The Best Kind of Injury

Being the boss this week and having all my staff off for the day, I made the verdict that I might as well go home early...I mean, how often do I have the chance to give myself permission to do so?

I, being the weiner I am, still let my director (my boss' boss) know where I was off to and make sure there was nothing he needed done before I went. To which he responded "You don't get a lot of nice days like this come winter; get going and have fun!". I swear, I've got an awesome director.

So off I went to the barn and was pleased to find that I was all alone. I brought Moon'er in and started grooming him. When I got to his hind leg, I freaked out.

He had a divot and swelling on the front of his hind leg at the top of his gaskin (? I'm bad with body parts) or stifle joint. I mean, it was HUGE! I panicked. OMG, he's got to be dead lame on that. I mean, the swelling was huge and the whole joint just looked abnormal!

I rushed around to the other side to see how it looked. EXACTLY the same! My heart beats faster. I can barely reach out and touch the massive swelling...and when I do...

I realize it's not a swelling. It's not even an injury. It's...

Muscle. He's lost so much fat and trimmed and toned up so much in the last month, that muscle I didn't even know should be there, IS there! Even as he puts on his fuzzy winter coat! I went out and compared it to W's trained horses and surprise, surprise, same lump. Muscle. From proper workouts and intensive routines. Wow.

I know I haven't noticed it lately because I've been rushed when I get to the barn and the place is busy. I brush him quickly in his stall (which doesn't have its own lighting) and then dash into the arena to warm up. And when I'm done, it's run a brush over him and get back home to shower and sleep (bad, bad owner).

And when I finally have a chance to stand back and look at him, there it is. A sign of hard work. Muscle. I'll try and get a picture for you guys...I'm pretty proud. : )

It really was, the best kind of injury. A non-injury!