When you have a red mare... make lemonade

​As an eventer, I am humble. Not necessarily always because I want to be, but because just when you think you've got it, this sport can pull you down and knock you around and remind you who's boss. 

Belle has been going AMAZINGLY this winter and I was so excited to be starting her first event season with the first show in our area this Spring. She was fit, happy, and game! Totally ready for her debut and I couldn't think of a better first show than one that was only 30 min away from home and at a venue she has been to may times before. 

The Friday one week from the show, Belle came in with a hole in her leg. UGH! Only the eventing gods can tell you how she did it, but she had a laceration in her front left leg that definitely pulled her out of the show. I was so worried about her, bummed about the show, sad that we couldn't go on with our plans for the next few weeks and all around blue. I have poured my heart, soul and savings account into figuring this mare out and just when we seem to be doing good, WHAM! 

BUT... she didn't hurt anything important! She missed her suspensory tendon, deep digital flexor tendon, tendon sheath, and check ligament all by a hair... She never went lame and never got overly swollen. Thanks to Dr. Calitri of Seacoast Equine, she is healing beautifully!

​​So, instead of wallowing in sadness about her injury... I turned the tables and made lemonade (with some vodka thrown in) out of this big old lemon.

Belle got cellulitis in Aiken and has had some funky swelling in that back leg since we got home and she lost quite a bit of weight on the trip so I was trying to figure out when I could give her a little down time. While I wasn't looking to give her 2 weeks off, I guess the universe thought she needed it. She handled stall rest like a champ and we got to "just be" together out on walks and around the farm. 

I was also trying to figure out if and how I should bring Spot back into my schedule and possibly take him to some shows, so again... the universe answered. Instead of scratching the show, I changed the entry to him and spent the week getting him ready. I knew he was feeling good, but he was almost a different horse at the show. We killed it in our rainy, sloppy, cold dressage test earning a 27.9. He was a rock star in SJ warm up and never batted an eye or seemed overwhelmed in the stadium ring (which used to be our kryptonite) . At one point I realized how awesome he was and for some reason over rode a fence (cuz that makes sense?!) and pulled a rail, but he recovered and completed the course like he had never been worried about it before! XC was a blast, and felt WAY too small (!!!) and he was super responsive and alert. He handled the super sloppy footing and slippery grass like it wasn't even there and acted like he ate XC for breakfast. 

My take away...
Belle needed time off and at least it was at the beginning of the season. 
Spot needs to got back to work so he can be a super star.
The footing on XC was much more suited for a seasoned horse instead of a sensitive greenie
When horses knock you down: tuck, roll and pop back up like it was planned all along. 

I am so thankful that Belle is ok and super happy that I got to see how ready Spot is for round 2 of his eventing career!