my barrel horse, and best friend, has been diagnosed with navicular. She's had it for about 3years and i didnt even kno it. even though she was in pain she still ran as best and as hard as she could, and always managed to put in me in the top. she was in pain all the while and never let me know it.

a few weeks ago she was soar in her rear so i gave her a two week vacation before i started preparing hard for finals. i took her on a trail ride on friday, she was perfect! on monday, she could barely walk. i knew something terrible was wrong. so we took her to dr. murray in b'ham, alabama. he told us what was wrong, but he said for us not to worry. he fixed her up with some medicine in her joints, put new shoes on her, and she should be 100% sound for my finals and nationals. and that i should be able to atleast get another 3years out of her.

i dont kno what i should do after my nationals. retire my 8yr. old barrel mare? or ask her to keep on going? i kno science has some a long way, and they kno a heck of alot more about navicular than they used to. will it be expensive to maintain her and keep her sound if i wanted to keep running her? is it worthit? will she ever be in pain w/o me knowing it?

i kno one thing, if this is our last season, we're goin' out with a bang!

happy*sad*confused =[[=

anyone in NHSRA??? =]]