Fainting Spell

[Bob Keeffe <bkeeffe@nativeson.com>]

Give me your opinion:

Well it all started out beautifully...our Sunday ride that is.

Hind sight is of no use, but looking back . . . well, here's what happened.
I arrived and started grooming Duke, give Dennis (Duke's owner) a hard time
for not keeping my Sunday riding horse cleaner. Dukie had dried diarrhea on
his back end, legs and tail. Bridling went easy - for Duke that is unusual.
Saddling was the easiest ever too!  Not his normal constant moving while
trying to get all the gear on, still moving none the less.  I'm thinking
he's finally figuring all this routine out. Even getting on him is usually
at a fast walk in a circle... not so today, slow walk. After getting through
the gate he was even patient waiting for Annette, very alert and wanting to
go, patient none the less.

Duke is the leader of the pack and moves right out.  He's alert, feeling
Good, noticing all.  He's muscled up nicely since I started riding him.
Annette and I decide to take the trail up to the lookout tower instead of
following the road.  Wow!  What a gorgeous trail, goes from very narrow with
brush to open hills of oaks and grass, to rocky climbs.  Everything for a
good ride. We're in no rush. This is just a fun trail ride. We're letting
the horses (Duke) determine the pace.  The trail was beautiful plus we were
getting the nice breeze from the ocean.  We'd been on the trail about 2-1/2
hours when we reached the lookout. Took a few minutes for a snack/potty
break, enjoyed looking around at the beautiful view and let the horses rest
and graze. Life is good.

We head out, just at a walk, we're really in no rush. It's starting to warm
up on 'this' side of the mountain.

Hey, we even saw some very large, perfect in the mud, bear prints!  How I
wished some plaster of paris was at hand.

The boys were going to meet us at the campground, if they had the energy to
climb the hill, which was just a short jaunt down the hill from the lookout.
The temperature was much warmer on this side of the hill, the ocean breeze
was blocked.  Annette and I were at the water trough just past the
campground and no sign of 'the boys'.

Duke had been doing great!  He's learning to graze and eat along the trail
and sometimes he even takes water!  This was our first water stop of the
day.  Annette had Paloma at the trough drinking her fill.  I had Duke up to
the trough a couple of times, no go.  Paloma backed away and was waiting.  I
moved Duke back up to the trough, this time closer to the end.  He dropped
his head like he was going to drink when all of a sudden his legs buckled
and we went down. I was pinned under him so couldn't roll away when all of a
sudden he's struggling to get up!

We're in a tight spot between the old trough and a tree on a down hill
slope.  Duke is dancing all over me and I've the bruises to prove it.  With
one final push he gets me in the ribcage and starts running back up the
road.  Poor Annette.  I can still hear her "Oh Jeannie, Oh, Oh, are you Ok,
Oh Jeannie, Oh. . . . " While Annette was trying to get Duke, I did a
complete body check (had no choice, couldn't get up for the lack of breath)
and was thinking a couple of ribs might be broken.  Everything else hurt,
but not seriously.

Gathered all that had spilled and started walking back up the road in search
of Annette and the horses.  Duke was scraped and had a few small
cuts....seemed fine other than that.  By now the temperature was climbing
pretty good.  We started walking down the road, Annette took the lead in the
hopes she could hail someone at the crossroads.  I'm in shock, breathing is
shallow, just keeping myself together by flapping a wet bandana around my
neck and shoulders.  After what SEEMED like hours we finally had a guy/two
boys stop, we must of looked delirious by now, and he asked if he could
help.

The story ends: Duke had the look of what the heck happened to you while
pointing a hoof at me.  All his scrapes and cuts were superficial and are
healing fast, thank you. And an ER visit for me, no broken ribs . . . might
be cracked, for sure separated.  Oh joy.

So why did Duke collapse then run off?  #1 It hadn't started to heat up
until we were on the east side of the mountain. #2 We'd been taking it easy
. . the horses were barely sweaty. #3 Duke jumped up and ran as soon as he
could get out of the tight spot we were in.

I've heard a couple thoughts about this so far:  #1. Maybe the breast collar
was too tight thus cutting off Duke's air supply when he put his head down
for a drink. ....I'm not so certain, he managed to eat grass and weeds along
the way and he had to lower his head for that. #2. It was the heat. ....It
hadn't started heating up until we reached the campground and watering
trough although it did heat up to 98* later on while walking down the road.

Remember my 'hind sight':  Dukie didn't seem 'his self' at the start, not
that he was acting sick or not wanting to go mind you.  Just different.  I
thought he was just getting the routine down and Annette thought the
diarrhea was just from nervousness (which is quite normal).

So, tell me your thoughts on what you think happened this day. Without the
backup from a vet we may never know, but I will certainly not let any change
in a horses behavior no matter how great or small slip by without giving
more thought to it.

I'm still managing to get my daily horse fix, but it will be a while before
I'm 'bouncing' along on the trail again.  This is the pits!

Jeannie