Back to the Drawing Board

by Karyn "K.C." Cowdrey

A few weeks ago I wrote about the joy of being able to start riding my mare, Dancer, again after several months off due to injury (click here to read that post). Our road toward recovery had been going along straight and smooth.

Tonight it appears we’ve had a steep corner with a sharp cliff come into our path. When I went out to ride her, she came up to the barn very lame once again.

It is hard to not dwell on the idea that she may never be sound again. She is my dream, so hopefully this is just a big bump that we’ll get over, and then get back on the road to true soundness.

I am determined to face this head-on and realistically but not negative. Perhaps this time the vets will find true diagnosis instead of continuing to be challenged by mystery lameness.

If anyone has experienced a horse that suddenly pulls up 3-legged and doesn’t want to bear weight on a hind leg, but has no heat, no swelling, and clean x-rays of that leg, please post and share with us what you learned.

May your ride be smooth and your path obstacle-free.