Down And Out(Rival)

[oceane]

She was up bright and early and at the barn the sun had yet to rise, the filly had simply gone down in the night. The cause none other than the leg she had injured, which had not been that bad at all until now, when the full extent seemed to show its ugly face. She sighed as she was approached by one of her exercise riders. Either we will work the horses over the track later or let them take today off I haven’t decided it depends on how things go with the vet, you know what im not even going to chance it. Wrap their legs, fed and then turn them out, we will just work them tomorrow. She sighed and opened the fillies stall, clipping the lead to Honey’s halter and with the help of one other got her back to her feet. She held her leg up and then set it down and then back up again. Oceane was not angry or anything of the sorts she was concerned and worried about the mare. She stroked the fillies neck and cooed soft words to her.

She seemed to relax and settle to an extent, she was still picking up the leg and trying to find a comfortable position but it just was not working and so she went down again. Oceane knelt and stroked the mares neck, darling I don’t think im going to get anything out of you after this. Indeed it was true the mare was going to have to be retired after this. Oceane stood and shook her head, turning and closing the stall door. She walked to Collision stall and helped by wrapping his legs and leading him out to his paddock the stallion was happy but he was calm yet alert his head high and eyes watching everything. When they reached his paddock she opened the gate and closed it behind her before slipping his halter off and watching him calmly walk away and lower his head to graze. They would be brought in a few hours from now. She never let them eat too much grass for they would get fat and have a grass belly.

She walked back into the barn, hearing tires on the driveway she went to greet the vet and took him to Honey, well there she is, like I said it looked like she had only pulled something and we had been icing it and keeping a close eye on her but I guess it was more. She sighed softly and looked at him, oh im Oceane by the way. She had to look away he was cute more like handsome but he was probably taken. She opened the door and walked in, clipping the lead she coxed the mare to her feet once more and waited for the vet to begin.

[rivalo]

i just shut down
there's still too much to learn,
just so much to learn



DEKKER

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Dekker hadn't managed to gain much clientele in the few weeks he'd been here, but taking up practicing with an older vet from the area had proven to be a good move on his part. He needed to get to know the people around here, and it seemed to be paying off as he'd received an urgent call from the barn where he boarded and rode himself. A filly, a young Thoroughbred, injured and potentially pretty badly from what information he'd been given from the owner. It wasn't a sport he necessarily agreed with, especially considering they often started the youngster at only one year old pounding down the training track. it was hell on their legs to say the least, and many Thoroughbreds had ruined legs by the time they were a meager six years old. Most jumping horses are just starting their careers at that age, but racers' careers were coming to a close often times. There were some good trainers out there, though, who took their horses' bodies and care seriously and kept them going for many years, retiring them to a happy life.

The brown haired blue eyed man pulled up in his work truck, a big Chevy with a steel box situated to the back like a farrier's truck, but loaded with medications and advanced technology like a mobile xray machine, ultrasound, and a few other things he hadn't gotten to play with just yet. The owner was out to meet him, so he drove his truck as close to the barn aisle as possible without actually pulling it under and getting in the way, potentially spooking horses. He jumped out, shaking her hand as she led the way towards her injured filly. The girl was quite pretty, but with business at hand his brain was first and foremost on the horse he would be doctoring. "It's nice to meet you, Oceane." he said with a smile, "Dekker Morrison." he said in case she didn't know it. The door flung open and she pulled the lame filly out, noticing immediately the swollen nature of her slender hind leg. It pained him to see it, especially with his own four year old off the track Thoroughbred just down the way with this filly's similar build. "Well it sounds like you took the right steps, Oceane," he murmured, reassuring the owner that she had helped rather than hindered.

