Jewel is making progress!!

It’s been a while since we updated Jewel’s page, and last time we reported about her, things were not going perfectly for this little gal. She was having a rough time getting along with other horses, and she was showing some conformation issues that had us a little bit worried for her future. But things have improved for Jewel over the last several weeks, and we have some more uplifting news to report.

First off, we had her examined by a veterinarian to get a second opinion on her physical condition and conformation, and the prognosis was a lot more positive than we were expecting. She does show some lateral rotation in her right front leg, but she tested sound at the trot in both directions. The vet feels that the RF rotation is fairly mild and likely won’t prevent her from being used as a riding horse. She also thinks it is likely to continue to improve as her chest expands as she grows. So she’s essentially been cleared to start training. We won’t be starting her until next year when we’re confident that she is fully three years old.

Her behavior has also continued to improve, and we are very grateful to Jewel’s foster mom, Janelle, for working with her on her issues. She’s getting along better with her herd mates, and this past weekend, she allowed Janelle to give her a bath. Well…half a bath…she did well with the scrubbing and soaping on one side of her body, but when the hose came out to rinse her off, she had some objections to it…so she got half a bath, and Janelle will try to wash her second side another day. On the plus side, her bath revealed some LOVELY dapples…she’s blossoming into a gorgeous filly!!