6 Months... plus a couple of days

 (Jackie here...)
Spring flowers are starting to bloom, and as Dr. Jen predicted, this really is the time for healing.  I took some pictures of Huckleberry's legs about 2 weeks ago, and they are already obsolete.  I can't believe the amount of pink skin that is sliding over those giant scabs.  I will try to get new photos for you soon (it's raining today), but in the meantime, maybe you can get the general idea from these:

Right

Left

 Both legs have about 50 percent more new skin over them today than they did when these pictures were taken.

Alicia made an appointment for him with Dr. Jen next Thursday.  I am very anxious to see what she will do with him from here.  I don't know if she will do any surgery at this visit, or if she just wants to take a look at the legs and form a plan from there.  We will definitely let you know!


In the meantime, like Alicia said, our boy is bulking up nicely out on my property.  He doesn't let his legs hold him back, and is constantly traveling the hills with my other three horses.  Dixie, my lead mare, keeps everyone moving.  Thankfully, all of the horses have realized that Huck is just a baby, and they let him wiggle his way into their food bowls whenever he wants.  He isn't too pushy about it, so they tolerate him well.

Here he is mowing some lawn for me...

 (The guinea hens are excellent desensitizing aids!)

Our weekly ground-skills lessons with Gail are going incredibly well.  Huckleberry is learning faster than I can teach him.  I am amazed at how quickly he picks up concepts, and even seems to ask, "OK, I got this one, what's next?"  Of course, some things take longer than others.  We are still working on maintaining a gait all the way around a circle, and stepping up onto unusual things is a challenge, but he is getting the idea.

Last week we got to play in the playground for a while.  The biggest challenge in the playground for everyone was keeping our horses' attention away from the green grass under their feet long enough to try a new obstacle!  Huck did everything very well except for stepping up onto the tree stump.  That will come in time. 

Here he is after backing all the way up this embankment with very little rope wiggling from me!

Good boy!

And checking out a new trailer...

We had to get in, and out of everyone's trailers.  Would you believe, he didn't even hesitate on anyone else's trailer??  He climbed right into a stock trailer, and even backed himself out!  I couldn't believe it!  (We still don't even do our own trailer that well!)

And finally standing on the pedestal:

"Ta da!!"

Until next week!
~Jackie