Katie Van Slyke Shares Unfortunate Kennedy Update — She Will Miss the Quarter Horse Congress After a Pasture Injury

Katie Van Slyke has shared disappointing news about Kennedy and what was supposed to be one of the most meaningful shows of their year together.

The All American Quarter Horse Congress had been planned as Katie and Kennedy’s final Western Pleasure show of the season.

Katie intended to compete with Kennedy in both the Amateur and Novice Amateur Western Pleasure, bringing their current Western Pleasure chapter to a close before beginning to explore other disciplines such as equitation, Western Riding and pattern work.

Instead, those plans have changed.

A few weeks before Congress, Kennedy suffered a puncture wound while turned out in her pasture.

Thankfully, Katie said the wound narrowly missed the hock joint and did not become infected.

Kennedy nevertheless spent several days in the hospital and then required approximately two weeks of stall rest. Reel30.txtTXT

Katie emphasized that Kennedy now looks great and that they are not worried about the injury affecting her long-term longevity.

But after considering the amount of preparation that would be required to get Kennedy ready for Congress after the layoff, Katie and her team made the decision not to rush.

Kennedy will stay home.

And while Katie admitted she was initially disappointed, she now feels much more at peace with the choice.

Congress Was Supposed to Be the End of Their Western Pleasure Journey

The planned Congress appearance had sentimental significance.

Katie and Kennedy were going to show in Western Pleasure one more time before transitioning toward different kinds of work.

Katie said she believes Kennedy may ultimately be happier doing more pattern-oriented events rather than spending as much time doing rail work.

That could mean trying equitation, Western Riding and exercises that allow Kennedy to move more forward.

Kennedy already had what Katie described as a fantastic Western Pleasure career before Katie purchased her.

Katie brought her back into that discipline for this season, and the pair has enjoyed both the experience and some success together.

Congress would have provided a neat ending to that chapter. Reel30.txtTXT

But horses have a way of changing plans.

Kennedy Was Injured in the Pasture

The change began several weeks earlier.

Katie said Kennedy was outside in her pasture when she somehow suffered a puncture wound.

The exact cause was not identified in the transcript.

The good news is that the wound barely missed the hock joint.

Katie also said there was no infection.

Even so, the location and nature of the injury were serious enough that Kennedy spent days in the hospital and had her entire leg wrapped.

After returning home, she was placed on stall rest for approximately two weeks. Reel30.txtTXT

For a horse preparing for a major show, that amount of downtime matters.

Katie Says Kennedy Looks Great Now

Perhaps the most reassuring part of Katie’s update is that this is not being framed as a career-ending injury.

Katie said Kennedy honestly looks great.

She specifically stated that they are not worried about the injury negatively affecting her long-term future.

The issue is timing.

Kennedy had already gone without riding for the week before the injury because the team had just returned from the NSBA World Championship Show.

Then came the hospitalization.

Then stall rest.

That created a significant gap in her preparation. Reel30.txtTXT

Congress was approaching quickly.

Katie and her team had to decide whether trying to make the show was really worth compressing Kennedy’s entire return-to-work program into such a short period.

The Team Had a Serious Conversation About Their Goals

Katie said they had a long conversation about what they wanted from Congress and what they wanted for Kennedy.

Katie will still be busy at the show.

She plans to focus on Hollywood and hopes to show Denver or at least watch Aaron show Denver.

With those commitments already on the schedule, trying to rush Kennedy back into preparation added even more pressure.

And Kennedy might only have been going to Congress for one or two classes.

That meant asking her to spend roughly 12 days there for a relatively small amount of showing. Reel30.txtTXT

When Katie looked at the full picture, the decision became clearer.

Katie Didn’t Think It Was Fair to Rush Kennedy

Katie said it simply did not feel fair to cram all of Kennedy’s preparation into the remaining time.

The horse had just spent weeks out of normal work.

Congress was approaching.

Western Pleasure might not even be Kennedy’s favorite job.

And the entire purpose of the next chapter was to begin exploring disciplines Katie thinks Kennedy may enjoy more.

Trying to force the Congress plan simply because it had originally been scheduled no longer made sense.

Katie described the injury as something of a warning they needed to listen to.

Her conclusion was that Congress simply wasn’t in the cards for Kennedy this year. Reel30.txtTXT

Kennedy Staying Home Also Changes Ethel’s Plans

Kennedy’s withdrawal affects more than one horse.

Katie explained that because Kennedy is not going to Congress, Ethel will not be going either.

That means they no longer need to haul their own trailer for those horses.

It also reduces the amount of time and energy that would otherwise have gone into preparing and transporting them.

Katie noted that other trainers will already be taking horses to Congress, so this change allows her group to prioritize their time differently. Reel30.txtTXT

What initially felt like bad news began to create several practical benefits.

Katie Felt a Weight Lift Off Her Shoulders

Katie admitted that once the decision became official, she felt a surprising sense of relief.

There was no longer pressure to hurry.

No longer a countdown forcing Kennedy to be back in full work immediately.

No need to ride aggressively simply to make a deadline.

Katie said it felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders once they set the decision in stone.

She had been sad at first because Congress would have been a meaningful ending to their Western Pleasure season.

But that sadness did not last.

The more Katie considered the situation, the more comfortable she became with the new plan. Reel30.txtTXT

Kennedy Can Now Return to Work Slowly

Removing Congress from the calendar gives Katie something valuable:

Time.

Rather than trying to rebuild Kennedy’s fitness as quickly as possible, they can gradually bring her back after stall rest.

