his hip fracture and cane.

Since last post here on Sunday full implication of my physical condition has sunk in.  There's definitely a bone break of some sort right there in the hip and I am relegated to immobilizing that area as much as possible.  Mobility will improve with arrival of crutches tomorrow from Amazon.com.

 And so--the RR blog aim of documenting race training in terms of performance will--at best--be post postponed.  I am in for a 6 week rehab minimum.  My initial thought was to throw in the towel with the horses.  When you lose your ability to ride--riders being dam near impossible to find including at the race track--that's nearly death for your training.

 I soon remembered, however, that I might keep my two with riderless training until I can get back on--i.e. build a suitable running paddock and mimic race training riderless.  I have done this is the past down to the breeze work, and proven I can get a horse within about 45 days of racing this way.  Can be done, and it's fun and fairly easy.

At any rate--the purpose of this blog has been to document our race training.  We've been doing very little of that for a good long time, and now my injury brought things to a screeching halt.  And so, for now I'll likely bring this blog to a close. I'll use this opportunity to thank those that have commented from time to time including Bill O'Gorman whose great book I read and have used as a model.  I'd like to wish Bill Pressey the best with his endeavors.  Unknown if KY Derby or Bust will be back.  I've still got the enthusiasm to get 'em to the track.  Check back here in a few weeks in case I get that paddock built.  Best to all if we completely disappear here!  Unknown at present.

Injury Update

Latest on our good rider, trainer,  horse shoer left  hip injury--was hoping immobilization over weekend  might heal things.  Instead it went the other way,and by Sat was considering some sort of bone crack probably on femoral head.  Googled this and intro'd to serious world of hip fractures. Omg.

Fairly sure mine would be small crack  instead of displaced or even non-displaced serious fracture.  Problem seems to be failure to heal without surgery in that area since pressure on that bone by muscle contraction separates the fracture line.  I'm sworn to date to keep the docs at bay.  Will see.

Where does this leave  KY Derby or Bust and our horse training?  Pretty grim at the  moment.  Olympian justice.  Did we offend the gods somehow since we've had one training interference after another?  Will post in couple  of days on present plans.

Hayfield Day 4

On Wednesday #17 was trotted for 10 min with Nob riding like a sack of potatoes due to a suddenly, inexplicably injured left leg barely strong enough to hold the good rider upright.  Luckily the  horse carried on without incident, our fear being further damage to the leg that is the current RR stable news.

It started a few days ago as just nuisance soreness, became worse each day until Thurs. when Nob was clutching walls just to  hobble around a room.  Thus yesterday the decision to ride or pass was easy since Nob was physically unable to mount.

This has been a complete mystery since the rider was without further injury after the June 28 fall.. All we can come up with as to cause is possible nerve impingement in the hip joint from the still healing  injury of the June 28 fall, or maybe just old age. Till Thurs. the thing was just getting worse and worse causing great concern as to training.  By Fri. morn Nob reports  slight improvement.  Three days off sitting still in a chair for Nob to try to get this healed.  Bog will report back Mon.  Great disappointment needless to say, as horse  should be strongly galloping.

Hayfield Day 3

Looking out at the cut hayfield considering the galloping possibilities has yours truly excited although the story of Wednesday was that our rider with his bad leg was back to using his cane.  Said left leg yesterday was barely stable enough to hold up #17's front hoof to apply a lost shoe and also  barely strong enough to hold rider upright in saddle.  #17 was walk-trotted for 12  min in the new  digs. He  did fine, though Mr.  Nob, with the leg barking, decided to call it before galloping in hopes of living to another day.

The present human leg problem is a little  inexplicable and maybe strictly weather related.   Nob informed of slight improvement this morning.  We hope to be  galloping by the weekend.  #148 hock swelling was unchanged.

Training

#17  walked and walk-trot as we restart.  A few steps of gallop today.  #148--could be my imagination.  Last two day--swollen area seems a little better..

Good Day

"Blessing or ill on man
 unexpectedly falls."
-Goethe
 48 hrs. of immobilizing the bad leg and Nob says he's good to go + on Saturday the hay field was rented from Mr. Farmer for $700/mo.  We have our mini New Market back.  For today all is well at RR Ranch.!

Sat. Misc.

"My feet no longer take me up so  pluckily
Those lofty stairs I used to skip up as a child."

--Goethe, from The Helena, Faust Part II

Our rider Mr.  Nob is skipping nowhere there days.  Instead Nob is suddenly and mysteriously as to cause  limping around at the walk with the left leg barely able to motor forward.  We doubt this condition relates to the June 29 fall from the horse and hopefully deals more with the weather we have in KC this week.  Lower the air pressure enough and Nob's legs are jelly in the best of times.

Nob thus  in leg rehab mold today instead of thinking of getting back on the horse.  Hoping for quick Nob bounce back and hence will try to corner Mr. Farmer today re riding on the hay field.  We're also buying some fencing today for purpose of constructing a riderless running paddock--since all else has failed in getting our lazy #17 into speed mode. #148 slight hock improvement yest.  Hope springs eternal...

