Stifling

And it's not the heat, especially here in the frigid north. It's a stifle injury for the Ben. From what I've heard and seen around the barn, my vet's thesis that all horses around here have been set to self-destruct seems to be more and more likely. Spring stupids? Message from the home planet? Hard to say.

It looks to just be a sprain, which is an incredible relief. I'm worried, sad, and disappointed, though. As much as I know that's part of the game, it's tough to watch my boy so unhappy, see his muscle tone seemingly melt before my eyes, and cancel all plans that I even considered making.

Being a 24/7 outdoor pony at a barn where no horses stay inside, he is not a fan of the stall rest. He loves his girlfriends, his pals across the fence and daily shenanigans. He's happy enough at night when it's quiet, and when the barn kitties keep him company in his hay pile, but the activity during peak riding times stresses him out. He was set up in an outdoor pen, but then the snowpocalypse hit and his happy pen became a massive mudhole. So, back inside we go. All manner of equine entertainment devices have gone untouched. So, I decided to put him on a slow-release sedative that my vet gave me to take the edge off.

I also have been enlisting others in entertaining him, including my long-suffering coach. My bestie let me ride her super awesome horse, and Bentley looked rather sad and confused by the whole process taking place right in front of his eyes. So, my coach was gracious enough to take the lead of a 1200-pound dog for an hour-long walk in the arena. He had a great time, relocating pylons and blocking coach's view of my riding. We think we may have him fetching pylons and setting up patterns by the end of his stall rest period.

I was also offered the use of a neighbor's donkey, but the complications with that option are a whole other story.

Not lame Bentley at a show last fall