Small Victories and a Jolly Ball

Small victories!  I was able to hobble outside again this afternoon to give Highboy carrots.  It was somewhat treacherous getting to his paddock as Miles and Mahzi were loose and very excited to see me and the carrots.  On the lawn the snow had melted slightly and then refrozen to make patches of slick crust.  I somehow managed to get the carrots all the way out to the horse without falling and without the dogs stealing them, despite their best efforts to wrest them from my grip.

I felt okay, still having zings down my leg with pins and needles in my leg and foot, but not the incapacitating pain.  It was supper time for the horses, and while Owen was preparing mash I hobbled my way into the barn to visit Touch A Prince.  He has learned the food routine, so he turned away and went to wait outside politely for his mash instead of coming to the gate to say hello.  When he realized I didn't have dinner but had come to visit he hurried over to greet me and have his ears scratched.

Next I made it into the tack room and wistfully ran my hands over the saddles and pads.  My side of the tack room feels a little like a ghost town or a neglected attic, basically none of my equipment has been moved since I put it away after that last ride a month ago.  Of course Owen is out feeding and checking on horses, and clients are still coming and riding their horses, so its not entirely full of stagnant air.  I just miss being in my barn.

In the tack room I found a baby blue jolly ball that a client dropped off since her horses weren't interested.  I picked it up and brought it to my nose, noticing it had some kind of tasty scent to it.  Mahzi was very interested and tried to take it from me but I held on, thinking Highboy might like it.  As the dogs and I hobbled back out to Highboy's paddock all the horses stared at me asking if I was bringing something fun to them.  Highboy was eager to get his teeth on it as soon as he saw it.  I offered him the handle and he immediately put his mouth on it for inspection. Just then Owen appeared with the evening mash. It created a difficult decision for Highboy, new toy or soggy delectables?  He compromised by biting the handle and giving the toy a good last shove with his nose, then turning to eat his mash.  I tied the ball to the fence for him to play with after dinner.

I don't know why I've been granted this reprieve and the ability to hobble outside, but I sure am grateful for it.  More tests should happen this week and second opinions, then hopefully I'll have a better idea what can be done to resolve this nerve pain.  In the meantime I shall lie horizontally in bed, imagining Highboy and his friends in the big paddock happily playing tetherball with the new jolly ball tied to the fence.