Tricia Aldridge shared an update after fans noticed her mount change in San Antonio. Adios will spend some time on the sidelines healing from a fracture.
When Tricia Aldridge ran down the alley on a different horse during Semifinals 1 at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, questions started almost immediately. Everyone's favorite golden stallion, Adios Pantalones, had been strong through the progressive rounds, and his absence did not go unnoticed.
Thursday morning, Aldridge provided an answer for all of the concern.
In a social media post, she shared that Adios began acting like his leg was bothering him after their recent run. His trusted vet evaluated and revealed a small hock fracture.
“Could use some prayers for the best boy,” Aldridge wrote. “After our run the other night, Adios acted like his leg was bothering him some when we got home, and upon further investigation at Dr. Lee’s, we found a small hock fracture.”
She confirmed that it is being determined whether the injury will require surgery for the record breaking 6 year old. Aldridge said she will provide updates once a plan is finalized and expressed optimism about his recovery.
“He will be back in action before you know it,” she wrote.
The news comes after a strong showing in San Antonio’s bracket rounds, where Adios once again demonstrated the consistency that has made him one of the most talked about horses in the sport.
Adios is known for both his speed and composure and is widely regarded as one of barrel racing’s greatest young talents. He is the all time earnings leading futurity horse and surpassed the $1 million mark during his first appearance at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2025.
At that same NFR, Aldridge and Adios captured a couple round wins and finished the season as reserve world champions behind Kassie Mowry. This was a remarkable accomplishment for Adios and Tricia in both of their first finals appearance.
At just six years old this season, Adios has already built an incredible career that includes record-breaking futurity earnings, major rodeo success and one of the sport’s favorite duos.
Hock injuries can vary in severity, but the early identification and evaluation suggest the team did act quickly. For now, Adios will be sidelined as the team determines the best course of treatment.
The timing is unfortunate, but the tone from Aldridge’s update was steady and hopeful. His recovery is most important, regardless of the rodeos he will have to miss. It is still early in the season, and he is a young superstar. He is likely to make a full recovery, but no timeline has been given.
Adios has built his reputation on consistency and heart. Now, the focus shifts from the arena to healing, with the high expectation that the record breaking golden stallion will return when he is back fully healthy and ready to win.