A diagnosis of hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA), or hyperelastosis cutis (HC), is frequently a grim one for horse owners. The hereditary skin disease that affects some stock horse breeds can result in isolation for turnout and skin lesions for the afflicted horse, and mounting veterinary expenses and heartache for the owner. But one horse-and-owner pair is proving that it's possible to live with HERDA and to have a good time in spite of it all.

Robin Davison bought her registered Paint mare, Quality Sensation ("Penelope") to replace the mare she'd unexpectedly had to put down following surgical complications. Penelope was to be Davison's show mount, her "everything" horse, and she had high hopes for the talented youngster. Then, tragedy struck.