Hit the Trails!

Well, Since Duke's injury has cut our season short, I've decided to have a bit of fun for the rest of the year. Today I went trail-riding with my friend Caitlin at Prairie Oaks Metro Park. Cool weather and well-maintained trails are always fun!

Because Duke is essentially on stall-rest, I rode my old gaited-horse Adam, which is always fun because he just racks the whole way. I'd never seen Cait ride before and she doesn't have a ton of experience, So I put her on our easiest and laziest horse: Lilly. She did great! Cait's got a good seat, and is soft with her hands while simultaneously understanding how to keep enough hold to maintain control, so with a little practice she should get skilled enough to ride a stronger horse. And she wants to, so I've got a new trail buddy!

I know I really shouldn't because of his age and whatnot, but Adam is phenomenal to gallop - he's responsive to every signal, and boy can he go! it's almost painful to have to stop because he's so smooth you feel like you're flying, and he just wants to keep going.

I'll take some pictures next time we go - I was going to bring my camera along with us, but I got distracted helping Cait get on Lilly.

It's been a while...

I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post. A lot has happened in the last three months.



Duke was doing wonderfully in the ring - improving every class, with only a few minor kinks that still needed ironing. Brown County was a complete bust (passed over after a really good class), but we rallied with good shows at Delaware Riding Club and Twin Rivers. I left a few hours after getting home from Twin Rivers for my friend's wedding in South Carolina - I'd be the tall one in the picture over there -> - when I get a call from my Aunt that the soreness Duke had developed the show had become full-on lameness in his right front.

Suspecting an abscess, we soaked and wrapped, pulled his shoes, and had the vet out to check on him. A month and a half and a trim-and-search later there's no sign of an abscess, but he's had swelling in his other leg, so now I'm treating him for a tendon injury. I'm at my wits end, but trying to stay positive - the worst days are when he's not doing well, or when I want nothing more than to take a long ride.

I love my vet, but she's not a lameness specialist, and I think that's what I need at this point. I just started using Surpass a few days ago, but if that doesn't work I think it's time to call in the big guns... wish us luck!