The Ups and Downs of it all

So as it turns out there is not going to be any Ranch Versatility in my immediate future. Some things came up today that are going to require me to put my finances else where.  This is not a permanent situation, just a temporary one...I hope.

I will probably still go and audit, as I have to actually see one of their events and I always feel better knowing what I'm getting myself into ahead of time.

Also there are other things to do in the mean time to help me prepare.  Starting with loping in circles in my arena.  Truthfully Trax and I have so far to go still, and it takes as long as it takes...right?

Even though I am a little let down at my change in plans, there is one thing that brings me comfort.  Even if I never ever do anything again but ride my horse in the desert, and lope circles in my arena....I'll still be happy.  It will still be a good life and it certainly will be "enough".  Besides, Trax could care less about any of it.  He is perfectly happy with a trail ride or loping circles in the arena as well.

In the book "Healing Shine" Michael Johnson talks occasionally about the old man who was content to lope big slow circles and figure eights in his arena everyday. He no longer cared about ropings or competing.  Although I do still want to see how far Trax and I can go, I also "get" what he was talking about.  Those days when we just lope in circles. I love it. It feels like Trax does too, so in that sense we really are a match made in heaven.

So that was my "down side" as it were, but then there was also and upside today as well.

In the same hour as all of this became apparent to me, something else became apparent also.  I have found a trimmer who is all about the heel first landings and boots and barefoot trims.  She wants to come Saturday and have a quick peek at Sassy.  I'm trying so hard not to get my hopes up, and I'm definitely not going to say, "I know this will fix her", but it is my last ditch effort. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't. But if it doesn't then I will know that I really did try everything. If it does, then I will be happy beyond happy.

Interestingly enough I sent her a link to the blog post I did long ago with photos of Sassy's hooves.  Before I sent it, I read over it and the comments. Everyone who commented was highly suspect of the frogs, and mentioned thrush.  My experience with thrush was always clearly obvious and smelly and I was told that it is very rare in WY to have thrush.  Even still I mentioned it to my vets and they all said, not possible.  

Since then after reading so much and with all the things I have been through with her, I find myself wondering if that was not the initial problem to begin with.   Just like my blogging friends said.  What would it have cost me to treat her for thrush? Hardly anything, and if she didn't have it, it wouldn't have hurt her to treat it. To add insult to injury, the trimmer, upon looking at the pics, said the exact same thing.  The frogs look suspect.  Not the moisture but the cracks.

My biggest fear is that we are going to find that originally it would have been a simple case but now because of all the "fixing" that has been done, she is beyond hope. It is a tough lesson to learn, and hopefully not one that has crippled a horse for life.