Thing 1 and Thing 2

This past week did not go as planned. At all.

Finally recovered from the GI bug from hell to take a total of 1 final, 3 exams, and 6 quizzes in the past 2 weeks, and for some reason thought it was totally sane to show this previous week in an AHJA show (I'm chasing points- living my 13 year old self's dream!).

I flatted Sawyer Tuesday for the first time in a week (sick, tests, etc.) and he was BEAUTIFUL. I got a couple steps of stretchy, nose to the ground trot with his hind end really swinging. We've been working on using our hind end, and Sawyer is slowly learning that collection is his friend (because I also do really mean things like lateral work, and going in a straight line is nicer than going sideways). I also got a few solid leg yields at the trot and canter, which felt wonderful. By a few, I mean like a step or two, but that's progress.

Had an exam Thursday, so skipped riding Wednesday, and scheduled a lesson for Thursday. Bring him in for the lesson. All 4 shoes. Check. All 4 shoes tightly attached to his feet? Nope. So into a stall he went to be reshod in the morning. Can't ride Sawyer? It's ok; I'm savoring my freedom, so I go to bring in Candy. Candy- who is 3 legged lame and has a left fetlock the size of a very angry baseball. So naturally, I call the vet out, get the news that it's tendinitis, sesamoiditis, or synovitis, which all have lengthy recoveries attached. There go my lofty dreams of getting him re-X-rayed to gradually introduce work. I wrapped and sweat Candy's hind leg, gave the boys peppermints, a kiss on the nose, and called it a night. (Then proceeded to cry, and eat my feelings in Chinese food at the boyfriend's place)

It took 5 days, but he can put his weight on his left leg!

Being semi-productive during the 45 minutes Candy has freeze pops strapped to his leg

"Yes, I like this. Look at my fan. Look at my hay. The barn hand kisses my nose every time she walks by. I like this"

Get a call from my trainer the next day: Sawyer's right hind fetlock has swollen up. So now, I'm wrapping 6 feet twice a day (all 4 of Sawyer's and Candy's back feet), sweating both broken fetlocks, and icing Candy's now very hot, very painful fetlock twice a day, for 45 minutes. Obviously, for Sawyer, the show was a no go. Between gimp 1 and gimp 2, I am spending roughly 3 hours a day at the barn, not riding, just doing standing wraps.

Yesterday- Sawyer's fetlock returned to normal and he got turned out for a day of rest, and light work today. This morning (at 6:30 am), Candy got iced and wrapped; his fetlock has almost returned to normal, and he is like a little king surveying his kingdom on stall rest- he loves it.

On the bright side, my standing wrap skills have returned (I used to be able to slap on beautiful ones in fractious TB mares in under a minute a leg), and I taught the boy-frand how to do standing wraps. He was actually pretty good- I was impressed. I also got to deep clean my trunk and first aid kit, which needed to be done!

Can't wait to see what disasters this next week has in store...

-K&C&S (aka K & Gimp 1 & Gimp 2)