January Pyro Update: It gets worse before it gets better

In the month of January, except for the 2 days we were snowed in and I was unable to safely get to the stable, I have done *something* with Pyro every day. 

I think ground driving is beneficial for both of us.

• Ground work sessions: 19
• Ground driving/long lining sessions: 3
• Rides: 7

Our activities had to be scaled to how I was feeling each day, so groundwork ranged from moving him very precisely around his stall to formal training sessions in the arena. Some rides were just 20 minutes of dressage at the walk in the indoor. Others consisted of him transporting me to the girls' barn through the deep snow, waiting while I fed them, then carrying me back up the hill to Windsor. We did ground driving and double lunging exercises, played mounting block games, and practiced being caught in the pasture without him approaching me. While there was a lot of variation in what we were doing, I tried to be consistent in asking something of him every day and enforcing the rule that he has to be self contained. 

Putting the first hoofprints in the snow so I didn't have to brave the other driveway to the Mare-ternity Ward.

I was finally able to make a plan with my vet for how to approach ruling out musculoskeletal pain and ulcers. I decided to do a short, 5-day bute trial to help me decide which to address first (because I'm not made of money and both options are expensive). The thought was:

1. If his behavior improved, there was likely pain somewhere in his body that was bothering him.
2. If his behavior worsened, he likely had ulcers that were being exacerbated by the bute.
3. If his behavior stayed the same, then it was likely all behavioral. 

After only 2 days, Pyro became very clearly girthy, and I ended the trial early. He was immediately started on omeprazole (😭💸), and the girthy behavior has been decreasing since then. Per my vet, while there's no way to confirm for sure without scoping him, it is extremely unlikely that 4 doses of bute over 48 hours would create ulcers where there were none previously, so the most likely explanation is that he has been living with ulcers for an unknown amount of time. While this result doesn't rule out musculoskeletal issues, I didn't notice any real change in how he was moving or using his body, so I feel comfortable not pursuing it at this time.

Taking the late night Big Pinto Taxi back to Windsor

I'd love to tell you that since starting ulcer treatment, it has been all rainbows and butterflies with Pyro. That he has been nothing but respectful, willing, and a pleasure to be around. Of course, the reality is a lot messier. There have been days when he truly HAS been a pleasure to work with, greeting me with a soft expression and feeling really "settled" and happy in his work. Other days, he's been... a challenge. 

One of the good days. He nickered at me when I approached him at the end of a wonderful ground driving session. He has never nickered to me AFTER work before, only when he thinks I'm going to feed him.

Most recently, when presented with a small change in routine and an excited herd mate (Magnum had to wait an extra minute to be let in and began running around the paddock), he became uncooperative with the co-op members who were trying to bring in and feed dinner. Even after Magnum was led in, Pyro was ignoring their request to come into his stall, slinging his head around and turning his butt to them as he raced around. I arrived just as they made the judgement call to leave him outside and notify me, something we've discussed as an option previously, and I was wholeheartedly in support. I had dinner plans and didn't want to have a deadline when working with him, so Pyro got to stay out in the paddock (with hay) until I got back. 

Choices were made, consequences were had... FAFO, my boy.

In that time, he was able to regulate his emotions and come back "down", but when presented with the request to come inside, he still said "don't want to, don't have to" and walked away from me and his open stall door. I calmly but firmly ushered him into his stall (sorry buddy, you don't get to call the shots), then he got a "tough love" groundwork session. We worked in his stall until I had better control of where he moved his feet and felt I could halter him safely. Then, we worked in the arena where I upheld firm boundaries while looking for opportunities to soften. Finally, I brought him back to his stall and did another exercise while feeding him dinner, allowing him to come forward and take a bite, then asking him to step back and wait until I gave him permission to take another. 

The relaxed, thoughtful Pyro I enjoy. Sometimes it take a while to find this side of him under his reactive side. 

Since that day, I've had a streak of him really testing whether I can tell him what to do. The common theme is "but I persisted". I think we're really in the thick of it now, and I keep telling myself that oftentimes when changing behavior it gets worse before it gets better. 

Impatiently waiting while I took care of the girls, even though he had already had dinner and a chance to tuck into hay before we rode through the snow. 

He's about halfway through his ulcer treatment, so we'll see how he feels by the end of that. In the meantime, my incredible barnmates are disrupting his routine as little as possible, allowing me to work him through these challenges, and being incredibly supportive despite my horse being an asshole at times. 

I'm still trying to make his stall as attractive as possible so he WANTS to do what they're asking.

Here's hoping Pyro and I can reach a turning point for the better over the next couple months.

I'll leave you with another good day, happily trucking through knee deep snow, bareback.