As she steadied the filly and kept her standing, he looked her over head to toe unable to miss the sweat that was building around her flanks, neck, beneath her halter and around her hindquarters. This filly was obviously in a great deal of pain, and the dull look of her eyes was another telltale sign. As Oceane held her still he ran his hands firmly, but gently across the filly's hindquarters to feel for tension that was surely there. She flinched even as his hands moved carefully down her stifle, gaskin, and then hock. When he reached the cannon bone she immediately flexed the leg away and flung her head, pulling against Oceane. "Whoa," he whispered quietly to the mare, removing his hands from her red-hot cannon and rubbing her reassuringly on the neck. He stepped back, letting Oceane calm her further before speaking. "I hate to tell you, Oceane, but just by first glance I think your filly might have a bit more than just a pulled tendon. The fact that she'll put it on the ground at all and move the leg is reassuring, makes me think it isn't broken, but I do think she might have a hairline fracture and likely quite a bit of nerve damage. I'll get the xray machine out just to be sure, and I'm going to give her a shot for the pain. Start her on an I.V. so we can keep her hydrated; she's losing a lot from the sweating, and in this summer heat we don't want to lose her." he finished, already moving towards his truck for the medications. He came back with a bag of fluid and tube in one hand, a vaccine in his teeth. As he pushed the shot in carefully and quickly, the smell of it permeated the air. Smelling oddly moist and lightly of thick calk, he gave her a full dose before rapidly hooking up her I.V. line. "Hold this up for me for a minute," he murmured to Oceane; as she held it, he hooked it to an expandable pole so she wouldn't have to stand with one hand in the air.

As he began to walk back to his truck for the xray machine, he called back over his shoulder to Oceane, "How long has she been down with it?" he asked her, pulling out the small black box and special padding to place on the sides of her leg. As he prepped it, he waited for her input and disposed of the needle he used in a sanitary container.

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[oceane]

As the vet began to check the filly over she noted everything, she had already decided that the filly would not be making it back on the race track ever. She cooed soft words to the mare and stroked her face and played with her forelock, Easy darling she cooed. Hearing squealing outside, she hissed. Oceane? What? She turned her head, physco bitch is at it again do you want me to bring her in. Oceane rolled her eyes, for the last time her name is Lady and yes bring her in and take her to the track if she has that much steam she can work, not hard though only canter her and if she behaves let her breeze if not then she wont run she needs to learn she is not always going to get her way and Sandy take someone out there with you. She nodded and head it off to the paddock. Oceane had caught his words and nodded watching as he skillfully spoke and then she grabbed the bag and held it up wail he set up the poles and then took it from her.

She went down just before I arrived but shes been hurt for a day like I said nothing seemed wrong. She sighed and herd hooves on the concrete, Lady’s head high and fore legs coming off the ground as she half reared over and over again. It’s a good thing she had some thick legs, all her horses except Honey had thick good legs. Honey was a horses she had wanted to get out of her old racing stable, where she was being mistreated. For the love of lord get that filly out of here she spoke turning to watch the exercise rider finish tightening the saddle and slip the bridle on and lead her out quickly. Im sorry about that, Honey and Collision are my favorite Olli and Lady I can give or take, Honey is actually a horse I saved from being mistreated at her old stable I felt bad for her and she has never been the greatest horse to get going, I think she will enjoy being retired. She looked at the filly, you never did have good legs did you? She wiggled the fillies upper lip, one thing I really look for in thoroughbreds is strong legs.


Honey was built more dainty like but none the less she could move when she tried, Oceane sighed and held onto the mare as he got everything set up Honey fidgeted but with Oceane calm words she settled again. She was fighting the urge to collapse again and goodness only knows if she did Oceane would not be able to hold on if she did, the mare shifted and she tugged on the lead line to make the mare look at her, its almost over baby girl. She spoke and stroked the mares neck, yes they were much like kids to her and would be long after her having her own. Oceane shifted and stepped back just a little, she waited for what he would tell her next.

[rivalo]

i just shut down
there's still too much to learn,
just so much to learn



DEKKER

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Dekker listened and observed in silence as a handler approached with a horse, obviously not caring what was done with the young mare one way or the other. Especially considering the handler called the horse a bitch and didn't even own it, sounded like Oceane needed a new helper. He could only shake his head at the idiocy of the person and focus on the horse he could actually help. He nodded when she said it had only been about a day; that was alright, things were always looking far worse the day after they happen. He watched who was turning out to be the exercise rider tack the mare up and lead her quickly away from the barn towards the tracks. A nice looking mare, very stout and obviously full of fire. He watched her retreat as the machine booted up in his deft hands, turning to listen as she began to apologize for the mare.

