Becca and her rescue horse, Puppy at
Prineville Ride, Prineville, Oregon
Prineville Ride, Prineville, Oregon
I thought that increasing the frequency and length of training rides would get him in better
condition but instead he ended up with a blown out tendon and lameness in his hocks. The vet said
that he would need a month of rest and then could probably resume conditioning. So does that mean
that he can still do limited distance rides, I asked? Maybe, he said, depending on how he looks upon
re-examination. Then he said the three dreaded words that no one who has fallen in love with
endurance wants to hear about the possible future for their horse ….. “pleasure trail riding.” My
heart sank, and I loaded him up and took him home. A week and a half later, the swelling is almost
gone. Much to my distress and against the vet’s advice to keep him quiet, I’ve caught him galloping
around, whirling, kicking and whinnying. As I implore him to stop running, he comes to a
screeching halt right in front of me, freezing into a picture perfect pose with head up, ears pricked,
nostrils flaring and eyes sparkling. Then before I can collar him, he takes off again. I try not to
engage in anthropomorphism but I swear, if horses could talk, I’m sure that he was saying,
“See, Mom, see how fast I can go! Aren‘t you proud of me?”
And I am, despite his limitations. Another thing that I learned about Puppy in a season and a half of
being trail buddies is that he has a huge heart and a willing, can-do attitude. I’m betting that before
the season ends, we’ll get in at least one or two LDs.
condition but instead he ended up with a blown out tendon and lameness in his hocks. The vet said
that he would need a month of rest and then could probably resume conditioning. So does that mean
that he can still do limited distance rides, I asked? Maybe, he said, depending on how he looks upon
re-examination. Then he said the three dreaded words that no one who has fallen in love with
endurance wants to hear about the possible future for their horse ….. “pleasure trail riding.” My
heart sank, and I loaded him up and took him home. A week and a half later, the swelling is almost
gone. Much to my distress and against the vet’s advice to keep him quiet, I’ve caught him galloping
around, whirling, kicking and whinnying. As I implore him to stop running, he comes to a
screeching halt right in front of me, freezing into a picture perfect pose with head up, ears pricked,
nostrils flaring and eyes sparkling. Then before I can collar him, he takes off again. I try not to
engage in anthropomorphism but I swear, if horses could talk, I’m sure that he was saying,
“See, Mom, see how fast I can go! Aren‘t you proud of me?”
And I am, despite his limitations. Another thing that I learned about Puppy in a season and a half of
being trail buddies is that he has a huge heart and a willing, can-do attitude. I’m betting that before
the season ends, we’ll get in at least one or two LDs.
When I started doing endurance last year on my
adopted rescue horse, Puppy, I knew that it would be a
learning experience for both of us. What I didn’t
foresee was that the end result of all that learning
would be coming to the conclusion that Puppy just
doesn’t have what it takes to do 50-mile rides.
“Not everyone can be a marathon runner,” my vet told
me, as he searched for a nice way to tell me that
Puppy is really too big and bulky to excel in
endurance.
adopted rescue horse, Puppy, I knew that it would be a
learning experience for both of us. What I didn’t
foresee was that the end result of all that learning
would be coming to the conclusion that Puppy just
doesn’t have what it takes to do 50-mile rides.
“Not everyone can be a marathon runner,” my vet told
me, as he searched for a nice way to tell me that
Puppy is really too big and bulky to excel in
endurance.
