TOABH - Costly

Beka's latest blog hop topic in anticipation of Archie's 18th birthday asks us to do what I'd really rather not lol. As I commented on L. Williams' post on this topic, I kinda hate looking back on money spent bc of that whole hindsight being 20/20 thing... but simultaneously it's foolish not to have a realistic understanding of the costs involved. 

Costly

What has been your horse's most expensive injury to date? Let's exclude maintenance things, like hock injections and the magical monthly package of MSM. What single episode blew your savings or left you boiling ramen? If you want to get technical about it, time is money, too. 

Isabel has not had any serious injuries during my lease (knocking on wood!). The worst was a wound on the inside of her hock, and we treated with bute and SMZs (and no vet visit). 

About six months in to my lease, tho, Isabel was diagnosed with Lyme disease and treated with Doxy. I am happy to report that I don't have the slightest idea what that cost (except that the test alone is $92). She received a follow up treatment after a few months, and again, none of those costs reached me. 

Early this winter we suspected she had ulcers. My trainer outlined a very reasonable treatment plan (including generics and ranitidine), however Isabel's owner was more comfortable seeking a vet's opinion. The vet's recommended course of action was significantly pricier (naturally), and we agreed to split the costs - $250 each.

'i'm worth it' - isabel

In the grand scheme of things, I've made out pretty well, I think - tho that's mostly a function of my non-owner status. 

'Maintenance' is where my dollars really go (chiro, gastric supps, saddle fitter, farrier etc) and there are a few additional things I would like to do to mitigate the risk of future big vet bills... But alas, these are not my decisions to make.