My back is doing better....

My back was feeling better this morning, although I still tried not to bend over to pick things up.  I let Chrome and Zep graze in the yard for most of the day and did a little bit of work with Chrome.  I mixed up some of the prep exercises so that none would include bending over.  We did cavaletti (hand walking), backing uphill, stepping over the hay bale and pelvis tucks.

He was being lazy and lagging behind when I led him.  I've noticed he does that when his left stifle is bothering him.  It's almost like he's expecting it to lock so he wants to go slow.  It doesn't seem to hurt him... not that I can tell anyway.  He was fine over the cavaletti, but when he kicked one by accident I didn't want to bend over to put it back so we moved on to backing uphill.  He did great the first two times (only four or five steps each before he got crooked and we reset).  Then his left stifle started locking... it's weird that a lot of people say backing them up can unlock the stifle, but that is not the case with Chrome!!!  He can't unlock going backwards at all, so I walk him forward to get him out of it.  When it locked a second time I called it quits on that.

I figured by that point that we must have done too much in his last workout (walking over the hay bale ten times and ten legs lifts on each side), so I led him over the bale once just to see if he could lift it over.  He did that perfectly fine.  Then I did his tucks since it doesn't cause his stifle to lock and we haven't done them in a while.  Then I let him go back to grazing and his left stifle was locking again....  It's not really locking.. just a little sticky.  When it locks really bad he will snap his leg up, but when it's sticky like today it just jerks a little and he steps forward normally without picking his leg up abnormally high.  He needs trimmed again.  It never fails when he gets close to due it starts locking again.  I really need to start trimming ihim weekly myself but I don't think my back could handle it right now!!!

Anyway the weather is supposed to be gross for a whole week so we will see if I get anything done with him.  I might just give us both a break.  It sucks both of us dealing with physical problems all the time.  Oh well.  At least we're both happy!!

ETA:  I forgot to mention when I called them up to let him out to graze he came flying up to me with his big floating trot.  Then when he was out grazing and I called him back to the pasture for his supper he did it again.  So it's not like he can't move or anything.  It's just when grazing or backing up the stifle locks because he's moving slow I guess.  When he's walking, trotting, etc. it's fine.  That's why I think it's a conformation issue (too straight) that will probably never go away.  I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that frequent hoof trimming and appropriate exercise will make it a lot better though.  :D