Improvement

In our last "episode," Larry stocked up in all four legs while I was out of town.  I am starting to suspect that he's just not self-exercising enough in the paddock by himself.  Sure, he walks for food and water, but I don't think he's doing much traveling about otherwise.  The last few times I've gone in with him, he's been full of beans and wanting to play.  The poultice and Bute helped, as his front legs looked much better and the hinds were half as swollen as they'd been.  He stood quietly for a perfunctory sheath cleaning after I hosed the poultice off, too.  He looked plenty sound trotting away from me in the paddock, so I decided to let him and Lee get acquainted in the field.  (I took Legs out to groom and ride her).  Lee opted to stand across the fence from where Legs was tied for grooming while Larry carefully investigated every corner of the field.  He was quite thorough.  He examined every inch of fence, every corner, stood and looked at the shed for several minutes, and sniffed out the salt block and hay racks.  He and Lee got acquainted with minor squealing and sniffing, then promptly started playing "kissy-face" with each other.  Since it was already dark when I was finished with Legs' ride, I decided to put Larry back in the paddock by himself, rather than have Legs harrassing him in an unfamiliar field in the dark.  I did fit him with a furazone sweat overnight, which had done a good job bringing the rest of the fluid out of his hind limbs by this morning.  Tonight, if all seems well, I will let him out with the herd in the daylight.  Hopefully friends and movement will keep the swelling at bay and I can think about riding him.  I sure hope so, because I just made payment towards a new saddle for him!  My old Collegiate looked like it would fit him fine, but it is nearly 16 years old and showing some wear, so I finally upgraded to a slightly used Circuit Elite.  Larry WILL have a job and a pretty new (to me) saddle for it!