The new year ???
OK. This new year is NOT off to a good start and since there seems to be a simple choice between hiding in the closet for the rest of the year.......... or ........... adopting the attitude that all bad things for the year are over in the first week. I will accept the second choice.
On the 2nd I taught a lesson at the barn, fed Nina and almost (SHOULD HAVE) left to run a million errands. I was still feeling very crappy and very slow from my wonderful dance with shingles. But for some STUPID reason I decided to work with Nina about her blanket. She had been spooky, stupid and potentially dangerous over being blanketed, for no reason that I know. BUT I was feeling stupid and slow.
After a few rounds with spooking 16h horse she suddenly sucked herself into about 20h and charged right over top of me. I lost my footing before she hit me and so had NO chance of getting out of her way. Then I smashed my head on a rock on the ground and fractured my skull.
I thought I had been kicked but the doctor in the ER said he just didn't think so, he thought it look more like a rock bruise/cut. He did agree that the foot long bruise on my forearm was definitely horse inflicted and the mud probably saved me from a fracture.
So I spent a week in the hospital. I am home now and dealing with screaming muscle spasms in my back and legs, I think from just laying still for so long. Way too many people have told me to sell or shoot Nina. I think making decisions while in pain is probably not a good idea so I am doing NOTHING for a while.
The only possible redemption for her is that she is extreme pain somewhere, which has crossed my mind before. I don't have the money to explore this right now - especially after missing weeks of income - but I can't ride for a while anyway and I think I will come up with some money and explore this before I do anything else.
Happy New Year! Yuck! Is the new part over yet? Can we start doing something constructive yet? I sincerely hope everyone else is having a better January. I'll read some blogs today and try to find something to cheer me up. If you are writing happy/hopeful horsey stuff - tell me where to find it!
OK. This new year is NOT off to a good start and since there seems to be a simple choice between hiding in the closet for the rest of the year.......... or ........... adopting the attitude that all bad things for the year are over in the first week. I will accept the second choice.
On the 2nd I taught a lesson at the barn, fed Nina and almost (SHOULD HAVE) left to run a million errands. I was still feeling very crappy and very slow from my wonderful dance with shingles. But for some STUPID reason I decided to work with Nina about her blanket. She had been spooky, stupid and potentially dangerous over being blanketed, for no reason that I know. BUT I was feeling stupid and slow.
After a few rounds with spooking 16h horse she suddenly sucked herself into about 20h and charged right over top of me. I lost my footing before she hit me and so had NO chance of getting out of her way. Then I smashed my head on a rock on the ground and fractured my skull.
I thought I had been kicked but the doctor in the ER said he just didn't think so, he thought it look more like a rock bruise/cut. He did agree that the foot long bruise on my forearm was definitely horse inflicted and the mud probably saved me from a fracture.
So I spent a week in the hospital. I am home now and dealing with screaming muscle spasms in my back and legs, I think from just laying still for so long. Way too many people have told me to sell or shoot Nina. I think making decisions while in pain is probably not a good idea so I am doing NOTHING for a while.
The only possible redemption for her is that she is extreme pain somewhere, which has crossed my mind before. I don't have the money to explore this right now - especially after missing weeks of income - but I can't ride for a while anyway and I think I will come up with some money and explore this before I do anything else.
Happy New Year! Yuck! Is the new part over yet? Can we start doing something constructive yet? I sincerely hope everyone else is having a better January. I'll read some blogs today and try to find something to cheer me up. If you are writing happy/hopeful horsey stuff - tell me where to find it!
That is terrible! I am so sorry but thankful you are on the mend. Not sure what guidance to give beyond that, just take care of yourself. I, too, would probably want to shoot the horse, that is probably a natural response!
ReplyDeleteMy god, I hope your luck turns soon & you start feeling better. You've had an eventful time recently, eh?
