This time last year we all were likely looking forward to a good New Year with all the promises that it portends. This year I think we are scampering into the New Year halfway looking over our collective shoulders hoping we leave all the scared baggage behind. However, and there is always a however, an honest view we can find many good things to bring with us into the New Year.
Despite all the bad things that happened to us collectively...the Coronavirus threat and government lockdowns, and my personal tragedies in losing a sister a few weeks ago, many friends throughout the year, and my best horse coming up chronically lame, I am choosing to focus on the good things. I got to spend more time with my own horses, other people and their horses, and despite the pandemic had a overwhelming response to my annual Arena Challenge as people were seemed kind of desperate for competition and normalcy.
I found a good new horse with great bloodlines counting Poco Bueno, King and Leo, and that purchase was timely like I mentioned my good Hackamore horse, Junior, came down chronically lame. X-rays and nerve blocks showed navicular and an arthritic condition of the coffin bone. Such a sad thing to see such a good horse in that condition.
I rode Junior, now 20 years old, as a Range Rider in BLM grazing units gathering cows and as a Conservation Law Enforcement Officer riding him in remote desert areas and the mountains patrolling for archeological thieves and game poachers. I've used him in Horseman's Challenges, Team Penning, Ranch Sorting, demonstrations and teaching clinics. He has certainly paid his dues and has more than earned to spend the rest of his years just as a pen mate to the other horses as long as I can keep him comfortable and his pain level low. I hope to do so in the short term with daily Equioxx tablets, monthly Adequan shots and Platinum Performance CJ supplement with his morning and evening pelleted feed. At some point working with a Vet specializing in equine orthro issues, Junior will likely receive steroid shots and maybe stem cell injections. We'll see.