The Fat Leg Club

Things have been going along nicely for me.  This is the last weekend of the Month of Busy, the next month of weekends is pretty open and relaxing.  Last week was also the last of 2pointober and I have been SO good at doing this challenge regularly!  I have always done the challenge, but not publicly and not in a contest, so this is a first.  Before the challenge, my personal record for two point was 6:10.  Yeah, I know, big wannabe eventer fail, but it was my record.  Last month, however, I got my new (to me) saddle .  And two point is SO much easier to maintain in it.  Not that my Stubben makes two point hard, it is just easier in the County.  It is like the County whispers "Be here" and I just do.

So last weekend was running around getting the vehicles legal (stupid safety inspections, registrations and what not) and then clearing out the garage for what should be the final time.  The garage is now 95% organized and officially "moved in".  Woohoo!  The only things left are SO's side of the garage with his tools/fluids/etc for the racecar and car parts, not of my concern to organize.  On Sunday, I was getting ready to go to the barn to finish out my LAST two point time of the month when I got a text, Mia has a cough and her legs are stocked up.  Ugh, that sucks.

Big fat legs

I made it out to the barn and Mia was fairly lethargic and yes, she had fat legs.  Four fat legs to be exact.  I curried the legs and found no injuries or heat.  They weren't super sensitive but she would prefer I didn't brush them.  She had a high, but within normal temp of 100.2.  Well damn.  I free lunged her for about 5 minutes and thankfully she is sound, but the fill did not go away.  I wanted to wrap her but it was going to rain all night long and I didn't want her standing in wet wraps so I poulticed her and gave her the day off.

Fat leg fail

Yesterday the barn called and said she developed a temp of 101.4 and her legs were even bigger so I had the vet out.  The other gelding she goes out with is currently sick(er than Mia), he had a temp of 103 and is moving in almost a stringhalt-ing fashion with his left hind.  If he was sick and Mia now has a temp, I wasn't going to mess around.  The vet didn't find anything definitive.  She is suspecting anaplasma, a bacterial issue which causes lethargy and fill in legs.  She got a shot of oxytet and is now on doxy for 2 weeks and bute for a few days.  The vet did say her lungs and trachea sound good and the cough issue didn't present itself but the doxy should resolve anything there.  Fun times.

Last night Mia seemed back to normal, personality wise and the fever was gone, she was down to 99.4.  I curried her legs off and while they are still big and fat, they aren't AS big and fat.  Did I remember to take a pic when they were really big and fat?  No.

No lady like ankles here

So with Mia on rest, last night I bopped around on App with a halter and saddle pad.  He seemed pretty content and not as lame as normal so I let him trot since he wanted to.  Well, let's say my App was thrilled to FINALLY be allowed to go more than a walk.  I had visions of him breaking into a gallop as I am riding with just a halter, saddle pad and my phone in my hand before he settled down into a reasonable, if quite gimpy trot.  OMG horse, you are supposed to be broken and retired!  Ha!  I let him trot around for a few laps before asking him to walk.  I had him do a little lateral work, which he willing gave, and gave him a good grooming.  I may have 2 broken horses but they are both acting totally normal, if not bored.  I guess I will take that over lethargic, sad horses.  So the conclusion of the story is that I didn't best my new personal best of two point.  What did I close the 2pointober competition with?  

Yeah.  This is a new personal record :D