February 5, 2019 

I began Cole on HempMy Pet™ Equine CBD oil today.  Bottle was padded in the box and shipped very well. The pump that was included was solid, by which I mean sturdy and well built.  Other pumpable supplements I’ve received in the past tend to be flimsy.  The oil comes out after one priming pump and doesn’t shoot out all over.  Per the instructions, and based on his weight, he should be receiving two pumps (20 mg per pump) a day.  The instructions also indicated to gradually introduce the oil into his diet.  I decided to start him off with one pump per day for a week.
Barn Manager (BM) is kind enough to bring Cole in for dinner so that I don’t have to go searching for him in the dark after work.  His feed was top dressed with one pump of CBD oil, and he ate it right up.  No issues with palatability whatsoever.  Then again, he’s not a particularly picky eater (thank goodness).

Afterwards, Cole was a little fidgety on cross ties – dancing slightly, moving forward and backing up, which has become his new normal.  After about 10 minutes, he settled down.  He showed his usual reluctance to pick up hind feet for cleaning, as in he will not pick them up right away and needs to shift his weight to find a comfortable position.  He also exhibited what I call “fly kick” behavior; in other words, he acts like a fly bit the front of his hind leg.  He quickly snatches the leg straight up, flexing the stifle, hock and ankle.  He then kicks out slightly as if to dislodge a fly.  This may be accompanied by tail swishing.

For his exercise, we hand-walked up and down driveway for 30 minutes (covers about 1 mile in distance). As I have mentioned, our farm doesn’t have an arena, so we take what we can get. He was relaxed and willing.

February 6 ,2019 

The day was filled with a steady, deliberate rain.  Barn Manager (BM) brought Cole in for me.  He spent one hour in his stall.  Per another boarder, he worried the whole time.  He was flipping his head, circling, ignored his hay, and half rearing at door.  When I took him out, he was Little dancing on crossties, but settled after a bit.  He was reluctant to lift hind feet for picking.  Sheeted and turned back out.  No walking due to rain.

February 7-8 2019 

I didn’t see Cole these two days – rain and work.

February 9,2019 

It’s the weekend, which means there’s daylight, which means riding time!
Upon arrival at the farm, BM told me Cole was kicking out his hind legs while eating his breakfast.  She expressed concern over his hindgut health.  He did undergo a lot of stress last year (the move, they Lyme disease, the medical treatment, and being trailered off the property for trail rides and hunter paces).  However, I don’t think that’s the case: his stool is normal, he has no issues with weight or appetite, he has a bright attitude, and he lives outside with friends.  BM will advise if she sees the behavior again.

Cole was brought in for tack up.  He was fidgety and hyper aware of his surrounds.  He seemed slightly more comfortable with picking up his hind feet, but still showed some reluctance.

There was a LOT of activity on the farm today…much more than a normal Saturday.  Another boarder had separated her herd, and one of the younger horses was racing around his paddock while screaming for his friends.  Her other horses were being brought into the barn. Cole’s pasture mate, T, was also screaming for Cole and their other mate, M, who was also in the barn, leaving T alone.

I rode Cole for 45 minutes – up and down driveway. He was distracted most of the time, but seemed to acknowledge my existence. However, that ended when M passed him, as he was being turned back out in their shared field.  Cole pitched a fit – he half reared, tried to spin and head back to the field.  This is EXTREMELY uncharacteristic for him; the last time he exhibited this behavior was around 15 years ago.  Was this tantrum due to a lack of a steady exercise program in winter?  Anxiety across the farm? Pain?  It’s hard to say. 

I finally got him in hand and moved him into some lateral work.  He was reluctant to move into turn on haunch and turn on forehand, but he may be rusty after not engaging on these moves since late fall.  After a couple of these moves, we would walk down the hill, and trot smartly back up the hill.
That said, our ride didn’t seem to take anything out of him. He has a light sweat, but restless in his stall.  Again, he was not interested in hay and just wanted to go back outside. He was a little more comfortable picking up hind feet

February 10, 2019 

Another day for riding! 

Cole was brought in from the field.  Things were much quieter around the barn.  At first, he started out worse on cross ties – pushing forward, unable to keep his feet still, and half reared when I left his side. His entire energy seemed to be crackling.  A sharp word from me (“Get a grip!”) settled him down.  It was a little easier to pick up hind feet.

I rode Cole for 25 minutes, up and down the driveway as well as the perimeter around the field.  It was a much better ride.  While there were still some distractions (horses being led down to the pasture, running around) but he seemed more focused on me, and relaxed.  Seemed he enjoyed his ride more, was more willing to frame up at the walk and lift his back.  We did a little more trotting up hill, and I was able to walk him on a looped rein.  He stretched his neck forward and down a few times.  This is encouraging!

Cole was more relaxed on cross ties afterwards, although was kicking out when a boarder was yelling in the aisle. He was willing to let me lift his feet to check them for rocks with minimal hesitation.  While I was leading him back out to the field and his friends, we stopped and chatted with BM in driveway, Cole stood quietly, while, lately, he would fidget.

February 11, 2019 

I went to the barn after work.  I brought him in from the field for our nighttime hand-walking.  I decided to make a video of me picking his feet so that HempMyPet™ can see what I mean when I pick out his hind feet.  However, tonight, he seemed MUCH more comfortable!  Slight upward hitching movement, but no kicking/stretching out!

Overall, he was quiet on cross-ties, and even dropped his penis slightly (a sure sign of relaxation for him – he used to let it ALL hang out before the Lyme disease).  We went for a 20-minute walk, and then turned him back out in his field.  A snowstorm is predicted for tomorrow.