Heartbreaker horses

The Irish mare

Flying home from Rolex, I sat next to a woman who was competing at Advanced level on a horse that she thinks might be Rolex-capable. An Irish-bred mare a famous event professional found for her. They have been cleaning up at events for several years. She's placing "up there" with the Rolex folks, and she is training with nationally known trainer who has encouraged her to set her sights on Rolex. "We clicked from the start," she told me. "From the moment I got on I knew she was the one." 

Hitch in the getalong
Her story continued. On Thanksgiving 2010 she brought her mare in from the pasture, got on her, and she was lame. The next day, lame. And the next day. A week later they did X-rays that showed her mare had broken her coffin bone. She has been on stall rest and has now been cleared to walk under saddle. They don't know her prognosis, but the woman is optimistic. I told her about Ri's hoof injury. The woman looked at me and smiled. "They break your heart, don't they?"

Riley update
I haven't written about Riley's hoof situation.  He's being ridden every day which says a lot. He has the hole in his toe which is creating an entry point for bacteria/fungal stuff. He has white line disease and the edge of his hoof is lookin' chewed up, but nothing so bad that he can't be worked. The other day my trainer worked him on footing that had been rained on and dried to a cementlike hardness. He looked great, stepping out with those front feet and lifting through the shoulder.

Ministry of funny walks, Riley style
Here's the funny thing. He's sound under saddle, from what I can see. But he has a definite funny walk, especially on sharp turns. He is extremely resistant to lungeing counter-clockwise, but when I force the issue he looks okay. And all you who think I'm a whack-o mom, my trainer sees it, my husband sees it, it's there, we're a little baffled.

We had x-rays recently. Everything hoof-wise looked good--the navicular bone, the lateral view, both unremarkable, the lamina looks healthy. The missing chunk of coffin bone showed zero change -- zero change! After a year of steady work! What a relief. But still there's the weird walk.  Who knows, maybe he's a little sore on a hind leg? That I can deal with. Next step is for the vet to see him go under saddle and on the lunge (that hasn't been scheduled yet). 
Till then, as my former trainer used to say: Work'im! And think good thoughts for my airport friend and her beautiful mare.