So, yesterday was decision day – I lunged Finn to check soundness; if she was no better then it would have been off to Oakham Vet Hospital to get her scanned; if there was an improvement then off to Claire’s to go swimming! Luckily she had improved, still very stiff – but looked sound!
We got to Claire’s and settled her into her stable, which she would call home for the week. The stable was situated on the main yard so she could see everything that was going on – she seemed to relax straight away. 
The girls got her ready to swim, with big leg protector boots on in case she struck herself while she was swimming. the ‘pool’ is about 40 metres long – in a straight line, the base is a continuous arc, so that the horses walk in, but soon the floor drops away to about 18 feet and they have to start swimming. Claire warned that first timers can take some time and that she would swim 3 lengths today. Claire said that most first timers stand in the chute for ages, then dive in and try to gallop through the water on the first length, then trot the second and then on the third length they usually work it out and walk/swim.
Finn stood in the chute for about 15 – 20 minutes before venturing into the water, the team were very patient and kept encouraging her, she stepped her front feet into the water and started to splash about; she got her nose in and played in the water for a few minutes before walking calmly in and swimming away! No drama, panic or major splashing about, she just got in and swam! I was so proud of her. She did her second and third lengths and then was scraped off and put onto the walker to dry.
Chris and I went to the Orange Tree for his birthday lunch (55 today) then we went back to check on Finn and park the trailer up for the week. She was stood sleeping at the back of her stable – she took two steps forward to say hello, and then took two steps back as if to say “leave me alone now – I’m knackered”!!
Let’s hope that her week at the spa does her good and that she comes back home next week all fixed. Need to enter Trailblazers Dressage Championships by 8 July, so cutting it fine in terms of assessing her ability to compete……. Fingers crossed.