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,
