And Now: The Amazing Dr. Cove...

When you surround yourself with good people, who are knowledgeable, communicate well, take the time to listen to you ramble and know how to fix things...good things will happen.  It is especially helpful when you find yourself surrounded by people with the aforementioned qualities who are good, very good, at what they do.  Enter stage Right: Dr. Richard Cove, Horse-whisperer/(human) psychologist/teacher/Chiropractor extraordinaire.  He is a big dude, has a soft spoken gentle way about him and horses LOVE him.  (I might love him a little bit too.)
In a nutshell, I can't believe poor Chester was even able to stand up...ugh: his pelvis was rotated down and to the right, several of his "L's" needed popping, his hips were wonky, his pole and jaw got cracked. OMFG.  WHY? You ask...Well....
So the million dollar question:
ME: Sooooo, do you think he got all out of whack because he was standing in his stall for so long or maybe he aggravated his pelvis when he spooked and when he got the abscess it just made the whole situation worse?!?!
Dr. Cove: -with a look that said 'really Carrie, are you asking me that question- Hard to tell for sure how he originally got to be this way.  What I CAN tell you is this.  This horse was completely seized up from standing in his stall, lack of circulation and if he was only standing on three legs the majority of the time, it wasn't helping him. 
Me:  - Looking like I was about to cry - Okay, so what do I do now?!
Dr. Cove: First of all, get some electrolytes into him. He is an ATHLETE, just because it is winter, he was still working 5 or 6 days a week right? (I nod solemnly.) So his muscles completely cramped up on him when he got stuck in his stall for a month.  Secondly, get him moving as much as possible.  He needs circulation to get rid of the heat in his front feet.  Hand walk and turn him out in the arena. See how it goes, try to get on him on Saturday.  If that goes well, then try again Sunday.  Monday he can have his shoes back on and go outside: IF the ground is soft (hahahahaha) and IF he is moving like a somewhat normal horse.
Thank-you Dr. Cove.
We put him into the arena and free walked him around for about 15 minutes afterwards...and he was looking pretty limber...still somewhat hesitant, but not nearly as stiff as he was this morning! :-) Yessssss!!!!
Ahhhh, Dr. Cove - your word is my gospel for the moment...now, let's hope for a good couple of days and that I can find my electrolytes somewhere in the basement...
OH!! You know what else?! He also said, if I wanted, to try powdered Gatorade crystals in a (separate) bucket of water!  Which I might try. 
The next couple of days are key for him to loosen him up, hope the adjustments hold and get him moving. Fingers, toes, eyes, all crossed...
COME ON CHESTER!!!