Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Fall is showing herself

My husband and I got to work on a project together of late... while we were gathering  up some Basalt stones, at the local Landscape supply, I looked up and spotted  my first glimpse of FALL!
The Oregon City Trolley, was appropriately colored to match.
Last week was super busy again..I only got to ride the weekend a little. It was the first riding I have done on my 3rd set of EASY WALKER horseshoes.
Plus=Wa mare had to heal up from the Hock injury.
So my sissy came, and we rode 3 days.
To my dismay...found that my shoer has really skipped town, in the professional department.
 At a suggestion of someone, I asked for the "clips" not to be applied to the EASY WALKER SHOES. WRONG...I should have watched the installation video again before I took that advise... and the E.W. Web site recommended shoer for the shoes,  should have too...
No clips at all =It is not recommended for the riding I do. The clips really help the stability of the shoes.Only the toe clip can be removed for breakover and the side clips should remain.
AND, since he does not use the recommended equipment (he seems to have an answer for all my queries on this issue too) he is unable to actually SET the nails into the shoes.

THIS...is what I got, after the first ride..to my great horror!
Raised nails!!


I have called the shoer man TWICE...no answer.
 I mean, I asked for the clips to be left off, he is not at fault that way...but not knowing why I should have them ON and Not bothering to call me back, totally inexcusable!
 I got advise from the dealers and have remedied the problem, as best I can. I have bell boots on the mare still...for the stupid unclenched nails are sharp.
He is so fired and reported too...called the Canadian dealer and will contact the American one.
He should NOT be on any recommendation list for the shoes.

So, that ill said...I was able to go out to the barn on Wednesday last, for a small ride on Pantz...and I ponied Wa mare.
We passed our herd on the way out.


It was such a refreshing little ride..the weather had given us a BLAST of HEAT WAVE again..so I stayed to the forests.
I made for home, after about an hour and neared the neighbors pond. We stopped there.
 I took a relaxing deep breath, as I watched some ducks swim out to the middle of the pond with their babies...wondered if......... Pant.....z...z.z.zz.z.z......OH!!!
Pantz suddenly levitated south...I stayed north...I mean, it totally happened so fast,  it felt like someone pushed me off the horse!!
I flew in slow motion, the few feet to the ground...opening my hands breaking the fall...oops letting go of Wa mare too.
It took me, a minute to get off the ground.
I looked up the first time, to see the horses wondering what to do..but Wa was persuading Pantz to move away...the next time I looked up...they were gone!
 I called my Barn owner...she called her husband and said, " they'd come out to look for them."
I tracked the hoof prints back....oh! They missed the first turn home -up the trail....
Oh! They missed the second turn home, up the trail...and to my great dismay, the hoof prints got father apart and deeper...meaning= SPEED=
Yep...speed, and now going towards the road.....
My heart totally SANK...I prayed out loud for them and the situation.

I made it to the road...and saw the storey unfolding in the hoof skid marks....Wa knew it was a left turn..Pantz did not...so I imagine them colliding...Wa got the worst of it...I saw herflesh and reddish- brown  hair, from one side of the road to the other, barely missing the wire fence on the other side.
My water container was smashed...and on the ground..tea bags here and there...lid...I looked up the road to the left and to the right...poop I see POOP!
Up  the right direction!
I had terrible walking boots on..made for riding..not walking!
I had a mind to take them off...I could barely get going up the paved hill..then, My Barn owner drove up and gave me a lift. WHEW'''
They were in the stalls...the barn owners husband- bless his heart- caught them, put them in. He was breathing hard and said not a word about the horses having injury.
(for some reason I think people look for injury, automatically-like I do)


For some reason, I was worried for Pantz more...I looked her over...she had one scrape and a skinned nose...by the looks of the reins...she did bite it, in the dirt...up by the attachment of the bit less...was embedded soil and brush.
She would not take and apple or carrot later.  checked her teeth...no blood, all there.
 I decided to get back on and go back to reclaim that POND area! I took 10 minutes to do that...it is close.

Getting back untacking....
I went into my mares stall to take her legs wraps off......OH HORROR!
I can't even share the photos I took with you  friends...Bloody mess of her knee and elbow, her Stifle had a   golf ball sized CHUNK- right out of it!
I don't know what I thought...not checking her too, right away.....I think now I thought the barn owner, that put her away, may have said SOMETHING! Guess he did not notice.

She was stomping and tossing her head..pawing in pain.
WA mare...I felt terrible...called the vet straight away.
Since it was late and he was on call...I took his advise and gave her Bute and no grain. I stayed for a couple hours to make sure she drank and did not go into shock.
I gave her Anica and Rescue Remedy in a handful of oats...As she was wondering,
"where is my grain?"!!!
I sprayed the wounds with a soothing cleaner, that numbs it a bit...but there was nothing in them at all..totally clean.
Small miracles..and answered prayers all the way around!
I thought of poor Teddy Pony...owned and loved by Olympic riders, the O'Connors. This wonderful eventing pony;  he had an unfortunate accident, right on site of his stable by getting away from the handlers.
 He had to be put down...that day, for the extent of the injuries.
I was thankful...so thankful, Wa appeared to not even be lame...just SUPER SORE. Pantz too.

