Why Are They Always Lame When We Need Them???

Kind of a rhetorical question, but here me out.

So I have my 5 y/o filly that I’ve never asked much out of. She gets hooked plenty to plod around the farm pulling a forecart and plow but nothing major. So for the first time in her life, I need her to be sound so I can make some money with her hauling people this year. I noticed yesterday that she was bobbing a little bit on her right foot step. I walked out on her pasture and picked her foot clean, no rocks or bruises or anything other than a small patch of thrush. I grab the Coppertox and give her a squirt and don’t think much of it. I get home today after work and grandpa tells me now she’s noticibly bobbing on that foot. So, I finish lunch and go out to the barn to look her over. She’s got that mopey “Daddy I gotsa owwy.” look on her face so I check her foot again. Nothing. She had an abscess blow out last year and still has a crack in her hoof (sideways) where the new hoof wall has grown and pushed it down. I feel around her coronet band and no heat indicating a new abscess forming. I feel up her leg into her shoulder, no heat indicating anything swollen or in pain. Back to the foot. I’m thinking she’s getting ready to pop a gravel or abscess. So I soak her foot for 10 minutes in some warm water and epsom salts. Not an exceptionally easy task goven she’s sure that 12″ deep rubber pan of water is gonna swallow her whole. lol

So anyway, bad timing to be lame. I’ve got an appointment to haul people at the Waterloo Pioneer Day October 11th. Now she’s lame. Not a big deal since I have 3 other horses I can use but I was looking forward to getting her off the farm for her big debut. Which brings me the long way around to my original question. Why are they always lame when we need them? Every one of our horses ,at least once, has been lame and had to stay home when we needed them. One foundered once, one is always on again off again lame (no one knows why).

Anyone else ran into this? Let’s hear your story.