Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

The vet/chiro came out yesterday to look at my mare Salima and left me 
right where I was already:  frustrated.  Basically Salima's probably 
mildly arthritic and can be ridden some if I start using supplements 
(which I've always thought of as voodoo).  No one seems to think she'll 
be able to hold up to lots of miles and that heavy training definitely 
will worsen things for her in the long run.

I am ready to explode with frustration over not being able to commit to 
this endurance thing (yes, I'm one of those people who really wants to 
do 100's, notice the plural--if I don't discover hidden reserves of 
mental or physical cowardice.)  The choices seem simple:  manage 
Salima's arthritis as well as possible and ride her under her threshold 
and put off more lofty goals; or try to find a nice broodmare situation 
for her and go shopping for a young, ready to be brought into condition 
distance horse.

Here's the catch:  I love Salima very much.  No one else can.  She's a 
pill, a pasture boss, a history of issues from poor training, and my 
best friend.  I want to wake up every morning and yell at her for 
biting Bruiser, then give her her carrots and watch her get all dopey 
over me.

My Very Supportive Husband (non-horsey variety) can't stand to work 6.5 
days a week and drive up every evening past a "horse hospice".  (Our 
other non-endurance-horse has EPSM and doesn't seem to be responding 
particularly well to the change in diet.  We may have caught the 
condition too late.  I totally support his position on the subject.)    
He also can't stand to see how mean I am to him and our human children 
when I'm this frustrated.  He also loves me and wants me to live my 
dreams.

Any ideas?  Anyone know a gentle, sympathetic, warm-hearted breeder of 
Crabbet Arabians?  Preferably this ideal human would live North of 
Seattle....

Mary K. (a.k.a. "the whiner")


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