Riva, Henny, & Life In General

Time has gotten away from me lately!  I spent the first 3 days of the week in Kentucky for an Aunt's funeral.  So good to see family that I had not seen since I was 16 yrs old.  My Uncle lives on a farm outside of Flemingsburg, KY - beautiful state.  We used to visit a lot when I was younger and I was always disappointed because none of my relatives had horses.  Not good for a horse crazy girl!

While I was away from home, Lex rode my Riva for me and took excellent care of her.  I was on the road on Wednesday for 8 hours driving - but still went out to the barn that evening to ride. Riva is doing really well.  Her canter is developing - she can go about 3 laps around our outdoor jumping arena now on both leads.  Lex has been taking her for walks, under saddle, around the pond and hay field.  I rode her around the pond on Wed evening and she was perfect.  She is getting brave :)  Fingers crossed that she will be cleared at her next vet appt to do 20 meter circles again - next visit is Sept. 23rd. Lex has been doing a few steps of shoulder in with her at the walk and Riva is understanding what to do.

On the bad news side, Hennessy, Lex's horse, has been lame since she returned from her working student position and last competition at the beginning of August.  He was getting much better until he did a sliding stop in to the water trough in his pasture, about 2 weeks ago.  He is a stall walker when he is kept in, so he has been turned out with our other TB, Cheers, in a small pasture for the past two weeks.  We have seen some improvement - seems to be mainly in his left hip area.  He rests that leg most of the time right now.

So Lex and my husband are taking his to the vet today.  Hoping and praying whatever is wrong is fixable.  He is 15 now and has jumped for years.  Trying to be optimistic.  When we bought him for Lex, our plan was to sell him when she graduated high school and went off to college.  She will actually graduate in October of this year - she attends a non-traditional high school - and she most likely will go to another working student position for a year.  So - we would be trying to sell him in the near future...but certainly want him sound for the next owner.  Henny is a wonderful horse with heart - he would jump the moon for his girl and takes great care of her.

So many bloggers out there right now with eventers with lameness issues - rehabbing and making decisions on what is best for their best friends.  My heart goes out to every one of them.