So says Kelly Clarkson, but I dunno…since it’s ‘Throw Back Thursday’ on Facebook as I write this, I thought I’d begin with a favorite pic of Forrest and me from last year
before sharing the disappointing news that last week our third ultrasound showed he had re-injured himself during one of his explosions during rehab–the ones that come out of absolutely nowhere, on a warm day, when he’s being as quiet as a mouse. Dr Gillis, gliding the probe over the affected area said, ‘While it’s still a mild injury, it’s going to set you back 8 weeks. So instead of walking undersaddle 30 minutes in the morning and hand-walking 20 in the evening, it will now be 20 in the morning and 20 in the evening.”
It is gutting and depressing but that’s life with horses, isn’t it? I allowed myself a 12 hour pity-party of whining and sighing but luckily, I had lots to look forward to: ‘Boot Camp’ students arriving for the weekend (they haul in Friday and out Sunday), one of which was a spectacular black OTTB that was chronically crooked, I felt, contributing greatly to his volatile nature. I believed I was as thrilled as owner Heather after I rode ‘Hedge’ first, sitting quietly through his ten minute tantrum and remaining relentless with my left leg until he decided to carry himself, so that Heather could climb aboard and, beaming from ear to ear, achieve beautifully, balanced work on this horse whom she’d been riding like a raw egg, afraid to ‘rock the boat’ and get an explosion. I’d swear this OTTB was a pricey WB, wouldn’t you?
Now, speaking of pricey Warmbloods, I promised you in my last blog that I couldn’t wait to attend the first CDI*** held here in my ‘hood at the new, state-of-the-art Tryon International Equestrian Center. What a beautifully run show with a darned impressive turn out from the local community. Maybe it’s the sushi restaurant or the Venetian carousel or the drool-worthy tack shop, but probably it was Ashley Holzer’s harmonious, dynamic test on her Olympic hopeful ‘Dressed in Black.’ Chris Von Martels was also awarded a blue sash for the neck his lovely horse, Divertimento. With over $38,000 in prize money, I’m pretty sure we’re going to see a flood of entries in the coming months.
And If I’ve got to be on the sidelines with my own horse, what great sidelines to be on!