ReplyDeleteHey Kate.... eventful.... spelled F-----G? Yeah, that's it. We have not determined Nina's birthday. Last year the vet and I threw together everything we knew about her history, which could be false, and everything she displays. He guessed, and I tend to agree that the low mileage 18 or so made sense. Most of her tattoo that would help is illegible. But she looks like the type of TB that was more popular back then. Longer frame, bigger bone, very artsy looking, not so many obvious distance horses around today. It will have to do. If she turns out to be suddenly competitive at age 26, it will just look like a miracle.
ReplyDeleteOh Barbara!! That is horrible!! I'm so sorry you have had such a shitty start to the year!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you - do nothing with Nina for now. You will have to see where your confidence with her is at before even beginning to think about it. Naughty mare! But we all know they can do these things to us, it's the risk we take. :(
you are right, Lisa. And lucky for Nina - the people who aren't telling me to shoot her are relating unexpected horror stories of their own. And everyone lived and moved on.
ReplyDeleteOMG! I am soooo sorry to hear this. Be very good to yourself as you recover. And as for Nina, that answer will come AFTER you heal and with time!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your troublesome start to the year Barbara. Glad you're not hurt worse - no broken arm I mean. It seems like things could only get better from here...
ReplyDeleteUnsolicited advice:
I've had good results supplementing magnesium citrate, which I buy from bulkfoods.com.
Magnesium is very often lacking in horses (and humans), helps with proper hoof health and as a happy byproduct is very calmative - good for the nerves. I give two TBSP of the powder once a day in feed. Been using it for a couple of months and it has helped tons with Val's hooves and with unnecessary foolishness. It is water soluble so there's no danger of overdoing it. And it's inexpensive too. :)
Hope things start improving!
Yikes!! Glad you are alive and healing.
ReplyDeleteOMG!! That is VERY scary! I am glad you were not hurt worse. I am really upset that she kept on coming after you fell...it is one thing for a horse to try and be a bully, but it is another when they know something is wrong and keep coming anyway. I am glad you are home safe and sound for now at least.
ReplyDeleteAs for cheering up...this might help http://vimeo.com/33335062
thanks for the vimeo - good for a giggle :-)
ReplyDeleteThat is frightening. Sending you get well wishes.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are well enough to start blogging again. I work tomorrow, but could see you Thursday if you are up to it. Let me know.
ReplyDeleteOMG! This is the second time you've been run over since I started following you!! My Lord!
ReplyDeleteI think it's a good idea to really see if there isn't something really, really wrong with Nina--health/pain wise. Just so you would know for sure one way or the other.
Doing nothing for the time being is a wise choice. Just concentrate on healing yourself. I am so sorry the year started out so badly. Can only get better from here.
Rita, I have been around horses most of my life and owned them most of my life and NEVER had anything but very minor injuries. I have always worried about a fall with the horse - my nightmare. Has never happened. I worked for a track trainer in college and broke fingers on my hands, which race horses will do if you think you can control one with your hands. I have had bumps and bruises, one minor bone break in an arm, just what you might expect over the years. Getting run over twice has been horrific. I wonder if I am just moving too slow to deal with TBs but I realize that I move faster than anyone around me pulling people out of the way, pushing horses aside, making a correction before the situation gets bad. I just have to think that this was two flukey accidents, I need to be more cautious around Nina and try not to dwell on it. I am at a barn where there are only a few TBs. Most horses are sleepy QHs that are ridden with constant kicking with wicked 4inch spurs, handled in stupid and unsafe ways everyday and pounded into submission. I see this and pics go through my mind of kicking a TB with a spur like that. How HIGH can he throw you? Noon of these people even understand that teaching a horse to gallop cross country with its brain working is NOT the same as beating on it every time you get on until it hangs its head and won't move until you kick hard. I think these people are crazy and they think I am crazy for thinking that a horse can be dangerous. It is a weird world.
ReplyDeleteI think it is terribly sad that people abuse the poor horses with more beaten spirits. I am always upset by any people who don't know how to treat any animal.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem like a few times Nina has acted up you have discovered some underlying health/pain issue. Maybe that is it. I know you love your crazy TB. Rest up and get well!! :)
Oh my goodness! I'm just catching up. So sorry about your head injury. That sounds very scary.
ReplyDelete