He listened carefully, winding around to the mare's side and dropping in front of her leg so as to avoid any kicking. "No worries at all, " he said in regards to Lady, "I'm used to the prancing of Thoroughbreds. It's all in their blood." he said appreciatively. "It was good of you to get Honey out of that situation," he said, but in defense of the mare, "but she doesn't have bad legs." he said honestly, nodding at the build of the dainty filly. "They are put together really well, especially for a Thoroughbred, she was just likely run into the ground as a yearling. You're lucky she's been running as long as she has, even if you haven't had her for too long." he finished, quieting to focus as he placed the thick black pad against her leg and lining up the black box on the other side. As it clicked rapidly, taking five or six pictures in the span of moments as he moved efficiently around to get the best angles. Standing up when he'd finished, he rubbing the mare's hindquarters and was glad to feel a little less tension there. Likely the medication was starting to set in and she could begin feeling at least a little more comfortable.

He walked over to his truck, hooking up the black box to a larger machine and letting it set. "That'll take just about fifteen minutes to develop out for us so I can take a better look." he said with a nod, rubbing sweat from his brow onto his forearm before heading back over to Honey. "You'll want to hold onto her pretty tightly, this is going to hurt." he said gently before running his hand first down her hindquarters and then quickly to her injured cannon. He grasped it firmly, automatically causing the mare to jerk wildly from the pressure and discomfort it created, but rubbed along feeling the swollen area all down the bone and around the fetlock. It was there, he could feel the strain and likely after the swelling had receded a bit more she would be even more lame than she was now. This little girl had some healing to go.

With the filly now likely seeing him as her worst enemy, he removed his hands and stood upright again, staying out of she and Oceane's space to let her calm down. "Sorry, hon, I've got to feel it though." he said quietly to the filly, placing both hands on either side of her neck to try helping Oceane calm her down. He sighed, already going over in his head what she would need if it were fractured, and what she would need if it wasn't. He hoped it wasn't a break, especially with the filly being so refined she would likely not heal as quickly as she should. "Anyway," he said when all three of them had calmed down, "Like I was saying, Honey doesn't have bad legs. She's just one of the more refined legged types. It's a shame they tried to race her at all in the first place, she could have been a fantastic hunter I bet." he said while patting the mare's neck. Obviously that wouldn't happen now unless she miraculously recovered all use of her leg.

Dekker stood with one leg cocked while they waited for the xrays, wondering if he should strike up casual conversation or let her do all the talking. He was a bit torn considering they would know one another casually at some point he was sure, especially considering they boarded their horses in the same location, but at the moment it was a professional relationship. He glanced to the truck, waiting to see the green light come on the machine to tell him they had been developed.

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[oceane]

She sighed and nodded, im sure she was run hard as a yearling I chose to start my yearlings a week or two before there second birthday before that I just let them stand near the track and get use to the sites and sounds I hate the fact of making a horse run hard as a yearling. She shook her head and put a hand on the fillies neck just to let her know she was still standing here, shes not that old either she is only three I got her when she was two took a long time for her to let a human near her, she was much like an unbroken wild horse only she was tame but a number of things made her like that now you will be lucky to even get her to canter. She shook her head and watched as the xrays were taken and then he preceded to say fifteen minutes until developed and that she would want to hold tight and so she stepped up next to Honey and held firm as he grabbed her leg and she failed and jerked.

Easy easy your fine,she shook her head and snorted a squeal leaving her and as he went to stand she turned her head and went to bit him in the ass, lucky for him Oceane pulled her head around to face her, she glared but her look softened and Oceane smiled. Theres my sweet little girl, she stroked her face and put her forelock over her right eye and then scratched under her chin and behind her ears. Oceane nodded she would have been a nice hunter horse now in a few years if I wanted to breed her would she be ok? She questioned looking at the vet and stepping back from Honey, her eyes becoming droopy with sleep, head lowered just slightly as she found some means of balance and soon began to doze. She laughed and watched the dark gray mare doze peacefully under not so great circumstances but she seemed not to care now that nobody was grabbing her leg.

Oceane leaned back against the stall as they waited for the xrays, at which point Lady and Sandy came in. They were equally covered in sweat and she just shook her head, that bad? The whole ride was shit she will have none of it so I stopped her half way and said that was enough. This is why she thinks she can get away with shit because you do something like that, here take my place im going to make her listen. The two switched places and she turned to Dekker I will be right back. With that she turned and went back to the track, getting a leg up she tightened the reins and made Lady walk. Releasing a little on the reins she allowed her to pick up a canter when she wanted to go faster she got the whip and the reins would tighten again. Soon enough the two were moving as one at the canter and so she dug her heels in the side of the filly and allowed her to gallop.