Next morning, I called the vet to come out...the skin around the areas needed to come off.
 Without sedation...there was NO-WAY I was touching it!
He came on out and sedated her, clipped off skin and hair from the 6 sites of injury...scrubbed the bacteria right out of them..and even with sedation, she managed to protest for pain...poor thing.
She is on SMZ's for 14 days...I am to wash the wounds, then put appropriate cream on them.
It has been  days now, and Wa mare has been wanting to go out to fields...but the stall and runs have given me a way to heal her  faster...no dirt!
She sometimes gets a shaving or two, in the only remaining wet, open stifle wound. But allows me to pick them out..
She has bee SUPER GOOD PONY for all this!
I did let them out finally...for a few hours, in the nice grassy field...no dirt...it is not over grazed like the other turnouts.
She trotted and cantered a bit..tossed her head up in approval of green grass and movement that felt good to her!

So whew!!...I am super sore too. I actually had gone to the CHIRO, that morning...felt like a million ...
Now I go to  physical  therapy tomorrow, and will make another bone apt. soon.

All in all...am freaked at how easy things can go south....how fast trouble brews sometimes and amazed at how dangerious this horse back riding can be.
I have renewed "HEALTHY FEAR AND RESPECT".

One thing I MUST do now...is make a laminated " EMERGENCY CONTACT CARD"- for my horses saddle . If this ever happens, and I am not around when someone finds her..I want them to know WHO she is, WHERE she belongs, & her vet!
After these recent events and because,
I noticed a flyer on a telephone post recently....LOST HORSE- like 2 months ago...It is STILL lost, in some of the woods I have ridden in the area. How totally scarey!

So...with all this news of the downer sort...I do have some really cool news to share too~ Next Post!



24 comments:

  1. OMG what a terrifying horrible accident! I am so sorry to hear about it, Kacy... My thoughts are with you and Wa! Many hugs!

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  2. OMG scary!!

    So I know I said no clips. I just got Indigo's 3rd pair of shoes this summer and I noticed the last pair the nails did get loose. I have another farrier this time as like I explained last time I was so pissed at my old farrier. Luckily for me I don't have to call him and explain I don't need him because he got hurt trimming another horse (I was there it was a bad injury)Anyway the other farrier and president of the ontario farriers association told me "You NEED clips" especially on the carriage horses. He uses his own nails because he finds the ones that come with it are too short. Still uses the setter thing though.
    What a scary situation! Poor Wa and pantz. I would be beside myself if my horse got away from me when I was someplace they didn't know home. Every time I have fallen off I have luckily been someplace the horse knew or in an arena.

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  3. ps: if you get another farrier make sure you tell them to not leave a little extra shoe for hoof expansion. We had an issue with back shoes coming off because of a 2 mm lip the farrier left. They don't need the same room for expansion because the shoes flex.

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  4. My dear Kacy friend,

    As you know your told me this story already and I've seen the pics and was equally horrified and terrified for you, Wa and Pantz.
    You are very brave to share this experience on your blog, because even though it's difficult to talk about and even to recall the memories and fear, your story can help others. (Ask me how I know. *weak laugh*)

    A healthy fear and respect is a good lesson to take from this, for sure. And like you said, it could have been oh so much worse. But I'm so relieved it wasn't.

    Please take good care for yourself, just as I know you are doing for your beautiful Wa mare, too.

    ~Lisa

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  5. Wow Kacy - so glad that you and the girls are okay...

    Lucky for us equestriennes, the good parts of riding are soooo much better than the occasional unanticipated dismounts :)

    Take care!

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  6. I'd have been so traumatized by the whole thing. How are you doing? First you have the fear that you might be hurt, then you have the fear that you may have lost your horses, then you have the fear that they may be hurt, then when they are hurt, you have the fear that infection may set in... It's just one worry after another. Sorry such a tragic spook had to ruin such a nice day.

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  7. Oh Kacy, just as I was reading that you went out riding Pantz and ponying Wa mare, I thought: wow, she is braver than I am.
    And the next thing I read is the horror story of your fall and both horses on the run. AAAAHHHHRRRGGGHHH!

