The prognosis

The vet came out on Thursday evening for a lameness exam on Satin. Satin has been significantly favoring her front right, but also appears lame in the other front as well as both back! Her hocks have started 'sticking' more frequently.
Dr. Lacher started by watching Satin trot. She was a very good girl and even as she struggled through the discomfort, she trotted for me. We used hoof testers on both fronts and Satin didn't have ANY pain response, which lead Dr. Lacher to believe it wasn't an abscess like we both originally thought. So we blocked her right heal with lidocaine and trotted her off again. She showed significant immediate improvement. We knew the pain was in the hoof. Since we kind of ruled out an abscess, Dr. Lacher's next step was to x-ray the hoof to see if the pain was caused by something else; navicular disease, bone spur, etc. She shots 4 radiographs and Satin was wonderful! She stood perfectly still on slats of wood while we took the pictures. She's usually Miss Movey-All-Aroundy. Maybe the pain was making her mellow!

The good news:
The radiographs showed healthy, normal navicular bone. Nice and straight.
No fluid accumulation or swelling in any joints, including stifles and hocks.

The bad news:
Her pastern joint had mild-moderate arthritis.
Both her hocks have severe arthritis.

The doctor's orders:
Step one - treat with Bute for 7 days and see how she responds. It is possible that the lameness is due to something minor like bruising of her sole and that the arthritis in her pastern joint is not an issue (yet). If she responds to Bute then we can tentatively keep her on a maintenance dose.

Step two - She doesn't respond to Bute or continues to come up lame in that leg. Corrective shoeing to alleviate the pressure she puts on that joint. I will be having my wonderful, conservative farrier out in the next day or two to put on temporary "equiflex" pads which will cushion her sole for about 2-3 weeks. If it is a bruise than these pads will help it heal with less pain. I really don't want to resort to shoes. She has been barefoot her entire life.

Step 3: Symptoms worsen. Surgery to sever the nerve. Unfortunately, because she is so young the potential for regrowth of the nerve is high, meaning she's likely have to undergo the surgery a second or even third time.

My thoughts?
Siiiiigh.
I want to do what it takes to keep Satin comfortable and happy. The vet also recommended do lots of backing and exercise with hills to build up her quads. This will help with the stifles and hocks.

Needless to say I haven't worked with Satin in a few days. I think today she'll be up to some playing.

On another note, I have not yet played with Dancer. I have been so focused on progressing with Satin that I have not even haltered Dancer! I keep telling myself "Dancer will be easy" and I keep putting it off. The truth is I don't like Dancer's personality. She's a wimp. Don't get me wrong, she's as sweet as they come, but she's terribly anxious and nervous and ... I don't click well with that personality. BUT...

On Friday evening at feeding time Satin was already in the stall. Dancer and her two pasture mates were galloping like crazy across the pasture. Dancer and her twin TB mare (the alpha) we carrying on for more than 15 minutes! I brought the alpha mare in first, then went back to get Dancer who was still trotting the fence line. I thought, "You know, right now would be the perfect time to play with Dancer. She's all anxious, has lots of energy..."
So I grabbed my halter and 12' rope and stick. I approached quietly and paused about 5 feet from her. She's used to standing still for the halter, so she stood there, eyes wide, nostrils flared, ears half pinned, just waiting for me to come and take her into the barn. But I waited. It only took like 15 seconds and she turned towards me and asked a question, "What are you doing?"
I held out the halter for her to smell and was amused at her curiosity and confusion. Her little hot-wired brain was going a million miles a minute - "HUH? Why is she showing me this? Why isn't she putting this on me? What's GOING ON?!"
I stood there, smiling to myself, and she took 3 steps towards me a smelled the halter, ears SUPER forward, "Yes? What do you want? Tell me, tell me, tell me!"
I applied gentle pressure on her poll and she gave me her head. I haltered her and walked away from the gate and away from the barn, her grain, and her pasture mates. I haven't worked with Dancer AT ALL yet this year. I have only done gentle training with her, Not Parelli NH.
But she is so submissive and so responsive. I have only to apply pressure with my energy and she moves quickly out of my way. I did a little Friendly Game to soothe her. She siiiighed and licked her lips. I pointed and she trotted in the direction away from my energy. I did this with her for about 5 minutes, asking her to go over jumps and through some obstacles.

Oh My Goodness! It was SO FUN! She has so much energy and is so responsive. It is like NIGHT AND DAY between her and Satin. Satin is like moving a dead body. If you breathe too hard Dancer jumps out of your way. Wow! I am so lucky! I new that Dancer would be "easy" but I did not realize I would enjoy her so much. With just a little time this girl is going to be confident and will really relax in our herd of two.

Here's to the future for both Satin and Dancer!