Another Year

How did we get here?

Thinking again that it’s almost been a whole year since my last post and so much has happened. Okay, that’s a lie. Nothing really has happened any differently. A quiet year with a few hunter paces in between. Long days and inner battles, but we may finally be on the verge of victory.

We found our drive again to train and set goals just before the ground froze and the days got short. I think we found a trainer that gets it too which I’m very excited to get back on the flat with her. We even left the ground a few times and I am ready. I’m sure Brantley will be ready too and I’m hoping that it will be Dylan’s year to actually do the fun grown-up horse things we want to do with him.

Luckily Dylan picked the best time to be injured. He came up lame in the right hind just before Christmas and although we had hoped for an abscess, no such luck. Two weeks of stall rest and then a visit from our favorite vet left us with no obvious issues seen on x-ray. Just swelling and heat surrounding the coffin joint. There was one view that showed a possible fracture but he could not re-create it so, we decided to continue stall rest with the help of bute and see how we get on.

Another week on stall rest, bute twice a day, we were okay’d for small turnout and bute once a day now that the lameness and heat/swelling was gone. One week later, I pulled him off bute and planned to give him another couple of weeks off just to be safe. Obviously we had a moment of being a nim-wit and three days after coming off bute, he started throwing heat again in that right hind. Joys of horses.

Back on bute once a day but I’m continuing him on a small, secluded turnout. He’s already doing better so I’m hopeful that he just tweaked it a bit. It’s Winter. Things are frozen. And W. has been so kind as to let his leaser ride her horse while Dylan heals. I’m so lucky to have people like this in my horse-life.

There was one hell of a cold snap this passed weekend and although it only lasted about 36 hours, it was brutal. The boys made it out okay and Brantley had no problem curling up and napping his his favorite Weatherbeeta Heavyweight. I keep wanting to be a Horseware girl but Weatherbeeta pulls me back every time. Today we’re back in the high 30s, low 40s and the horses are naked enjoying life and a well-deserved holiday.

I don’t know if it’s the new found chemical balance in my brain talking, but I feel really good about this year.

I haven’t even been able to sit in the saddle yet in 2023. Until next time…

I am ready to face any challenges that might be foolish enough to face me.”

Dwight

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