[RC] Sad and OT - DESERTRYDR1Today I went to visit my mule at the trainer's. Just to make this endurance related, she is my next endurance hope, and she's just finishing her first 30 days under saddle. My trainer is a natural horsemanship type gal, and she sponsored a Steve Rother clinic at her ranch last weekend. Steve is a talented young guy who works a lot with BLM mustangs. This weekend, there was a family who had gotten three totally right off the range mustangs at the last auction a few weeks ago for their KIDS. Another guy, Eric, was at the clinic, and he has apparently worked with BLM mustangs a lot also. He was going to take these three home with him to work with, to Carnation, WA. He was trying to load the first mustang in the trailer, had the trailer backed up into the round pen, and it kicked him square in the left nipple. He took about four steps, according to my trainer's husband who was there, then went straight down on his back and never moved again, except his chest was quivering. Basically, he was kicked hard enough to send his heart into fibrillation. They apparently worked on him a while at the ranch, then took him in to the hospital, but he was declared dead shortly after they got there. No, he wasn't an endurance guy, I didn't even know him. But how many times have you done something around a horse without thinking that it could hurt you? This guy was experienced with wild mustangs, but for some reason, lost his concentration for that split second to allow himself to be vulnerable. PLEASE be careful. And when you hear someone talking about wanting to get a horse for their kids, who don't know anything about horses, tell them that they need to look for a BROKE horse. What if one of the kids had been in the pen? I just want to cry thinking of the man's wife and family, thinking of the family who owned the horse, and how they'll feel. Please be careful, and tell your loved ones how much you care about them before it's too late. jeri =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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