I'm So Glad Maxine has a Gash in Her Leg!

I went out to check on Maxine today, eager to see if the swelling in her leg was still visible and give her some TLC.

When I brought her out of the barn, I was delighted to see that the swelling was nearly gone. Then, as I reached down to take a closer look, I found something entirely new.

Much to my surprise, I noticed a sizable gash halfway between her knee and pastern. WHAT!?! How had no one noticed this before!?!

After further inspection the answer was clear -- the cut was in the back curve of her leg so the swelling had essentially closed the cut, making unnoticeable.

Personal observation: Maxine and her antics will never cease to amaze me.

The hose was in reach, so I gave her leg a through soaking with fresh water and then packed the softened wound with Neosporin -- God's gift to horse folk. After a gentle in-hand workout, I put Maxine back in her stall and, knowing the wound would eventually heal, breathed a sigh of relief.

Personal observation: I know it's cliche, but one of the most important lessons I've learned during my short time learning about equines is to never sweat the small stuff. Instead of being upset, I was ironically ecstatic to find the cut on Maxine's leg. Why? Because up until then, there was no explanation for the swelling. My trainer and I had discussed possibilities, but that's never the same as a good, logical answer. At her age (17 going on 18), I'll always be concerned about her future, so to find out that this is just a temporary ailment means the world to me.

So, how did she cut herself in the first place? I can't say for sure, but I'm fairly certain that she tried to climb over her stall wall to get to a bucket of grain bags. Yes, Maxine loves her food that much. Silly girl.

Photo: Maxine's cut is healing quite well. You can also see the hole in her right hoof. This was caused by a nasty abscess she had last Spring. It left a crack in her hoof, which broke out once it had grown out about half way. Fortunately, her steel shoes keep the hoof from flexing and it doesn't bother her one bit. Just more of that small stuff I try not to sweat.

You've Been Cheating on Me!

When folks found out that Maxine was unable to go to the Trail Clinic this past weekend at Oregon Horse Center, I was quickly elected to ride two other mules. And I'm not ashamed to admit that I loved every minute of it! (Sorry, Max!)

The first mule I rode was Molly. She's a 16.2 (and 3/4) Belgium cross that belongs to my trainer's mom. Now 7 years old, Molly has been in training at the barn since she was four months old and it shows. She's incredibly quiet and obedient.

I've only ridden Molly once before this weekend, so we got to know each other (with the help of my trainer) during the two practice nights. Then we were on our own for the four hour clinic -- which couldn't have gone better.

Since Molly's so easy-going, I took the opportunity to brush up on my show skills. The upcoming trail championship has become so competitive that it really comes down to finesse. I typically place in the top ten or higher, but I'm looking to improve my scores even more. This was the perfect opportunity to practice.

The other mule I rode was Sis. She's a 16.2 Clydesdale cross that belongs to Lynn, a client at the barn. Because of a foot problem, Lynn was unable to ride, so she asked if I would ride Sis in the clinic for her. I jumped at the change. I've never ridden Sis, but I've seen her in action many times and I thought it would be a lot of fun.

Sis is also a calm, easy-going mule, but she's not trained to the extent that Molly is. Though she's 19, this was her first weekend in the trail arena. Lynn had introduced her to all of the obstacles during the practice evenings, but she hadn't been ridden through them, so I was eager to see how it would go.

I'm happy to say that she did surprisingly well. While she got a little tense at the far end of the arena (I swear there was a goblin lurking behind the wall), but that didn't keep her from completing each obstacle. Toward the end of the clinic, we performed a near-perfect back-though "L." When I rode over to Lynn after, she was thrilled because that was the first time she's seen Sis do that obstacle. I have to admit that I was pretty proud of our efforts myself.

Personal observation: The back-through "L" is my least favorite obstacle, and therefore my least polished one. Of course, my trainer will have none of that, so we've been spending the past three weeks brushing up on that obstacle -- at a snail's pace. NO RUSHING!

Of course, this isn't the first time I've ridden animals besides Maxine. I have been riding as many as I can get my hands on during lessons. While I love Maxine, we do create bad habits for each other. Riding other mules and donkeys helps me work out my issues so that I can transfer the training to Max.

Photo: Riding other animals has definitely paid off. This summer I won Reserve High Point on Hazel the Donkey.