Rolex, April 25th. Doc's diagnosis.

We picked Doc up from the clinic this afternoon after he had been gone over and x-rayed and ultrasounded.  He has injured his meniscal ligament on the inside of his left stifle.  Apparently he probably had a chronic injury at this site that is due to his age and choice of profession (many upper level event horses have chronic wear and tear in certain ligaments and you never know about them until they "break.").  When he took the spook that he did on the pavement on Wednesday before the trot up it was like the straw that broke the camel's back and he tore it.  From what we know right now, the prognosis is that he will never return to upper level eventing.  There are several ligaments in the same site, like the collateral ligament and the ACL, and we have to wait a few more days to fully asses the damage as the clearest ultrasound pictures are best taken after the swelling has left an injury site.  In essence, the stifle is like our human knee.  I'm sure many of you can relate to the idea of a knee injury that could be career ending for a top level human athlete.  That is, in essence, what we are dealing with.

Gina and Holley are driving Doc back to Pennsylvania tomorrow.  He is not in a great deal of pain and his spirits are doing OK.  He will be able to relax and graze once he is back at Ardfuar.  We will give him the best treatment possible and as time passes we will see how much he will recover.  It is my hope that he will still be able to event at a lower level.  My student Lynn and I were morosely laughing today over the thought of having another Aly Cat at the farm.  Aly should be thrilled that he has hit retirement age after ten years of competing at the FEI level.  Instead he sulks about us going to shows without him and the fact that he doesn't get to run cross country anymore.  If Doc can't run and jump, he will be the same way.

All of this is quite a blow, but I really do believe that life has a way of working out.  It looks like a door is closing, but we will keep a window open and see what comes of all of this.  As I said to Mr. Wetherill earlier, "Poor Doc." and then a few seconds later I added, "And poor Mr. Wetherill and poor Ashley!"  There are so many people who would have been thrilled to see Doc and I attack a four star, but it was not meant to be this year.  

Brian and I left Doc in Holley and Gina's hands and we are driving back to Ocala for me to pick up the other horses.  The cross country today was fantastic to watch.  It was a beautiful course and a beautiful day.  I am sorry to be missing the nail-biting ending tomorrow, but I was ready to get out of the Lexington Horse Park.

Speak to many of you soon!

Ashley