85 miles, 1 completion and 1 pull

The rolling sandhills Nebraska ride was actually crossing quite a few draws.(sw ND term for shallow canyons) Steep up and downs even though they were not very long. Plus the sandy soil was kind of slippy the second day. So not the easy ride I had envisioned and I had Shade boogie along at 8+ mph on saturday because it was going to be a hot day. It was quite nice to finish by 2:30 pm but I should have called it a weekend after combining more speed than OUR usual with those draws. But I had planned on riding both days and Shade was fine at the finish and sunday morning so I went ahead and entered the 50 again. I had a mild suspicion of a problem on one of the hind legs coming into the 25 mile VC. It was subtle, to the point I wasn't sure there was anything, let alone which leg -just felt uneven off and on on the sand road coming into the VC, but I mentioned it to the vet. Unfortunately I had the newbie vet and she didn't see anything. I requested her to be looked at before we went out on the 10 mile loop --making clear that is something was brewing I'd rather pull early - and that vet said he didn't see 'much of anything' Since it was a short loop and I was not sure there was anything myself we went ahead and rode it

--rookie vet then saw something on the trot back but not enough to tell me "Right HInd" and I was SO hot and thirsty anyway I just opted to put Shade in her tape pen to eat/drink while I took care of myself the only thing I did was electrolyte her right away. --I felt I would be mentally worthless if I didn't hydrate and cool a bit so even if I had had a specific area to work on I don't know if I would have done anything. Well Shade developed a pretty good muscle cramp during the 25 minutes before I took her back. She was head bobbing so strongly then that I thought she might have an issue with her left front (I do not try to watch my horse as I trot for the vet because if I do I cant do a very good job of keeping a straight line to give the experts a good look) but I asked the group of vets and it was definitely right hind. Otis said she was bobbing her head as she started to put any weight on that foot. He was almost explaining why we could not go on and I somewhat cut him off and said better to pull now than at the finish. I know there are riders in every region that will argue with a pull but it seemed a bit odd that he would feel any need to go into it with ME after I had asked for an extra look before going out from the VC before. He was not the vet looking at Shade but I had thought he had witnessed it.

After I fetched my saddle I asked Otis if he thought it was a hoof bruise- which was in my mind from the 'bobbing her head when she puts any weight on that foot' and only then did I get -probably muscle cramp. The ride was not rocky to make one suspect hoof bruise but Shade was re-shod just on thursday and saturday she had gotten a rock wedged in her shoe about 2 miles before the finish. I felt her being very uneven and Joe Shoeth told me rock in the shoe as I pulled her up. Shade then proceeded to paw a few times and had dislodged it before I even got off her, LOL, but I did then have 'rock' in my mind a bit on sunday.

Well as I told various people offering sympathy for the pull "well if you're going to have a pull, a muscle cramp is one of the least troubling things to have; No gulping worries like a colic, and no wondering if one is looking at a 6 months healing window for a tendon injury. " Shade seemed fine by that evening and is probably wanting me to let the group out to pasture, although she may opt to stay up and get some hay to herself.