Re: Accident proned Horse

["Kim Pelletier" <kim@redhorsetech.com>]

----- Original Message -----
> Hey Ridecampers,
> Have any of you out there come across  accident prom horses?
***(snip)***
> Can anyone out there simpithize with me? Or share a simalar experiance?
> Colleen K. (Who is about to take this mare home wether no one is there or
> not.)


-------------------------

Hee, heee.... Let's look at Lee's last two years, which have been pretty
mellow (don't *want* to remember further back):

1.  Fractured sesamoid while "playing with the youngin's in the rocks".
There's not a whole lot of rocks in Lubbock, but she decided to play in the
only outcropping in her 45 acre pasture and slammed it hard.  By the way,
she's about 25 (24 at the time) and still acts like a careless two year old.
Healed up in a few months and she is sound in that foot today, although
blemished with some calcification.

2.  A couple of months ago she did something that we still can't find the
source for:  Somehow, she caught and clamped her neck in something, slammed
into her knee, and tore off a good chunk of her upper lip (square shaped
chunk, about 1 inch by 1/2 inch).  The pasture fencing is safe --- all I can
think is that she caught herself on the large drive-through gate somehow in
the afternoon.

Anyway, she looked like a horse with a damaged central nervous system
(walking like a drunk, constant trembling and head/neck jerking, obviously
having to live off of Equine Senior soup for a week since her lips didn't
work).  She's back to normal now with full coordination, her neck has
regained it's mare-ish form, her knee is a little enlarged but sound again,
and her lip has almost grown back full, with a good spread of whiskers even!

3.  Two weeks ago, she ran into a mesquite tree (they have very sharp, hard
thorns) and ended up with an infected left shoulder, fever (103), etc.  She
could barely walk the five feet from her stall's feeder to the waterer.
She's now back to normal with only a small scar at the puncture site.

Her history in the 15 years I've owned her (or she owned me and my bank
account):  Severely broken nose requiring hoses in the nostrils to allow her
to breathe (almost had to put her down for that, but she only has a slightly
lopsided bridge to show for it today); numerous play fights with inanimate
fences and buddies adding countless scars; kicked in the mouth by a
pasturemate which broke off all of her lower incisors in half except for one
(requiring some creative veterinary dentistry); various infections from
"natural" sources (trees, horse bites, etc.), and the always constant
opps-slam-nose-into-feeder routines that sends shivers up my spine.

She's a good healer, thank goodness!  I simply won't be able to prevent
further boo-boo's without sticking her in a well-groomed, padded pasture
without trees, feeders, shelter, or buddies --- which is not realistic or
even the best choice for her --- so all I can do is hope for the best.
She's survived 25 years or so by now, and is still pretty sound (except for
some age-related degenerative joints) and acts like a spunky kid.  Her
vision and other senses are fine (according to the vet) --- she's just a
clutz when *not* under saddle :->.

Well, you asked for some experiences, you got some!

Kim (and the accident-proned QH-mutt, Lee)

Lubbock, Texas