Ted gave us all a big scare at the FITS ride yesterday. Please pray for a
full recovery for him. He was riding his horse , (I believe for the 3rd day this
week, although not all three in a row), when he stepped in a hole and did a
somersault over Ted. Ted was laying face down unable to move his hands or legs,
but did have feeling in them. He was coherent though. Mary Coleman who was
riding with him, (riding the 6th day in a row on her Morgan Hawk,(and was
the only rider who completed all 6 days on one horse) saw the horse flip and got
off to assist him. She carefully removed he helmet and cleared all the sand out
of his nose and mouth, he said he thought she may have saved his life as he
could not breathe from being down in the sand. She did not move him, she was
close to a road and flagged someone down who called 911. The ride management got
help to him really fast too. They helicopted him to the Shandes Hospital in
Gainesville, FL, where he responded very quickly to treatment. Helen Kohler,
trail coordinator for the ride, drove Mike Caudill to the hospital since he
is a good friend, and gave us all the report. He has movement in his legs, and
one arm so far and was going in for an MRI late last night as Mike left the
hospital. We will be going to the hospital again today to check on him, hope
test went well. Ted is a remarkable man, he is 78 years old, looks like 68
though, is a farrier and still shoes for 140 clients. He is really tough. He
lives in northern Indiana and drove down to Florida for this ride alone. He
rides a wired horse who had fought him all but the last day. I will write more
if i find anyting out,
