What a difference a few days can make!  The weather here in Phoenix has warmed up a bit and my arthritis is doing a lot better.  I was able to run around the arena when Brenda turned me out and I even kicked up my heels a few times....course that was cause I heard them start feeding my barnmates and I HATE being late for meals.  Brenda was nice and made sure I was back in time and she seemed really happy that I felt well enough to run.

Brenda hand feeds me my supplements every day, which has been helping a lot too.  She uses one that looks like mini pellets and has stuff called MSM, Glucosomine and Chondroitin.  She says they help my knees and hocks, but I just think they're tasty!  Now that she adds a bit of corn oil, I even lick her fingers clean.  She said something about "keeping the engine flushed", whatever that means, and that I'll absorb nutrients better 'cuz of it.  Us older guys don't absorb them as well.

My pastern still bothes me although it's picked up a bit the more I move around.  Our trainer, Sam, is going to do laser therapy on it.  Brenda said she had it done when she'd hurt her elbow. It's kinda funny how humans often have the same treatments horses do.  She even takes chondroitin for her knees sometimes!  Weird.  The next time the farrier comes (right before Scottsdale), he's gonna see about making me a special shoe.

I'm getting a bit of a belly, cuz I'd lost weight and they've been giving me extra feed.  Once my foot is feeling better, I know I'm gonna get worked harder so I'll slim back down and my muscle tone will come back.  At my age, it's a bit of a juggle to keep muscle over my croup, hips, and withers without getting tubby or slimming down too much.  I haven't been getting longed to keep from straining that pastern. It sucks, 'cuz other than that, I feel great for a 23 year old.