Those are today's plans--

Hayfield Opens

July 18 and they cut the hay.  My immediate reaction was--whatever it takes financially to use that field.  Talk  to Mr. Farmer this weekend to see if a deal can be struck.  Two other things of note--Mr. Nob lasted 15 min on treadmill at 3 mph on Thurs. and thereafter was  hardly worth a damn when he  got to the farm.  Reports the  left leg is inexplicably---injury has healed-- very weak. Physiological problem with Nob is that inner leg muscles and fascia need be strong enough to buttress weight of body against force of horse.  Seems elementary and  simple.  When one reaches age 66, a little  more complex it seems.

Secondly--#148 front hock continues swollen.  Sweating or iodine is without effect due to nature of it which is fluid instead of diffuse swelling.  Interestingly the top part of the injured area(front inside of hock) has flattened  out a little while the bottom portion is swollen  into turgid ball size of 2/3 a small orange.  Was thinking this increased fluid might be a good thing in terms of providing enough pressure to shut off the source of the leak.  At any rate, it's mid July and #148 still has a hock  problem.  We're avoiding fooling ourselves while suffering the pains of looking at this nice two year old daily.

Thurs. Misc.

The best part of racing is riding, and the best part of riding is riding at speed.  Most that ride likely agree.

With regard to Mr. Nob's latest mishap, he's still sporting a very weak left leg to the point that re injury is a big concern.  We did good at the Louisiana sale--what a couple of horses we have!  The rest of it, unfortunately, we've been unable to get together.  Dust off and restart at the moment.  Unless hay field opens up immediately--and what's with Mr. Farmer letting his hay burn up in the  field.  Peasants--first step likely will be construction of an adequate riderless paddock to get the lazy #17 started at speed.  Still visualizing a fall and winter of productive galloping with that horse.  Will see.

Mon. Misc.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/build_explosive_speed



And so with the explanation of last post the blog will leave #148, Tee Pee Minister, until a time when that horse might commence training.  We're left with Mr. Nob and #17.

Mr. Nob post injury (his) certainly retained his nobiness.  6'1.5" and 158 lbs a few days ago with 5 lbs of excess still to lost around the middle.  We can get Nob down to  153 or 150 lbs.

#17 has been in pasture romps this week to the extent we can get those with this lazy animal in present environs, and, Nob got back on last eve, sort of, reporting that his legs were so weak that he just  sat on the horse at the mounting post for a few minutes.  Turned out to be more weather related.  When air  pressure gets to certain point Nob at his young age has leg trouble in the best of times.  When air pressure is right the legs feel like they're still 20.

7/15 and Mr. Farmer has yet to cut his hay.  Found out he outsources the cutting.  Suspecting problem may be  lack  of $$$ for Mr. F.   Horse boarding as a business is less profitable  these days.  Owners just abandon their horses and they become Mr. F's problem.

With #17 we're in flux and just hoping he retains his speed.  Things for us are uncertain at this point.

#148

This blog continues along with our horse struggles instead of venturing into actual racing. I  plan to detail this in coming posts. The thing has become  personal diary in hopes that we "will" get to the race track soon.  The last time I was at a live track was  2007 and the last time of an actual  race was 2003.  Good grief. This post will detail the  problems of #148 and explain once again how  dealing with a medically needy horse  is the  last  thing one wants  to  do if you want to race.

Preface by noting--and I'll have some vid soon when  I replace the  camcorder stolen out of my truck--#148 has developed  into a near16'3" beaut of a high energy perfectly conformed  and balanced animal with tremendous presence, which makes his injury even more frustrating.  If ever one wanted a legit race horse candidate, this one is it.  In terms of visualizing the classic horse I'm unable to see anything about #148 that's improvable.

#148 had a run in with barbed wire on  12/15/12 that lacerated a significant bone fragment off his left hock.  The fragment was  surgically removed 1/29/13 at U of Missouri Equine Clinic by Dr. Joanne Kramer with 4 months of recovery time and training to recommence June 1.

By 4/15/13 all swelling had  receded except a 1.5 by 2.5 inch area on the front inside of the hock.  Instead of swollen tissue this  is actually fluid under the skin--likely synovial fluid leaking out of the  hock joint and until  recently was minor in nature.

Two weeks ago  I witnessed the horse receiving a hard kick while at the feed tub on that  leg just below  the  injury.  The leg  buckled on contact  and the horse limped a few steps in pain.  Unknown if there's a link to this kick, but the amount of fluid under the skin significantly increased thereafter to the level where there's  some protrusion and puffiness of the skin whereas before there'd been just a small amount of fluid with the skin  laying flat.

Dr. Kramer wants Xrays to identify the problem.  We also will try the iodine next week.  Believe however I've identified things logically.  There likely was weak scar tissue at the surgery site allowing leaking fluid, which over time has broken into a trickle instead of a leak, and this stops when the leaked fluid creates enough  pressure.

