Very Good Progress!

I am both relieved and happy to say that Eddie is doing much better than expected. He is still on a daily dose of bute and will be for a while, but a minimal amount seems to be keeping the pain at bay and his trimming today went very well!

I really took off a lot of hoof off the left side, but it was neccessary to try to enable him to stand correctly. Technically the left side should actually be lower than the right to compliment the angle of his leg, but I hit a touch of blood as it is. It just wasn't feasible to go any further.

The red stuff in the 1.31.10 pics is iodine to treat the thrush. Unfortunately he has it bad and deep. It is true thrush as it has that characteristic odor. I removed enough of the frog to keep it from being sealed up anymore. Hopefully this will help clear it up.

Below is a comparison of the angle of his leg with the trims. I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised we've gotten this far. There is still no hoof wall to support him so unfortunately he still tips to the outside way too easily, but I'm very happy to see him at least have the ability to straighten his leg.

And don't worry! I didn't forget about Sir Charles! Here he is looking all spiffy and groomed.

Well, he was all spiffy and groomed. He still looks a lot better than he did. I think he feels better, too. They did a terrific job with him.

Last but not least, I had to share father and son with their heads buried in their feeders:

If Eddie really is doing ok I'm not going to breed any mares for myself this year. I feel my situation is way too unstable and precarious to be adding any additional responsiblities. So...the plan is to try to reintroduce Eddie and JJ to the joys of fellow bachelorhood (cue the theme to "The Odd Couple"). They were once buddies and it looks like they perhaps will be again. When I came out today JJ was the only horse from the pasture standing by dear old dad, so I moved JJ up to the pens and later this week they will only be seperated by a fence. Hopefully they get along pretty well!

I still plan on getting down to Texas and picking up Eddie's old lady Crazy to be his live-in companion, but for the time being she's in great hands with Vicki and JJ and Eddie (once he's healed) can spend some time together just being boys.