When I was in high school, Huey Lewis and the News came out with a single that included the time-honored phrase: "The more something changes, the more it stays the same." At the time, it didn't really make sense to me. How could something change but stay the same?Fifteen years of experience later, and I know all to well the meaning behind the quote.
I went out to ride Maxine last night and noticed that her front leg was slightly swollen. I decided to see if it was something that would improve with exercise, so I tacked her up and slid into the saddle. We had a slow 20-minute ride that included walking an some easy trail practice over small logs. This lesson was more for her brain than for her conditioning.
After our ride I wandered into the house to say hello to my trainer. Once inside, she said that she'd noticed Maxine's leg earlier in the day. She had planned to use her for lessons, but when she saw the swelling, she chose to have someone walk her by hand instead. She and I are wishing, hoping, thinking, and praying that it's just an abscess, but she's keeping an eye on things to be sure.
Whatever the reason, I am once again faced with a minor injury before a major show. Yes, the National Trail Championship is in three weeks and I'm not sure if I'll be able to compete. I've already made the decision to drop this weekend's trail clinic. That's no-brainer. Fortunately, I should be able to get a vet-out slip in time to recoup my entry fees. I went through the same thing for last years trail challenge at the same location, so I know the staff should cooperate with my situation.
I used to get frustrated when this happened, but now I can predict that she's going to abscess twice a year -- once in the spring and once in the fall. I just wish I could schedule them so they would be more predictable. But that's the beauty of owning an equine, isn't it? Their predictable unpredictability.
Photo: Maxine at I in the In Hand Open class at the 2007 Northwest Trail Challenge. We won the championship ribbon.
