Work: day off. Too distracted.
Ramblings for the Day: This is the third (fourth?) time Mathilda has gotten injured on the weekend. My personal favorite was when I was out of town, called home on Friday night, and got, “Hi, can’t talk. The vet is coming up the driveway.” Having worked in an ER, Greg is sensitive about emergency calls. If he called the vet, we were at DEFCON3 and falling. So there I was, set to have a night on the town in the big city, and all I could do was go back to my hotel & eat crackers to settle my stomach.
This weekend was less vet, more drama. Usually on our walk, Mathilda & I dawdle along the edge of the field [Two Horses]. Saturday afternoon, Mathilda & Greg came along on Rodney’s obstacle course walk to keep him company. M decided to try one of his exercises. Mistake. By the time we got back to the barn, she was holding her leg at a wonky angle and wobbling at the walk. All of the standard fears are magnified when the patient is a 28-year-old geriatric with a hitch in her git-along to start with.
Between Greg’s knowledge of anatomy, Google surfing, and these images, we diagnosed a groin pull. Nothing to do but administer pain meds, hose the sore spot, and wait. We knew she was feeling punk because she allowed me to console her.
Even with the most obsessive checking of the patient, you have plenty of time. You certainly aren’t sleeping. You go out to the pasture to feed carrots. Granted you might be too worried for concentrated tasks – such as working the Thoroughbred – but there is no reason you couldn’t do mindless chores such as another load of dishes or folding the laundry. But you don’t. You sit. More carrots. You watch bad TV. Another carrot run, only you stress when she’s too full to eat yet another carrot. You fill out crossword puzzles that you don’t remember the next day. Invariably the one part of your first aid kit you need is the one that has just gone out of date. Why don’t horses ever do things to themselves first thing Tuesday morning?
We’ve all had horses come sound the day after a show. What is the most calendar-sensitive stunt your horse has pulled?
Virtual Brush Box 
“What is the most calendar-sensitive stunt your horse has pulled?”
My husband’s first and favorite horse chose to colic and subsequently needed to be euthanized four days into my husband’s one (yearly) riding vacation. Obviously, my husband was away with his #2 horse when his #1 horse (who was left at home with yours truly), started to colic. To say that his vacation is a big deal is an understatement. Considering we haven’t had a vacation (together) in well over 20 years should give you an idea of how rare it is for him to take a little time off to go ride.
It was not a happy time. Hopefully, things will turn out better for you and yours.
A reader was kind enough to be concerned about M. 24 hours in, she’s sore as all get out, but the front end continues to be perky and accept food. Barring complications (listen to the MERCK pages flipping in my mind), I foresee the standard gradual recovery from a muscle injury. For the non-horse folk, the biggest concern with horses during injury is that they stay mobile and free from colic/secondary injury. M is a tough old girl.
Poor Ms M. Hope she is feeling a little more sprightly today.
Without the gory details, spouses do it too.