Ain't That a Kick in the Arm

Things keep getting increasingly Dada-esque 'round these parts.

The vet came out yesterday and said that Lex is looking great - and she really does. Fat, shiny, very well turned out, happy. The vet wants us walking 15 minutes twice a day, gradually upping that over two weeks, and then to 40 minutes once a day. At which point we were going to start doing short turnout sessions in the round pen again, on the theory that she'd be stronger and more able to handle it if she bucks a little or something.

If you caught the tense shifts in there, congratulations on being a good reader.

This morning I went out to do our first 15 minute walk. Three minutes in, the mare - who is on a relatively high dose of Reserpine - bucked. And caught me right on the arm, just below the elbow. I watched as my arm swelled to the size of a baseball. I called the guy who owns the property and he came down and helped me get the mare back in her stall. I got to the emergency room, and after the x-rays and the physical examination, they said they don't think it's broken but that if it still hurts this much on Monday, I'll need repeat x-rays.

GREAT.

I know Lex didn't do it on purpose. She wasn't aiming at me. But how is bucking happening on Reserpine? It turns out, the girl who fed the horses last night didn't give her the drug (it gets mixed into her feed) and neglected to tell me that until after I was out of the ER. So her meals will be bagged forever because now I don't trust anyone else. I don't want her missing Cosequin doses either.

Maybe one day one of us won't be injured. For like five seconds. I talked to the vet today more than anyone else. We are gonna have to do things differently - we were kind of treating her like she has a soft tissue injury, which she doesn't, but we were on the "better safe than sorry" route. Now it's going to be about turnout time and gradually working her up from a small turnout for a short time into her regular field overnight. R just bought a portable paddock. It is perfect for this - we can change its size and location. I'm hoping this does the trick.

Anyway, the good news is, Lex is sound at the moment. Her joint capsule should be healed. We just have to get her strong again, and we will find a way to do that, even if some people for whom I do not have words do stupid things like not give her the drugs she needs to keep us both safe. But we will be okay, my arm will heal one way or the other, and someday, someday, I will ride my horse again. I see all these pictures of other people riding their horses and I just want to cry.

In order not to end on a bummer note, here are some pictures of me and Mira splashing around in the puddles in the field. I love this horse and I'm so glad I get to ride her. I wish, though, that that was Lex I was having fun on and forming a relationship with. For now, I'm just riding all I can (or I will, when the arm heals a bit) so I can be ready to be the best I can for her whenever we get to ride again.

 I'll post bruise pictures of my arm once the bruise comes up. It's quite swollen but I think it will turn pretty colors soon. I'm also planning to take full advantage of the fact that we have several Western-trained horses at the riding school who can neck rein! Also, pretty proud of my bones for being able to take a horse kick and not break!