Clifford

Clifford has had a couple days off due to my packed schedule but we got out today.

This is Day 6 of the new product. I'm going to give it 30 days and just see what happens. I took him off the glucosomine supplement so I wouldn't confuse myself about what was working. I want to wait and see how it works before I say anything or recommend it.

Lately it has been pretty disheartening to see him hanging back when he sees me get the halter out. He doesn't want to work. But today he was more like his old self. He stepped right into the stall and stuck his head into the halter.

His stifles were clicking and locking, but that is normal for this time of year when he's fat and out of shape.

We walked down the road with the dogs. On past occasions he has started to limp on the way back, so I have opted to take a shortcut home. Today, he clopped along happily with me looking around at all the budding leaves. A couple of four wheelers drove past us. He's seen those things so many times it doesn't faze him at all, of course. We reached the corner where we normally turn around, and came back.

It was clouding over and a cool little breeze was kicking up. As we turned down the long driveway, those four wheelers came buzzing back up the road. Clifford sprang straight up and did an about-face in mid-air, landing in the opposite direction to face them, while I still held the lead rope.

This is one of his classic tricks and he was just playing a game, pretending to be "ascairt". But he has not performed this stunt in a couple of years. My laughter has always tended to egg him on, and now he began doing a piaffe beside me, blowing and snorting, eyes all ringed in white. We got to the base of the hill with him still prancing and arching his neck.

"Okay," I said. "I'm gonna let you go. Ready?"

I unhooked the halter and he took off, blasting up that hill with his tail up and the dogs in hot pursuit.

I ran behind him swinging the lead rope and he did a beautiful extended trot all around the back yard, his tail flagging, in that floating gait I haven't seen in so long.

I don't know if this is due to the increased exercise, increased sweet grain (to mix with the new supplement) or the warmer weather. Or maybe he's just having a really good day. I am staying cautiously optimistic but boy, it was really neat to see him jumping, bucking and playing with the dogs like he used to do!

Tuesday is his birthday. He'll be 17.