I think I'll probably just let the other horse fade away, Bob won't have trouble selling him, and I'm just not ready, no room! While it'd be nice to have an up-and-comer out there to work with that would take some of the pressure off keeping Bay going longer than he should, the timing's just not right. It'd even be easier to take on in the spring than now, when I'd have more time to get him a stall and a paddock finished before the bad weather hits. (I've decided the best way to make room for another would be to turn the hay room back into a stall, and cut a door in it to the off side of the barn with it's own paddock over there)
I've taken Bay out without Buting him, even this last summer. Sometimes he's terrific, sometimes he's slow. It makes him more predictably good to do it. I probably gave him more than he needed leading up to you coming and while you were here, because I didn't want to take any chances, I wanted him to be at his best. Right now he hasn't had any in a month or more since I rode last, and he's been farting around in the pasture pretty spry, if you ask me :~)
We'll see how he does over winter, I'll treasure each ride I do have with him and see where it looks like he is in the spring.
Oh, well see then, I just don't agree that he's "that" close to having to retire. I can/would understand being careful of him, but retirement....nah, not even close, IMO. Even when he's buted you've said he will move away at the start slow then speed up on the return. I wouldn't let the slowness going out, cut my ride short. When he starts getting slow on the return, or actually showing a lameness, then I might start consider buteing. Buteing him much would worry me, not just because of the stomach problems, but IF there really is a problem you don't want to cover it up to where he would make it worse since he's not hurting. If it's arthritis and not navicular, he will loosen up as he goes along, and that's a good thing.
Another subject. I know I showed you all this last year, so it's kind of a repeat thing. But Harley's birthmark...I swear 2 weeks ago you could not see it. He looked like the first picture below although it was taken a month ago. But when I took him to the ride 2 weeks ago it still looked like this picture. Then today...next picture...I swear this thing showed up over night. Today is the first I've noticed, and I've been trying to watch to see how/when it showed up. He hasn't grown any winter coat yet....really strange, but interesting.
I'm wondering how much cool weather plays with it showing up. Last night, I think was one of the coolest we've had. Now I just remember tho, that the vet did say something about the small dark spots he has on his hips. Laughed and asked if he as appy....Several people around were very quick to say, that those were not appy spots:) So the spots on his hips were showing then...but the big one on his shoulder was not visible at all.
Becky