River Run; The Rundown

Feeling brain dead and wrung out, so this is going to be a brief summation of the weekend.

Drivers are jerks when you're hauling horses.  Come on people, SERIOUSLY I cannot stop quickly.  One, I just can't due to sheer weight (and I'm only hauling a 3500lb steel trailer and 2 900lb horses...my rig is small, people in larger rigs it's even worse!).  Two, if I slam on the brakes, my poor horses get tossed around like rag dolls as they scramble to keep their feet.  That's not fair nor right to them.  So please people...back off, don't cut us off, and for goodness sake, don't ignore the sign saying a lane is going away and then speed past us on the shoulder as that lane vanishes and start shoving us over.  That's a jerk move.

Anyway...the upside is Strider and I got year 2 towards Decade Team accomplished.

On the downside, his season is probably over.  Same suspensory issue on his left front.  I have a vet scheduled to come out on Feb. 1st for routine vaccinations, so I'll have him look at it and we'll figure out a treatment plan.  I know he can be brought back and be sound, but I'll need to coddle him through it.

Sunday LD on Dakini.  We were strong all day.  After the first 10 miles, the vet who saw us said she was one of the better looking and strong horses he'd seen that day.  We were battling 30 mph winds with up to 40 mph gusts.  She was a little fussy leaving Strider behind, but eventually we got into a groove and moved.  She didn't drink, but vet said she was well hydrated (so much so he asked me if she was drinking well on the trail). 

Second loop we had plenty of time, but set a good steady pace.  I thought perhaps she was getting a little tired, but she would toss in a canter of her own free will.  I -thought- a few times I was getting a near largo from her as she stretched out, but was still very smooth (more side to side action as compared to the more up and down action I get from Strider's corto).  Thought it was some muscle fatigue, so she was switching it up.

The last 1/2 mile, she felt pacey, but, again, thought it was a combo of almost in camp, tired and just over the whole thing.

We pulsed down fine.  Great on capillary refill, jugular, skin tenting...all the good things.  Then we did our trot out.  Bam.  She dragged behind me.  Didn't want to go.  Vet picked her right rear foot; big rock in there.  He cleaned out all 4 feet, told us to go eat and drink and bring her back for a re-check and see if she was better.

She wasn't better.

2nd time a rock has nailed me on the trail.  I forgot to find a rock and toss it off the trail.

So, between 2 lame horses this weekend, I slunk back to my trailer, had a good cry and thought heavily about leaving the sport.  Questioned my motives.  Questioned my sanity to ask this of my horses.  Put it out to the world and got some great and kind feedback.

I don't think we're done just yet.  But for the next, at least, 6 months, my focus will be on Dakini and Socks.  And that will be just fine.  Socks will love the work, and Dakini will too I believe once she understands the game we're playing.  So far, she shows all the signs of a good endurance prospect.  Eats and drinks on trail (after the first 10 miles, she would drink at every water stop), poops on trail.  Now, didn't have her pee on trail, but I know she will as she has on other rides.  So, we'll see if she stone bruises from this incident, will start Durasole'ing her feet and consider getting her hoof boots for all 4 feet as extra insurance.

And, we move forward.  Cautiously.