Slip and Slide

Unfortunately over the past few months the footing in our indoor has gotten pretty crummy.  The base has really packed down, and after the footing gets watered it turns into a slip and slide.  When the footing is dry it's not too bad, just a bit dusty.

McKenna had both Wednesday and Thursday off and got turned out in the indoor.  Thursday morning our BO watered the arena but I really didn't pay any attention to it when I chucked the mare out.  She got to hang out for over an hour while I rode Tia.

Ring side seats

Friday when I turned McKenna out in the indoor while I did her stall and almost

immediately she took off and slipped a little in the footing.  I heard her play around while I cleaned but wasn't too worried.  But when I tacked her up and put on the lunge line and she slipped half a dozen times I got concerned.  I moved around the whole ring, trying to find a dry spot, but the mare's hind end kept tripping.  A few times she left skid marks, and got down the arena base.  After one pretty bad slip she came up lame.  Nothing major, just a little short behind, and it looked like she was hesitant to put her weight on her heel.  I walked her out, put her away, and gave her some bute.

Saturday was a gorgeous day so I put her and Tia in the outdoor paddocks early in the morning.  McKenna's normally pretty excited to go out, but she seemed subdued.  I watched her walk and while she wasn't as bad as Friday, she still looked a bit off.  I've got a call into the chiropractor to see.  Later in the afternoon when I came back to feed I put her on the lunge line in the outdoor and she still seemed a bit blah.  She didn't want to move out, would barley trot, and just wasn't her normally happy perky self.

Thankfully when I went out this morning she was acting normally.  Was way up as I took her out to the paddocks and happily bucked and played around outside. She didn't look sore anymore, but I figured a few days off won't hurt anything.  I'm planning to lunge her tomorrow and possibly get on to see how she feels.  I'm having a lesson with Tia on Tuesday and if McKenna's still wonky I'll have my trainer take a look. 

As for the footing, my BO had the big tractor out today working it up.  She did say it had compacted more than she liked and she's got a call in to see about getting more sand.  So hopefully we can get that fixed ASAP!