Ready for our first CTD--DIDN'T GET TO GO-UPDATE

[Cartfall]

After months of beating the bushes, going to and hosting clinics on Competivie Trail Rides/DRives, training many many miles in the woodsy trail, Looker and I are ready (I hope) for our first competitive trail drive this weekend.

We have done the long slow distance to get ready, have done the 45 min 5 miles, driven in the rain and heat, most of it alone, occasionally with a riding buddy.

This past Sunday we finally ditched the training clock (trot 10, walk 5) and just went out to wander about the woods for 3.5 hours. What a glorious morning it was. We saw deer and turkey a plenty. There just isn't anything any better than being with your horse out in the woods.

Looker developed scratches about a month ago and she had 2 weeks off. I was afraid we weren;t going to make the competition. She has healed sufficiently now that I think it won;t be an issue. After all the noise I have made to get ride managers to have drive divisions, I had better show up for the first event!!! We may get pulled but we are gonna start!!!

The weather has warmed up after a brief respite of coolish weather and rain is threatening. 25 miles in the rain is NOT something I relish to think about, but bring it on!!! I have a scottish rain coat and rain hat.

Looker will get a last minute body clip (this will be her third of the fall already) and the trailer will be loaded. We will be headed out to the Withlacoochee forest on the West side of hte state Saturday morning. The horses are vetted in on Saturday and we ride/drive early Sunday morning.

25 miles in about 4 hours, plus or minus, now that is what driving is all about!!!

[Ashemont]

Good luck, Sue! Have a great time and be sure to document it all for us... that means photos!

You might try putting some Desitin (the stuff you use on baby's butts) on the scratches. It keeps the moisture out while keeping the skin soft and pliable. The generic kind works just as well as the name brand stuff.

[Reynard Ridge]

You might try putting some Desitin (the stuff you use on baby's butts) on the scratches. It keeps the moisture out while keeping the skin soft and pliable. The generic kind works just as well as the name brand stuff.

Second that. If you are a Costco member, you can buy the large drum size for a fraction of what your local tack store charges for the same thing.

[Happy Feet]

Good luck and Have FUN!

[goodhors]

Second that. If you are a Costco member, you can buy the large drum size for a fraction of what your local tack store charges for the same thing.

Holy Cow! How big is a drum size??

How many babies do people have, to need a TUB of baby cream! I am picturing something like the margerine tub size.

I could see a tub size selling at the Tack Store for scratches on 4 legs of horse, but not for babies. I never even used up a whole tube on a baby, just the horse.

An interesting scratches remedy locally, is sauerkraut juice. Seems to work when some of the other methods don't. Changes the PH of the skin.

Cartfall, I hope you and Looker have a real good time, get to finish. You have done your homework, now you should enjoy the benefits. Looker has always liked doing long drives. Even wet, this is better than staying home. Good raincoat should help.

[miraclewelsh]

Have a good time, and best of luck! :-)

[Dreamboat Annie]

Good luck, I did one years ago with a friend up at Fair Hill Maryland, and it was a blast...if I get my mini driving, I would hope to do some competitive trail driving with him too...he's only 3 now, so we have plenty of time for that....Have a safe and fun drive, and I will pray it don't rain too much...:)

[Reynard Ridge]

Holy Cow! How big is a drum size??

Not as big as a margarine tub. :lol: I can't remember exactly how big it was - I bought one a dozen years ago for my horse - and then bought the bitty little tubes when my children were born. The tub is still in my First Aid Kit - so I didn't manage to use it up in all those years.

[Thomas_1]

Good luck and have a great time.

And at the risk of indulging in trite marketing, I do "sell" a programme to get a horse fit for horse driving trials and for a donation to leukaemia research fund.

http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?p=2746191#post2746191

[whoopdeedo]

Yeah Sue: You know I am a fan I am of you!!! Best of Luck, SE Region will be hosting its first event and we expect rain! We will only call if Lightening shows up! Some distance folks are coming to the Picnic Drive at Caloosa. Thanks for your encouragement through the years, and the same back at you! Go Looker!!
Peg
Loxahatchee

[Cartfall]

Well, folks, after all of your good wishes, I just sigh hugely as I write this.

