Re: RC: Nature of Endurance Riding/Racing

[Linda Flemmer <bluewolfranch@yahoo.com>]

Frank,

You are so right about "things happen".  We've had two
incidents in recent memory that were quite scary.  One
was tragic.

The first incident was at a organized fun ride that we
were using as training for the Old Dominion.  My mare
was walking over "tank traps" (water barriers on the
trail) when she stumbled and fell.  She was in supreme
shape, trail savvy, moving at a working walk and not
"day dreaming".  She just stumbled!  She immediately
stood up & walked on, sound.  Within minutes she was
progressively lame.  We noted clear fliud at a scrape
on her knee and realized she'd punctured the joint
capsule.  We led her off the mountain, got a vet to
give first aid (she was in shock 45 minuted later at
the trailer).  When stabilized, we got her to the vet
hospital for flushing of the joint under anesthesia,
followed by IV antibiotics in an intensive care stall.
 The antibiotics were too strong and killed off the
gut flora, causing her to become endotoxic.  Despite
the hospital's heroic efforts, she died 3 days later. 
A true tragedy that was probably unavoidable in every
sense of the word short of keeping her in a padded
stall for her entire life.

The second had a better ending.  Our green gelding was
on his first steep moutain trail this summer when we
came to trees down across the trail.  The horses could
easily step over them and the Nat'l Forest Service
obviously expected this - they only trimmed the odd
branches on the top of each log to make the log
"safe".  
My husband knew Razz was cluelees about this, so he
got off & led for the first little bit.  Sure enough,
Razz decided going around a log looked better.  He
started to scramble on the loose rock & soil as he
stepped off the edge of the trail onto the steep
mountainside.  Mike was able to pull his head around
and help him struggle to get his front feet back on
the trail.  Poor horse stood with two front feet on
solid ground and puffed, then got back up.  He stayed
in the middle of the trail for the rest of the trip. 
The horse could have easily bounced more than 1200
feet to the bottom.

Endurance is a sport that takes us into remote
territory where we must literally survive by our wits
& the horse's training.  Sometimes it isn't enough. 
I'm willing to take moderate risk to see beautful
parts of the country I would never otherwise get to
see.  I'd be bored silly if I could never leave an
arena or come off of the lead line.

Yes, horses are accidents waiting to happen. 
Endurance can put us in some remote spots where it can
get hairy and help isn't likely or slow to get there. 
I vote for supporting those folks whose number comes
up and they have an accident.

Do you know what I would have felt like if somebody
berated me after my mare died?  Sh** happens.  I had
supportive friends help me get through it.

Linda Flemmer
Blue Wolf Ranch
--- DVeritas@aol.com wrote:
>  THINGS HAPPEN, BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, SOMETIMES
> THINGS DON'T HAPPEN.
>     How many times have things NOT happened to you?
>     
>     Frank.

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