I hope this isn't a sign of what is to come in 2011!

January 2nd, I go riding at Six-O with Liz. We ride the rocky side first and Summer just doesn't seem "right". She is off a little. It's felt like riding a barefoot horse over gravel. Very tender and tip toey. In the grass, she seemed better. After about 4 miles, we head back to the trailers to meet Mary and grab a quick bite. I pick Summer's feet and find a stone in one about the size of a shooter marble. I figured that was her problem and we head back out to the other side of the ranch. She is moving much freer now and seems like her old self. Even picked up a wonderful QH lope without being asked. We ride another 8 miles or so and head back in. Besides the first 4 miles of Summer feeling funny, it was a wonderful ride. Summer cantered and gaited so nice on the second half of the ride.

Well, when I get her home, she is off again. Doug, my farrier, checked her Monday night for me and gave me an idea. But the main consensus is that she has a stone bruise in her right frog. There is also a tad bit of swelling in her pasturn. No heat, just fill mostly.

Tuesday night I slather Ickthamol in her hoof and make her a boot out of gauze, vet wrap and duct tape. Before I do this tho, I notice she is walking a little more freer and natural, and I even walked her over gravel and didn't see any tip toeing. I also noticed the fluid in her pasturn was gone.

Last night I pulled the boot and all was about the same. She was walking okay and even out walked me. I did notice some slight fill back in that pasturn and rubbed some Thermaflex on it.

When I got home last night from the barn, my back decided it had had enough and started acting like a jerk. I took some pain meds and crawled into bed to let it rest. I have a sorting clinic on Saturday and sorting on Sunday. Our first SWTPA show is on the 15th. I just pray that my back and her hoof are ready by then. As I sit here and type this, my back is reminding me it is still there. Stiff and sore.

I just pray that these two issues that Summer and I are having aren't a sign for things to come in 2011.