Ridecamp: [RC] [Guest] HAHIRA

LYNN TURCK MORNINGSTARJL@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

I HAVE RARELY WRITTEN IN TO RIDECAMP, I AM A MEMBER, AND I MUST TELL A 
TRAGIC STORY.  ON SAT. WE LOST OUR BEAUTIFUL LITTLE MARE, TOOTSIE TO A 
HORRIABLE ACCIDENT AT HAHIRA.  MY GRANDSON DUSTIN WAS RIDING HER AS HE HAS 
SINCE HE WAS 6, AND WE WERE ON THE LAST LOOP OF THE 50.  WE WERE WITH 
MEAGAN DAVIES, AND SEVI MARTINEZ, AND MY OTHER JR., SANDRA FOTI.

WE GOT TO A DIP THAT HAD WASHED OUT WITH THE RAIN, WE ALL SLOWED DOWN, AND 
MEAGAN WENT THROUGH FIRST, WITH DUSTIN NEXT, THEN ME, THEN SANDRA AND 
FINALLY, SEVI.SUDDENLY THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE, LIKE A GUN SHOT, I LOOKED 
OVER TO SEE TOOTSIE, WHO WAS STILL ON THE EMBANKMENT, STOCK STILL WITH HER 
LEG BROKEN ABOVE THE CHESTNUT.  I ALSO SAW MEAGAN'S HORSES BACK LEGS COMING 
DOWN AND KNEW TOOTSIE HAD BEEN KICKED.  SHE WAS FAR ENOUGH BACK THAT SHE 
GOT THE FULL IMPACT OF THE KICK. MEAGAN FORTUNATELY HAD A CELL PHONE AND 
CALLED FOR HELP.  MEANTIME I PUT A TURNIQUET ON TOOTSIE AND I COULD SEE 
WHERE SHE WAS KICKED.

WHEN THE VETS GOT THERE, THEY ALSO CONFIRMED THAT SHE WAS KICKED HIGH ON 
HER RIGHT FRONT LEG , THE BONE WAS SHATTERED AND THERE WAS VERY LITTLE 
CHANCE THE WE COULD SAVE HER AND MAINTAIN A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE FOR HER. I 
MADE THE DECISION TO PUT HER DOWN AND AS I WRITE THIS I AM STILL 
CRYING.  SHE WAS MY FIRST HORSE AND TAUGHT ME SO MUCH, BUT SHE LOVED DUSTIN 
AND WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR HIM.  THEY WERE A REMARKABLE TEAM AND IT WAS 
OBVIOUS THAT THEIR'S WAS A BEAUTIFUL ALMOST MYSTICAL RELATIONSHIP.  THIS 
WAS AN ACCIDENT THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ANYONE AT ANY TIME .  WE 
PARTICIPATE IN A SPORT THE IS EXCITING BUT IS ALSO DANGEROUS AND I CAN ONLY 
HOPE THAT EVERYONE CAN LEARN FROM THIS.  NO ONE DID ANYTHING WRONG,  NO ONE 
WAS TOO CLOSE, WE WERE ALL HAVING FUN,  IT WAS JUST A VERY BAD ACCIDENT.

MY THANKS GOES TO ANN STEWART, MELINDA, [THE VETS AT THE SCENE] PAM AND 
WILLIE LINAHANN, AND ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HELPED US. A SPECIAL THANK 
YOU TO TODD GARRET WHO REALLY HELPED DUSTIN TO SAY GOODBYE TO HIS BELOVED 
TOOTSIE.

I KNOW THERE WERE PLENTY OF RUMORS FLYING AROUND CAMP, I WAS THERE, I WAS 
BEHIND AND TO THE LEFT SIDE OF TOOTSIE AND DUSTIN, I SAW AND HEARD THE 
KICK, AND NO ONE WAS TO BLAME.  I CAN'T SAY THAT ENOUGH.  I LOVED TOOTSIE, 
SHE WAS SWEET AND KIND TO ALL THE KIDS THAT RODE HER, AND SHE WILL BE 
REMEMBER BY US. DUSTIN IS GOING THROUGH THE STAGES OF GRIEF, BUT HE WILL 
RECOVER AND BE STRONGER AND HOPEFULLY CONTINUE TO RIDE.

LYNN


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