Katie said they can play around with different activities.

They can put an English saddle on her.

They can work on equitation.

They can practice lead changes.

And they can begin exploring the disciplines Katie had already hoped to try after the Western Pleasure season ended. Reel30.txtTXT

Instead of seeing the injury only as an interruption, Katie now seems to be treating the schedule change as an opportunity.

The Next Possible Show Isn’t Until April

There is also no immediate competitive deadline.

Katie said the earliest show they could potentially attend with Kennedy would be in April.

That provides roughly a six-month break.

Kennedy can spend much of that time in the pasture.

She can recover from the disruption of stall rest.

She can slowly return to training.

And there is no need to force progress for a show only a few weeks away. Reel30.txtTXT

For Katie, that now feels like the better path.

Katie Thinks Kennedy May Be Happier With the New Direction

Katie repeatedly returned to one idea:

She thinks Kennedy may be happier doing something different.

Kennedy already had an accomplished Western Pleasure career before Katie owned her.

Katie brought her back for this season and enjoyed that experience.

But she also believes the mare may enjoy pattern work more than repeatedly going around the rail.

That makes the next phase exciting rather than disappointing.

The Congress plan may be gone.

Kennedy’s future is not.

Instead of closing one chapter at the exact show Katie originally imagined, they can move into the next chapter more naturally.

There Is No Need to “Ride the Crap Out of Her”

Katie was especially candid about what avoiding Congress means for Kennedy’s workload.

Without the deadline, there is no urgency to ride her harder than necessary simply to get her ready in time.

Katie said that if they had tried to make Congress, they probably would have needed to push her preparation much more aggressively than they would have if there had been a normal amount of time between shows.

Now that pressure is gone. Reel30.txtTXT

That is a major reason Katie became more comfortable with the decision.

The goal is not merely to get Kennedy into the show pen.

It is to make decisions that still make sense months and years later.

Hollywood and Denver Remain Part of the Congress Plan

Katie herself is still going to Congress.

Her attention there will simply shift.

She plans to focus on Hollywood.

She also hopes to show Denver, or at minimum be there to watch Aaron show him.

So followers will still have Congress content to look forward to.

Kennedy simply will not be part of that specific show this year. Reel30.txtTXT

Katie ended by reassuring followers that they are still going to have a great time at Congress despite the change.

Stephanie Can Stay Home and Focus on the Young Horses

There is another benefit.

Stephanie had originally been expected to pull away from the horses at home for approximately two weeks because of the Congress trip.

Now she can stay home instead.

Katie said Stephanie will be able to remain more consistent with the 2-year-olds’ training.

She will also continue riding Ricky, Ethel and Kennedy as they prepare for the farm’s at-home horse show. Reel30.txtTXT

That gives the team another reason to see the changed plan as manageable rather than disastrous.

Kennedy’s Injury Is Not Being Described as a Long-Term Problem

It is important not to misinterpret Katie’s announcement.

Kennedy is missing Congress because of the timing surrounding her recovery and the preparation required afterward.

Katie specifically said the injury itself is not expected to affect her long-term longevity.

Kennedy looks good.

The wound did not infect the joint.

The team simply decided there was no reason to rush her back into a major competition. Reel30.txtTXT

That distinction makes the update much more reassuring.

Katie Was Sad — But She Isn’t Anymore

Katie did not pretend the decision was easy immediately.

She was upset at first.

Congress had been part of the plan.

It was supposed to represent the end of a special Western Pleasure year with Kennedy.

Losing that opportunity was disappointing.

But as the practical advantages became clearer, Katie’s perspective changed.

By the time she shared the update, she said she felt much more at ease.

Kennedy gets a longer break.

Her return can happen gradually.

Stephanie can remain home with the younger horses.

Katie can focus on Hollywood and Denver at Congress.

And Kennedy can begin exploring disciplines that may suit her even better.

The Western Pleasure Ending Will Simply Look Different

Katie originally imagined the perfect ending:

One final major show.

One final Western Pleasure experience together.

Then a transition into something new.

Now that ending will not happen exactly as planned.

But Katie said that is okay too.

Their year together still happened.

Their success still happened.

Kennedy’s accomplished Western Pleasure career remains unchanged.

And nothing prevents Katie from enjoying new experiences with her going forward.

Sometimes the best decision for a horse means letting go of the neat ending you had imagined.

A Six-Month Reset May Open a New Chapter

With no potential return to showing until April, Kennedy now has the luxury of time.

Time in the pasture.

Time to regain fitness.

Time to learn lead changes.

Time to experiment under an English saddle.

Time to see whether equitation or Western Riding really is more enjoyable for her.

That could ultimately make this schedule change less of an ending and more of a reset.

The disappointment is real.

But so is the opportunity.

Katie Will Still Make the Most of Congress

The announcement ended on a positive note.

Congress remains on Katie’s calendar.

Hollywood will still be part of the experience.

Denver remains in the plans.

And although Kennedy and Ethel will stay home, Katie intends to enjoy the show and make the most of the horses who are going.

As she said, it is “not the best news,” but they will make the best of it. Reel30.txtTXT

Kennedy’s Congress story may have ended before it began this year.

But her bigger story with Katie is far from over.

The puncture wound is healing.

The pressure is off.

A slower return to work can begin.

And after a six-month break, Katie may come back with Kennedy in an entirely new discipline.

Congress will have to wait — but Kennedy’s next chapter may be even more interesting than the one Katie originally planned. 🐴❤️