Charlie Hill with Manuel Trigo at the clinic Manuel gave in Scottsdale, Arizona last month.
Apr 202012
Dec 162011
Ruth Smith introducing herself and her horse Trinity. Ruth has just began Charlie Hill’s sixteen session training program.
Charlie Hill explain the progress Ruth Ann Smith has made with her horse Trinity in his new 16 session training program.
Dec 162011
Friends of Charlie Hill, We want to update everyone on the latest news regarding Charlie. Tuesday ride nights have resumed. If you want to come and ride with Charlie on a Tuesday evening, the time is now. There is no real structured agenda for these rides.
Charlie Hill will be resuming his Tuesday night training sessions beginning today from 7pm to 9pm. Charlie has been recovering since the second surgery to replace his right knee on March 3oth. The surgery was successful but was more extensive than originally planned. In addition to the knee replacement, a metal rod had to be inserted into his femur from the knee to the hip. This was required to help realign the femur to the correct position for the second knee replacement. Charlie’s femur had rotated approximately 90 degrees out of alignment over time since the original femur break in 2006 and the subsequent unsuccessful original knee replacement in 2008. In fact the surgeon could only get approximately 10 degrees of rotation on the knee as a result of the misalignment of the femur pre-surgery, but this increased to 120 degree’s immediately post op.
Charlie came home from the hospital on May 2nd and started physical therapy soon after. Initially the therapy regimen was to build strength to the muscles in the right leg that were now properly aligned, but hadn’t been used in this manner for several years. The physical therapy has continued to present and now includes exercises to increase rotation of the new knee and build the muscles associated with those movements.
During this entire recovery period, Dally Curtis continued to support Charlie by shoeing his clients horses.
Last week for the first time since the surgery, Charlie was finally able to return to work on a limited basis with Dally’s continued support. If all goes well, Dally will be able to return to home in Belton, Texas sometime next week as Charlie resumes his horseshoeing and now horse training events once again.
We look forward to hopefully seeing you soon at a Tuesday night Ride at Charlie’s place.
Friends of Charlie Hill would like everyone to know that Charlie is back to work shoeing horses. The doctors have told Charlie that he should still refrain from doing any physical activities under horses that might jeopardize the ongoing healing of his femur. As a result, Jess Nelson and Dally Curtis have been performing the majority of the shoeing process, letting Charlie build shoes and supervise their work.
Jess came down from Flagstaff to support Charlie’s clientele beginning the day of his surgery on the 1st of February. He shod horses for Charlie that week and the next before having to return to Flagstaff. Dally Curtis flew in from Belton, Texas on the 15th of February, and will continue to support Charlie with his horseshoeing for the next several weeks. He plans to return to Texas briefly to catch up with his client’s horses about the middle of March.
Charlie and Debbie are planning to travel to Denver, Colorado for the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo on March 11th-13th. Rodger Kyle of 8th Heaven Farms in Castle Rock, Colorado will have an exhibition booth at the Expo. He has invited Charlie to share the booth with him to showcase Charlie’s experience as a horseman of over 50 years.
Phase two of the revision of Charlie’s right leg continues the 30th of March. The knee replacement surgery has been scheduled for this day. Upon his return from Colorado, during the surgery, and for several weeks after, Dally Curtis will continue to support Charlie and his clients.
As, Charlie’s “Road to Recovery” continues he would like to thank everyone who has been a part of the process whether directly or in thoughts and prayers.
Feel free to also view the new movie of Charlie’s life on his Biography page.
Friends of Charlie Hill would like everyone to know that Charlie is back home and recovering from the recent surgery to his right femur that we spoke of in the previous post.
Charlie’s wife Debbie says the doctors are encouraged on Charlie’s progress to date and how well the surgery went. They were able to remove all of the old hardware in Charlie’s femur from the fracture he incurred back in ’06 while colt starting a neighbor’s colt.
Debbie wants everyone to know that Charlie’s spirits are high, but he will be unable to work or ride for the next several weeks. The doctors’ recovery orders were mainly to rest to let the femur heal while performing some minor at home physical therapy exercises.
Charlie would however like everyone to know that as he heals he will have much more free time on his hands. He hopes this will allow him to possibly give some private lessons to anyone interested. Although he won’t be able to ride Warrior or any other horse, Charlie would be happy to draw upon his years of experience as a horseman to enhance your experience with any particular needs you and your horse may need.
If you’re interested in seeing Charlie, feel free to contact Debbie or leave a message via the Contact page.
Feb 012011
Friends of Charlie Hill would like people to know that this day, Tuesday 2/1/2011 he will start phase one revision of much of his right leg.
Some of you know Charlie to have sustained this injury back in 2006 colt starting, after which he began to limp a bit. Charlie has more hardware in his right femur and knee than on his farrier cart, and the immobility grew more and more, and the range of motion less and less.
Charlie had a follow up knee surgery in ’08 and a redo in ’09. The problem to the leg was compounded. It was not made better.
To Charlie, NEVER a complaint is spoken. Oh contraire! Sometimes he can’t do right by the horse. But with God’s help he gives every person interested in helping themselves and their horses his best “try”.
The love of Charlie’s life, his wife, his partner in life – Debbie, and the family members would like Charlie to give the medical field one more try.
So this day, February 1, 2011 all the old hardware comes out of the leg. Six to eight weeks from now, reevaluate the status of the leg and move on.
We will keep all of you updated on his upcoming progress and events. If you know Charlie, you know he will be atop the back of his mustang “Warrior” shortly. The journey continues….
Nov 142010
Last night Charlie Hill had the 5th training session with Jodi’s horse. The evening began with Jodi describing the progress she had made with her horse during the past week. Charlie then spent some time with her explaining how to move the horse while seated on the round pen rail. After being saddled, the training continued in the round pen from the ground at liberty. Warrior was then brought back to aid Charlie as he moved the horse under halter and lead rope. This was all in preparation for Chance Stone to ride the horse under Charlie’s guidance and support.
Reminder: Today’s training session will be from 1-3 pm
We’ve added a new photo gallery that will document the training sessions Charlie Hill has been having with Jodi’s horse Charlie. 