I came home Thursday after work all ready to pack for the big weekend and ---

there was Looker out in the pasture with a leg the size of a stove pipe, all the way up past her hock. OMG, I was so scared she had done something structurally --it is the same leg she hurt so bad 3 years ago. No heat, no digital pulse, no temperature---I hosed for 20 minutes as I called my vet (who was out of town and another vet was covering for her). Danged if it don;t pour when it rains. The covering vet couldn't get out until several hours later. so I hosed two more time before the vet came. She took one look and said "cellulitis". The way I understand it --basically the same bacteria had gotten through a break in the skin (a new hole showed up in her leg from either a bit or she kicked something and broke the skin) and now we have an infection under the skin.

The bad news is that we didn;t get to go to the CTD--whine whine:cry:
but there is always another ride down the road another day. This is not structural as I feared and can be cleared up in about a week. Plain old lousey timing. Disappointed yeah, but hay or is that hey, that is life. Take it and move on.

Looker is on a regimen of 3 antibacterial shots IM a day, banamine orally 2x a day and turnout. I have to call the vet today to give her an update. Leg was still swollen this morning but it takes about 36 hours for the meds to start doing their job.

Due to the distance from home and having to medicate my horse, I could not go over and volunteer at the event. The Ride Manager was most gracious.

So, thanks for all the good wishes, I will try again in 3 weeks at the next CTD.

Later gators.

Peg-I knew it was you the minute I saw Loxahatchee!!! Have fun this weekend.

[RidesAHaflinger]

Awww, Sue, that's crummy luck. I hope Looker bounces back good as new. Hey, come on up to Tallahassee and hang with the Panhandle Whips this weekend! We're doing lessons with Bob tomorrow and then a continuous drive on Sunday. Bet you could catch-ride as a groom/navigator with somebody on Sunday! :D

Karen

[War Admiral]

Cellulitis is baaaaaaaaaad, painful, and not to be messed with. I'm sorry to hear about Looker. :( Just to give you a heads-up, my experience of it is that the swelling takes a long time to go back down and a long-distance drive in 3 weeks is probably not on the menu, either.

Jingles for Looker!!

[Ashemont]

Oh Sue... how sad! Sure hope Looker recovers quickly. It's hard when you've done all of your homework so thoroughly to have to miss the event but, as you say, there will be others. Pats to Looker and a hug to you!

[Drive NJ]

Sue!

WHAT a shame for you AND for Looker. I'm guessing she was as up for this as you are, having been there riding and probably having a clue what you were prepping for.

Best wishes for a quick and complete recovery for your girl.

B, T, Alex and Cooper

[pricestory]

Oh poo.
What a bummer. Hope Looker gets better very soon.

[Thomas_1]

Sorry to hear that your horse has developed a secondary infection arising from the dermatophilus

I hope it doesn't turn out to be too serious

[Cartfall]

Thomas--you really are a softy under that demeanor!!! Thanks for the good thoughts.

War Admiral -- your are so right that it is scary and painful for my pony. She is such a lady she just lifts her leg away when I try to touch it. Luckily the meds are kicking in and the swelling has gone down so that the hock is its normal size. I called the vet today to giveher an update. She tells me that the swelling in the lower leg will take time but we should be good in about a week. She feels we caught it early. A friend of mine is a vet and she also looked at my girl. She says she agrees with what my vet told me.
Thanks for the jingles. Time will tell.

Karen, I would love to run up there and hang around your group. Bob is always a blast as we know. I have had several offers/invitations to come along--but Lester wants to do the Biketoberfest thing this weekend. We are going riding with some of his biker buddies--I guess that makes me a motorcycle mama!!!!

Barb and Trish, --Looker sends a thanks to Alex and Cooper (mine is piggy backed on for your 2).

Pat and Price--thanks, ladies, we will be back before you know it.

You know what the best thing in the world is for a horse person down in the dumps? A trip to Ocala for lunch and tack store stumping!:cool::D A buddy took me over today and it really helpe my doldrums. Found some great deals --one store had 15% off everything in the store !! Found some Ariats on sale for an additional 25% off. Worked wonders!!!