Eli and I attempted to lesson as planned on Saturday, given that he is on antihistamines, breathing normally (mostly), and the vet cleared him to ride as I usually would.

Buuuuuttt, I guess horses are susceptible to antihistamine fog just the same as peoples. Eli was a little too rideable, and quite pokey. I wanted to go ahead and jump him anyway, so we just did a couple of short courses comprised of lines. Trainer and barn owner said he was jumping great, especially his efforts over the oxers, but I really didn’t feel it would be right to ask him for more. I could feel him trying to kick it into gear, but just not quite getting there. Since he was going kind of the same way last lesson, although not quite so foggy, now I’m wondering if the allergies were kicking in right around then.

Sunday he was MUCH perkier, thankfully. Maybe he finally got used to the antihistamines? Although on Sunday he was also making snorting noises occasionally that my barn friend deemed T-Rex worthy. I took his temperature and checked to see that he was eating like he usually does, and that all checked out. I hacked him very lightly, and he moved much more responsively off my leg Sunday, didn’t appear to be winded at all, so my hope is the antihistamines are doing their job and Eli is through the fog.

I can totally relate to both allergies and antihistamine bleariness, and honestly Eli seems to be handling it all better than I am right now with my own pollinated struggles.

It’s about time to thin his mane again, and his chiropractor is coming on Wednesday morning. Eli gets a week of spa days, basically. I need to plan that kind of thing for myself!