Photo by Mackenzie Pearce Photography

March-May 2020

In my first week of owning Harriet, we discovered a fungal rain rot spread over her entire back and neck. Over a month of daily sprays with antifungals and weekly baths with special shampoo followed, meanwhile working together with daily lunging and groundwork.

May 2020

H's very forward herd personality was soon discovered after she came in with a bleeding gash on her front leg from a kick from her paddock’s Boss Mare. After stitches and a month of stall rest, bandages, and cold hosing, we were back at it.

May 27, 2020

Our first ride! I quickly learned just how much strength and patience I would need to keep up with this fiery little lady.

Our summer consisted of only eleven rides as I busied myself daily with managing the barn we were at. H continued on her rather lonely individual turnout, apart from one successful pairing that was cut short when her paddock friend moved to a different barn.

August 4, 2020

My hip was at the receiving end of a very purposeful kick from a hangry H in her pasture; decidedly offended that I chose to move to retrieve her removed fly mask from the back of her paddock rather than immediately bring her inside for lunch. I was quite crippled for a week, and had a terrible bruise that lasted over a month.

August 6, 2020

H managed to stab herself in the neck with a thick wood chip from her stall. After spending several hours successfully removing said chip and treating her wound, she wouldn't let us near her head for several days.

August 10, 2020

After a few months of loneliness, we wanted to give H one last attempt at friendship, and decided to pair her up with a big, handsome gelding who had made his adoration for her very clear.

2 days later, she came in limping with a gash and a broken splint bone from a kick to the leg. Cue x-rays, lots of bandaging, and 3 months of stall rest.

November 2020

With her fracture looking healed enough to start sedated and monitored indoor arena turnout, on day two (under half a tube of Dormosedan gel sedation!) she took off around the arena, refracturing her splint bone in a different spot than the previous site. Back to stall rest.

January 2021

H's fracture site appeared on x-rays to be non-union (separated and unlikely to mend). Two different surgeons advised against plating surgery as she was still sound on the leg, but would reconsider if she later went lame. The positioning of her fracture was apparently too high on the bone to consider complete removal, as this could potentially cause instability of her cannon bone. We began to experiment with sedated and careful walks (or as careful as one can be with a horse attempting canter pirouettes and several rearing episodes).

March 2021

Our most recent x-rays amazingly found that the fracture is much more healed than anticipated. The vet cleared her not only for turnout, but for riding. We began very carefully reintroducing individual turnout, lunging, and upon the delivery of our new saddle, walking rides.

Present

We are now slowly moving forward with my rehab plan. Feeling comfortable that I now have a pretty good understanding of Harriet’s personality, quirks, and overall intentions, I am cautiously optimistic that she will be able to make a full comeback. She is incredibly smart, full of energy, and, as many have commented as her primary compliment, very athletic. It would take a lot more than a broken bone to keep this crazy girl down, and other than to spare her the pain, I wouldn't change a minute of our journey with my smart, talented, athletic, beautiful NightMare.