She used the whip and reins to make her slow, she was fighting the fact of having to do such a thing but Oceane was having none of it and made her keep an easy slow gallop. They stopped when she got the hint this is what was wanted. Oceane hopped off the filly was now foaming and sweating, her own fault for not listening and throwing a fit, Oceane patted her neck and lead her back in trading places with the exercise rider, rinse her off and tomorrow I will decide if you will continue to ride her, you told me you could handle a challenge and all I have heard from you is whining and complaining. She watched her walk off and she sighed, leaning against the stall door again. That filly can run like the wind and she can listen just as well but those two just cant seem to find it. Honey bobbed her head and nickered as if agreeing. Oceane laughed and waited for what was to come.

[rivalo]

i just shut down
there's still too much to learn,
just so much to learn



DEKKER

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Oceane started talking about running Thoroughbreds as yearlings, and Dekker wondered for a moment if he'd thought out loud about it at all, but then just realized maybe she was reading into his disappointment at the filly's condition. he knew it wasn't anything Oceane could have done; for a filly to do so much damage already was typically because of constant wear on the tendons, not from one hard run on a particularly rough day. She sounded almost as if she were defending herself, but he wasn't out to accuse her of anything. He'd seen some horrible things owners had done out of pure idiocy, and this simply wasn't one to go on his list. He nodded in agreement with what she said; not a whole lot of trainers would even wait that long to start their young racers. It was refreshing to hear. She handled the filly well even though the young horse was so worked up over the pain of it, and he appreciated it. It was always much better when the owner was around.

"As far as breeding or any kind of strain goes," he started, straightening up to answer her question, "It's not a call I can make just yet. We'll wait and see what kind of damage shows up on the scans and how her healing goes over the next few months and then I'll be able to tell you better. If she really bounces back I don't think breeding would be an issue so long as it isn't every season. But, like I said, at this moment it's more waiting and seeing what happens." he said with a slight shrug, but nodding in reassurance. He would do everything he could for the filly. Since she was still growing, hopefully her body would heal much more quickly than some of the older horses he messed with. He'd seen some miracles happen, but it took the right care, too.

The pissy exercise rider returned with an obviously strained Lady and Oceane promptly took off to exercise the horse herself. Dekker was rather surprised by this turn of events and watched her ride off towards the track and then turned back to his scans. Within a few minutes they were up and he found no breaks, fortunately for Honey, but it was obvious they were ever so slightly pressurized from the strain. It wasn't too often that kind of bowing showed up in an xray; any more work like she'd likely been doing and Oceane would have had a horse with a cleanly broken leg on her hands. it only took a little while for Oceane to get back, but Dekker had to wait for her to return before he could finish up. He didn't appreciate it, but she was paying him after all. She returned with a fully exhausted horse and a cross word for her groom. "I'd get rid of him, that rider seems like an ass." he said bluntly to her. He would have fired him the moment he'd called one of his horses a bitch; not have let him go out and beat her into pieces after already being pissed about nothing.

He sighed, spreading out a few things he needed to show her now that she was back. He waved her closer to his truck to get a look and began to explain. "Fortunately she's got no breaks, but you came damn close to have a busted horse." he said with a nod, pointing carefully to the slightly bowed appearance of her slender cannon bones. "It's actually started to bow just a little, and that's very unusual. I'm going to put her on strict stall rest for the next two weeks, and she can come out once a day for a week, only to walk the full distance around this barn and then right back into her stall. Keep it heavily bedded for her to prevent sores and further stress, and it'll have to be dressed and wrapped twice a day." he paused, letting her catch up with her thoughts.

"I want her on bute twice a day, it'll dissolve quickly in her feed if you wet it down, but we'll only want to keep that up for as long as you're seeing discomfort in her. We don't want to use it too long or else we'll have a lot bigger problems than a bum leg. What she's done is stretched her tendons to the point of tearing and she's had her bone growth damaged from so much activity so young. There's nothing you could have done about that, but I can bet if you hadn't gotten to her all of her legs would have blown and she would have been tied to a backhoe right now instead of getting pampered back to health." he said to her, hoping this at least brought her some kind of peace of mind. She hadn't had any control over this happening, and couldn't have done a damn thing to help besides tossing her into a pasture for another two years to recover from the beatings she'd obviously taken at her last barn. He looked at her, waiting for her reaction to the news and then preparing to show her how he wanted her leg wrapped and everything else.

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