Itching to Ride Again

In March of 2001 my ten-year-old Appaloosa mare, Skeeter, foundered for no obvious reason. Fortunately, we caught it early and there was no rotation of the coffin bone. After two months of stall confinement and lunging in increasing amounts and gaits, I was able to start riding again in mid-May. She started out feeling great, but it wasn't long before her gaits got rougher and more uncomfortable to ride. Since she had been a wining Western Pleasure horse, smoothness had been her trademark. In the meantime she was plagued by intense itching all over her body and began chewing her chest and rubbing all the hair from her tail. I tried everything. Riding more, riding less. Using a snaffle, a hackamore, a curb. More leg, less leg. Skeeter continued to get worse. She was becoming very sloppy in her canter departures, so rough I could barely stay on her! Other people who saw her thought that she looked fine, but she was just not the horse I had been riding for the past five years.

I didn't really know what to do when a friend in New York City of all places found the Indian Creek Equine web site and forwarded the URL to me. I e-mailed Suzie Franz, then talked with her on the phone. After conferring with Dr. Dawn Myrad, DVM of Mid-Rivers Equine Hospital, we set up a time to meet at the barn.

Suzie was confident Skeeter's problems were correctable because we had caught them in their early stages. She administered a laser treatment on her spine, neck, back and pelvis that day and by the following day I could already feel an improvement in Skeeter's motion under saddle. That weekend Skeeter went off for a seven-day visit to Indian Creek Equine Rehabilitation Center. Dr. Linda Harmon-Dodge from Arthur Veterinary Clinic performed a chiropractic evaluation and adjustment.

A week later, Skeeter returned home. Her itching had diminished by at least ninety percent and she was no longer chewing her chest raw. Her tail rubbing had stopped. I threw a saddle on her, anxious to see how she rode. The little stinker humped up her back and took off like a bat out of hell, quite different from her usual laid-back behavior! It was clear she finally felt good again.

Over the next two weeks, Skeeter continued to improve with each ride. Her walk became long-strided and swinging. She's now doing a western pleasure trot and also extends the trot when asked. Her canter is regaining its former smoothness. It's unbelievable that a horse who had essentially become unrideable is now again a pleasure to ride! No amount of regular vet work could ever have done this --- it took the efforts of Suzie and Dr. Linda to correct the problems and get Skeeter and me on the right track to recovery!

I can't say enough good things about Indian Creek and the excellent care they provide!

Laurie Hausmann