Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I was told a story one time about a man of Basque heritage who was living in northeastern CA.  He was a cattleman and horseman...operated a lot of acreage.  He went out one day (if I remember the story correctly...it was 30+ years ago) and had an armload of pickets he was carrying while mounted on his mule.  He was holding the reins underneath the armload of pickets, and when some emergency came up, he couldn't manipulate the reins.  He got bucked off and had his neck broken.  He put a rope around his neck, remounted the mule, and rode many miles back home, supporting his head by holding it up with the rope in one hand. This was a true story.  I met the man, though I didn't talk a great deal with him.  It was a neighbor, from whom I bought a horse that day, who told me the story, and I believe it.  Talk about tough.  I'm sure he is long gone now, as he wasn't young then.  The woman I bought the horse from is still alive and was the ride manager of an endurance ride near Honey Lake, east of Susanville.

 

Barbara

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Mary Ann Spencer

To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 7:43 PM

Subject: [RC] broken bones and riding, probably only endurance riders would or those who make their living with their horses

Don't have any stats but it seems endurance riders will ride almost no matter what-with broken bones etc.  Personally I rode many yrs ago with a cracked foot as I thought it was only sprained.  The boots I wore supported it well but it was painful to swim so did not use that leg to kick. 

 

Darolyn Butler rode with a broken arm yrs ago.  I am sure there are lots of others who have as well.  Had friend who fell off his horse while hunting in the mountains of CO.  Broke his arm but could not get back to civilization for a few days. Said he spent the time waiting for his friends to finish the hunt at the local tavern.  Went to his own doctor when he returned to TX.   Have to be tough to do that. 

 

The hard part of being out of riding for 6 weeks is how much more of our conditioning we loose that the horse who is also on 'vacation' doesn't loose. 

 

With the new fiberglass casts, there is much less chance of messing up the cast.