What's wrong with Sky?

So, right now I am waiting for Lisa to get home so she can look at Sky and tell me if I am legitamately upset or if I am losing my mind... I do not think it's the latter.

I took yesterday off as I have been spending so much time up at Lisa's and we have friends staying at our house so I decided to take a whole day to stay home... today I came back to my old routine and was excited to ride and get back into a training program so that we can work toward the next show.. in only twelve days!

I did spend some quality time updating my resume and applying to a couple of jobs online... very proud of myself. While Lisa and Josh are off doing errands, I decided that was enough and went out to ride.

She was way up on the hill and came to the stall when I called (score for me) and I didn't see any problems watching her walk in from the field... but when I took her out of the stall and put her in the crossties I noticed one of her back legs was slow to move and that she was treating it odddly. After saddling, I walked her forward, watching that leg.... then trotted her while leading her, trying to see it... it was hard to see while leading, so I hopped on and started in a circle..... trying to feel what I thought I had seen... A part of me thought she would just walk off whatever was going on and be fine... but after halfway around the yard I realized that she didn't feel right... so I trotted to try to feel it more pronouncedly - knowing that the trot is where you can see and feel problems best.... definately off... I could feel her favoring her back right leg... so I got off and tried to lunge her with my long rein and now I can definately see her favoring the leg... OH NO!

So I led her up to the barn and untacked her... put a rope halter on her and lunged her again outside the barn doors... something is not right.

I picked all of her feet and think I can see two pink areas on that hoof... bruises, I think. Bethany thought that she wasn't growing enough wall on her back legs, which she was going to check in another week. If she is in fact not growing enough wall then she will need shoes - ouch!! (I mean ouch for me b/c that is an expense I don't think I can take).... I suppose it could be an absess - something that seems to be circulating around the barn - but I don't think so... but what do I know!

So, now I am waiting for Lisa to get home and then for Bethany to come... hoping so much that it is nothing big - hoping that she will be ok - hoping it won't be expensive - hoping that she will have enough time to work to get better before the next show - hoping, praying, waiting....

C