    I hope you will all heal very quickly. With no scars on bodies and souls ;-)
    I think I can relate to how you must have been feeling, because when I just had Naloma she had a terrible accident which left a big gaping wound in her belly. I could put my fist in it (I didn't, but it was that big). I thought she was bleeding to death right then and there. The vet stitched her up and left a drain in it and for week I had to inject iodine in the wound twice a day and massage it gently to prevent the flesh from sticking together and form 'wild flesh'. Horrible! We have a wonderful vet who visited almost every night (free of charge) to see how things were going. He told me later that he'd been afraid she'd die. Fortunately she's still around as you know. With a huge scar exactly where the girth is. She never protested when I pushed the syringe with iodine right into the wound (I nearly fainted the first time I had to do that). Actually, this whole experience made me love her even more. Although we both could have done without the horror at the time :-)

    Take care. A huge cuddle for all of you ;-) And I mean HUGE!

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  8. My goodness! I was holding my breath hoping that they were back to the barn. How frightening that there was a fall and an injury. I'm so glad they will heal quickly! (And you, too...)

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  9. OMG!!! Poor, poor Wa Mare! I hope she heals quickly. And poor you! What a terrible experience. It's incredible how fast it happens, as I well know.

    (((hugs)))

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  10. Kacy, hearing this story again doesn't make it any easier to hear. How scary that must have been! Gilly has dumped me several times when we were riding here on the farm and he runs to Kim's to see Lacy...right down the road! Thank goodness we have hardly any traffic but all it would take is just one car or truck in the wrong place.
    You are braver than me dear heart, people have told me I should pony Pokey so he can go too. NO WAY, I just know I would be jerked off Gilly's back in a heartbeat!
    Glad you two are on the mend, stay safe and healthy....both of you!
    hugs...
    jane

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  11. Man, what a frightening episode! Hope Wa heals quickly.

    I like the idea of a laminated card in case you're separated again from Wa. But maybe you should find a way to secure it to her mane in the event her tack comes off. I've seen saddles slide upside down and bridles pull off panicked horses. And that was in an arena -- not on the trail with brush and sharp branches to get tangled in.

    Kudos to you for reporting the farrier! We all need to report anyone who fails to provide a service as promised. More so when a person or animal may be harmed by their ignorance or negligence.

    We do need to maintain a healthy respect for our chosen sport, don't we?

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  12. Wow, oh goodness! What an episode you must be exhausted by it mentally and physically. Sending good vibes to you and yours for quick healing and safer, non-eventful future rides.
    Love the card idea too.
    Whew! Take care of yourself and Wa.

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  13. Kacy I'm so sorry this happened to you, Wa and Pantz. Heal well and fast, both physically and mentally.

    ***Hugs****

    ~Jeni

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  14. It all sounded terrible! But, by the sounds of it, Wa Mare and Pantz are doing ok. Pleased for you, and the horses. there is nothing that can be done, when caught off guard. The laminated card? Its an idea we use in Trec, all competitors on the POR day, must carry one. POR? French! But in english, Going out and Map reading your way home, over a 30 miles course. They are very good! Keep us all up to date!

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  15. Yikes! Glad to hear there are no catastrophic injuries. I swear by DermaGel for healing injuries and growing hair back, no scars. Do you care ICE info on your person too? The eventing armbands are a good way to make that infor easily visible should something happen to you. Feel better soon all three of you!

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  16. I'm glad you were here to write about this, and that you are all alive and improving. Having the ID is a good idea.

    Hope all is well and the horses are out eating grass.

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  17. I am very, very glad that over all, everyone was ok. Yes, Wa mare is injured, but it could have been so very, very much worse!

    Quick healing to all of you!

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  18. How scary Kacy! Glad to hear everyone is on the mend.

    Sending healing thoughts, Aurora

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  19. Oh Kacy! It has taken me a long time this evening to get through your story. I read a few lines then, stop, breathe and read again. I was so upset and terrified for you and Pantz and dear, sweet, Wa mare. Oh, how awful! But I am so glad that it sounds like you all will be ok. I hate to hear about any pain to her or you. Brian had to hear the whole story because of my reactions while reading. Hugs and prayers and healing thoughts. Please get better and love up the Wa mare. She is a sweet girl and needs all the loving to get better. Loving her up will make you feel better too.

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  20. None of the farriers in this area are special easywalker people, we actually had a clinic were mike and wendy came and sold us some shoes and helped one of our farriers put them on my mare last summer. Just about any farrier can put them on so long as they follow the instructions on the site. Mike and Wendy are sure helpful too, wonderful people.

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  21. PS- you gotta be on my bitless blogger list, I need your info go visit that page :P

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  22. I'm so sorry to read this story, even though it sounds like everyone is going to be OK, an incident like this can change things forever. It is so true that in an instant things can go from pastoral and peaceful to terrifying, you handled this very well.

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  23. How scarey!! Thankfully it wasn't worse though. Hoping Wa and Panz heal quickly.

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  24. OK, KK , I have now heard 'the rest of the story'... wow. you have had a trying few weeks. I do pray that you all are recovering and in time- will be good as new. New beginnings - butterflies ahead.

    Hugs,
    Patrina <")>><

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