A Goal for Bash & A Lesson in Pivoting

 

Upon purchasing Bash, my goal was to do some futurities, then derbies, and finally move him up to pro- rodeo horse as a stallion. However, ultimately I decided that all of the work that goes into keeping a stallion and marketing them was not for me. So we got him gelded and the plan was still to futurity, derby, then pro-rodeo horse. 

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Then in July of 2022, we went out to throw hay in the evening and Bash didn't meet us in the front of the paddock like he normally did. He was standing in a low part of the pen not moving. M went up to him and called me over. He had cut both of his hocks which were actively bleeding. I called the vet who had me send photos and video of the cuts. After seeing the pictures, she asked that we meet her at the clinic so they could be evaluated, cleaned, and we'd go from there. 

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At the clinic he was sedated, wounds were cleaned, and it was determined that on his right hock he had cut or torn the superior flexor tendon. It wasn't completely severed, and there was no synovial fluid leaking from either joint which was the good news. The bad news is that it was partially severed, and he had two deep lacerations on both hocks which required stall rest for a two year old. 

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We left with a plan to recheck in a few weeks, with tons of IM antibiotics, pain meds, and instructions for keeping everything wrapped and clean until the wounds had closed up. 

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After the first recheck he was cleared to do hand walking. This was super fun and not at all terrifying when he wanted to immediately RUN out of the stall. But we got through it and eventually he was allowed to be in a small turn out by himself for eight months. The vet said this injury takes about 6-9 months to heal and we gave him a year before we decided to resume training. 

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We only just started lunging again because I wanted to make absolutely certain that he is healed. The longevity and his health is far more important to me than any futurity. And now that he's a little over three I really thought my chances at any futurity would be futile since he's not even started under saddle yet (that's happening in the next few months, just waiting for it not to be over 100 degrees every single day). THEN I found TWO futurities in Arizona that happen in January. 

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This means he won't be five yet if we aim for the ones happening in 2025. He will still be four since his birthday is the end of March. And that gives me over a year to be ready. That's our goal. And honestly if we have to pivot from this goal for the health of the horse then we will like we did from our first goal of doing Old Fort Days in 2024. 

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It's okay to pivot from goals when you are faced with situations out of your control. And it's okay to not beat yourself up about that because it's horse first. Just make a new goal because there is always another jackpot or rodeo or event or show. 

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