Yesterday Isabella and I rode the 25 with an endurance friend of mine (him and his wife have been mentoring me along aka answering all my questions and listening to my woes about Isabella's intermittant lameness issues).

The course and weather were challenging and I'm not sure I'll do this ride again, even though it's so close (40 minutes away) and they have it twice a year. Basically, as I suspected, it's a yahoo rat race. Lots of first time horses and riders, lots of out of control horses and riders, flat, no hills, some sand. Randy and I had a heck of a time keeping our horse's brains in check the whole ride because it's very difficult to find a 'pocket' where you can ride without seeing anyone in front or coming up behind you. The weather was no help at all.. a high of 50, with frigid winds, and snow coming down at the vet check/1 hour hold. 1 of the vets was newer as well and took at least 10 minutes per horse..

I ran the gamut on the cause of Isabella's lameness. Last week on a training ride her banged her hoof real good on a rock and was 3 legged lame for a few minutes (of course it was the foot that was injected a few weeks ago). She looks good at pre-ride trot out. The vet thought he saw something on the left hind (???). Randy said he saw nothing, and neither did I. In the morning, Isabella felt great even though the adrenalin was coursing through her veins. Both Isabella and Walker (Randy's horse, a really cute Bellesemo gelding) felt strong and I alternated diagonals on Isabella and she felt even. At the vet check she got an A, although I could've sworn she was limping just slightly on the left front, although with my imagination it could've been nothing. The 2nd half of the ride she was definitely uneven at some points (and felt even at others). Mainly off when she tried to go into her power trot, which I held her back the whole ride.

Kate, a friend who helped crew, thought it was the right hind when we came in. At the post ride check the vet thought he saw right front. Argh. At this point, my instincts really go back to right hind, that's the leg she slipped under herself at Fireworks 2 years ago and thus stemmed the beginning of all my lameness worries and empty checkbook.. even though we've been treating left front. *sigh*

So, I will call Nancy Loving out again to see if we can get to the root of the problem. If not, I guess Isabella will be getting a re-evaluation of her endurance career and I will just have to suck it up and ride the youngster, Penny. Penny's is still at the trainer's place.. just found out my trainer is also training one of Courtney Hart's stallions, who he rode during the 15 mile fun ride at Kenlyn.

*sigh* <-- the theme of the weekend, dealing with the weather, strong horses, and crazy riders/horses :)