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Re: [RC] My Horse Accident at Washoe Valley - Don HustonHello Jane,That has got to be a record for damage due to tripping at the walk. Sorry about all your pain but I'm glad you are going to be alright. Years ago my endurance horse had a similar stumble at the walk going downhill. I think he was asleep. He went almost to his knees and scrambled a bit like they do to get their hindend under to help lift back up but then just buckled back down like he does to lay down, which is what he did to the uphill side and I just stepped off. Had I fallen off to that side like you did my horse would have dropped on me too. So it's not like your horse is the only one to crash at the walk.....it was just not my day to get the broken bones. Here is a suggestion. I have cracked many ribs and eventually found a way to defuse the dreaded sneeze or cough. When you feel it coming on you start taking shallow but very fast breaths, like panting, resist the urge to take a deep breath and don't quit panting until you sneeze or cough. It still hurts but a lot less. :'( Wishing you a speedy recovery, Don Huston At 07:05 PM 5/25/2007 Friday, you wrote: Two weeks ago, while riding at the Washoe Valley Endurance Ride in Nevada, I had a major horse accident. Day 1 went perfect; beautiful weather, great trails, fun people. Day 2 had all the promises of the prior day. For the last two years, my little mare and I have been working on correcting her irritating head tossing, and as a consequence of the head tossing, her occasional stumbling. We have been taking lessons, watching Clinton Anderson on RFD channel, Annual dental checkups, working on lateral flexion, bending & circles; trying out softer bits, I had checked the saddle fit in December, all without seeing much improvement. She head tossed throughout the first 50 miles on Day 1 and into the first 25 miles of the second day. When we left out on the second loop of the second day, she finally dropped her head and relaxed. We did a lot of walking on that 18-mile loop, and as we were descending off the mountain and heading into camp (mile 41) she tripped at a walk, I lost my balance, and fell off to the left side of her landing on my left side and stomach. I donâ??t know what happened next, but as I started to lift myself off the ground, she crashed on top of me. She slammed on top of my back, neck, and head. Her weight drove my face into the sand and loose rocks. Then she scrambled onto her feet. My nose immediately started to bleed, and I couldnâ??t get my breath. I laid in the trail for a few minutes hoping for another rider to come along, but there was no one. When I got to my feet I knew there was no way I would be able to finish the nine miles, and of course my mare decided she had had enough of me and headed into camp without me. So I started walking down the trail holding my left side. I figured I must have walked an eighth of a mile or so when Gina Hall came up the trail on her ATV. What a lifesaver! She helped me on and drove me into camp. It kind of gets blurry at this point, but my husband, Bill picked me up and put me in a jeep; Connie Creechâ??s husband, Kenny drove us to the Carson City Hospital emergency room where they stabilized me, and from there I was air lifted by helicopter to the trauma center in Reno. I was lucky; my helmet saved my life. It was indented, crushed in on my head, and split on both sides by my ears. I only suffered 5 fractured ribs, a fracture of the left clavicle, and a fractured left scapula. The doctors told me how lucky I was, they wanted to keep my helmet, but I wanted it. I was kept over night for observation, and released on Monday, May 14th. My little mare was unharmed; thank you to the person who caught and escorted her across the road and into camp; and for Jamie Kerr who took care of her in camp while I was in Reno. SanDiego, Calif
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