Bonus #1 - Vet Check up [Makeover 2025]

Dear Diary,

The vet came today; Dante stood so good for him. Since we picked him up, he’s just been on turnout in one of the smaller paddocks near the stable. Sunny is out next to him most days, but Kass also suggested putting Dragon nearby too. I thought it was a good idea so we put her on the other side. So far she’s just ignored him, even when he put his head over the fence. No matter though, Dante still has a friend in Sunny! Once he has one he’ll make more.

Two days of turnout and he was feeling so good! Kass would watch him move every day to try and see if she could spot anything. I tried to spot something off too but I have a terrible eye apparently. But even Kass was struggling. She said there was something with his muscles in his back and legs but that’s as much as she was getting. The vet came in the morning; it was Harry actually, the vet’s oldest son. He’d come around several times to help us before, even with Dragon. He was happy to know we were partaking in the Loshenka Makeover again. And even more delighted at his first look at Dante. The stallion let me catch and halter him with just a strawberry treat. First look, Harry said there was definitely something going on with his back. Kass showed him his file from the rescue, then suggested putting some weight on his back for lunging. Harry agreed it would help figure out exactly what was going on.

I had no idea if Dante had used a lunge line before but he was the perfect boy for it. Kass pulled out this old harness that we could secure some sand bags too, enough weight so he could feel it but less than a person. Same thing happened as it did in the paddock at the center; after one or two circles he started to bunny hop and bob around. It was still easy to lunge him and he slowed to a walk with just a few words. Kass even gave me a nod of approval. She said I was getting better each time, improving from the disaster that was Donatello… 

After watching Dante move, Harry asked to feel his back. I stood next to him with a feed bucket but he was more curious about Harry. He stood golden though, simply watching Harry out of the corner of his eye. Harry kept smiling and laughing with me. I know my face would just blush each time. He’s super cute but Kass is like a hawk and keeps shutting down anything that isn’t about the horses. Dumb big sister… I’m getting distracted; Harry said the muscles in Dante’s back were weak, which meant he can’t lift his feet up high enough, and it's uncomfortable to bear the weight of a rider. Good news is that it’s fixable. Lots of trotting and polework and uphill hacks. Bad news is that it will take a lot of time and he may never be able to bear a rider. But I’m choosing to believe that we can get him healthy and happy again. Tomorrow we’ll be starting on the poles and see where we go from there!