Healing this is going to be like stopping a small creek  or rivulet of water  from running into a lake.  Constant fluid pressure retards closure  of the joint tissues. It will be very difficult- am thinking likely this horse as a race horse is history or we can recommence as a late 3 yr. -- old.  Too bad and very frustrating for this talented animal. Will see.

Thurs. Misc.

Posted it before--one of blogger's favorite Goethe's:

"Let him stand firm and gaze about alert;
To able man this world is not inert;

What  need for him to roam eternities?
What he perceives, that he may seize,
Let  him stride on upon this planet's  face,
When  spirits haunt,  let him not change  his pace,
Find bliss and  torment  in his onward stride,
Aye--every moment stay unsatisfied."

I never know whether the above is Goethe or the brilliant English translation by Walter Arndt.  Either way it's part of a memorable sequence of 20 pages of Act V, Part II of Faust.

This occurred to me last eve as training recommenced.  We are without a race track or training center within hailing distance.  It's middle of July and Mr. Farmer has yet to cut his hayfield that would give us some Newmarket type equivalency.  And, what  we've got presently is a little 4 acre hilly patch that allows  about 2 F gallop max before rider must bring horse to a trot.

Surely--was  thinking last eve--Goethe quote--with a little more elbow grease, determination and motivation we can get this done.  Such we are in moments of alertness and good sleep.

And so, a front shoe was reapplied to #148, and, despite gimping about we managed a decent pasture romp somehow, after 10 days off.  To dark to get on.

Then--this morning and bad  news re #148 continues.  More and worse hockswelling.  Expound next post.  Txs. to Bill O'Gorman for comment.  Considering suggestion after we get some university vet advice.  If reader is new to racing or unaware--take a look at link!
http://www.racinghorsesbook.com/

Nob Injury Post Script

Sept. 2012 optimism with arrival of two youngsters has given way to horrible training weather, the continuing injury to #148, money shortages, and now Nob's injury,  occurred--of course-- just as we finally have good weather.

We've determined to avoid hitting the road until we have two trainable horses.  #148--who looks great --continues to have a spot of swelling on the front surface of the hock particularly on exertion.  Interpret that there's  some synovial fluid leakage yet at  the site where they cut into the joint to get out the bone fragment.  Yet to heal completely, is likely the bottom line.

Mr. Nob, the rider, was walking with a cane as late as Mon., although, given the early severity of the injury to Nob's left hip--8 days post injury there are daily incremental improvements and hope Nob can get back up soon.  Rider's hips and hip joints must be strong enough to withstand the torque on the leg in terms of keeping things aligned should horse twist or turn.  Takes a little strength instead of a lot, though if there's a hip joint injury there's really zero strength when that inevitable twist comes.

We learned on this blog through the lengthy posts on injury to bones that complete tissue healing takes two weeks minimum.  Nob appears even a little ahead of schedule and we're thinking of trying things out this eve under tack at the walk.

Interestingly healing to Nob may have accelerated by reading and taking some of the anti-inflamatory supplements in this outstanding post:

http://www.lef.org/protocols/health_concerns/chronic_inflammation_01.htm

Mr. Nob Falls/Injured

What passes for excitement around here.  A blow by blow account as later recounted by Nob, and apologize that it takes longer than expected to relate this significant event. 

  #17 trotted along toward our little course with Mr. Nob on board and wary.  All ingredients of what was to occur were in place--it was late on Sat. June 28, getting dark, sky and cloud conformation weird from passing storms, light a little bit eery, first time in a week the horse had been to the area, and now the horse shying away from something on his right.

Decision made to get the horse past whatever its concern on the right, and --as mission accomplished and they'd trotted past the point and Nob relaxed (mistake)--simultaneouls a loud noise emanated from the highway.

Said noise startled even Mr. Nob, and our horse--well--in perfect form he did what horses do in such events--#17 bolted 180 degrees leaving Nob suspended in mid air with his body quite luckily absolutely parallel to the ground.

The plunge down--and it takes about 1 second--resulted in the cleanest fall to date for Mr. Nob who later recounted that as he hit the ground his thought process was that this was a very soft landing--the left thigh hit first, then the left hip, left side of upper body and finally the super duper passing 5 international safety standards helmet lightly brushed the ground without any affect on Nob's head.

It was, relatively speaking, a pillow landing, and this was due to this:

The Nike Pro Combat gear I'd spent $170.00 on expecting exactly such event(notice hip and thigh padding--horse falls tend to result in landing on one's hip).  Good to know the padding worked, and as it turned out, thank goodness because Nob suffered a serious injury that might have been much much worse without the padding.

Nob landed on his bad leg more or less permanently injured from the riding fat Rollin'Rodney days.  By last Sat. Nob was unable to walk and was in so much hip and inner thigh pain he was unable to fall asleep that night. By Sun. Nob could only shuffle along with a cane in great pain. We thought the injury might be a 2 to 3 week thing to heal for our rider.  Luckily for our horse training the injury is healing much faster, and as this is being typed it looks as we might be back on board by the weekend. The noise, we figured out, was a cherry bomb.