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Big South Fork unhappy ending



Abbie Sanders equine@abts.net
We had an amazing time at the 3 day Big South fork ride outside
of Onieda TN this weekend.  It was so well managed and vetted 
that it should be a model for multi day rides everywhere!
Asa my 6 year old mustang completed 75 miles in 3 days with the second overall fastest time.  He got better each day.  I was so proud! 
This is our first season and has been doing well in slow 50's but
we wimped out and decided to ride 25 each day.  What a great time
we had.  Sunday came and is was time to load up for the 6 hour ride back to Leatherwood in Ferguson NC.  
The horses were wrapped with heavy duty shipping boots and put 
in our 94' Trail-et 2 horse camper trailer.  The trailer is new
to us and has only been used maybe 18 times since 1994.  We 
stopped to check the horses several times thru the trip because
the roads were pretty curvy.  All was well.  As we pulled in to 
unload the horses something didn't feel right. I noticed a spot
of blood on Asa's nose when I went to unhook him.  When I opened
the trailer door It looked like a stabbing had taken place in
our trailer.  Blood covered the walls and the saw dust.  Panic
mode set in!  We were able to stop the bleeding by applying 
pressure until the vet arrived.  3 hours and 150 staples/stiches
later we new the damage.  He opened up his front left knee & 
fetlock,  (it looked like hamburger)  And his rear hock.  It 
will take 3 to 4 months of intense treatment to put him back 
together.  He fortunately had little muscle and no tendon or 
ligament damage.  If all goes well he will recover.  How did 
it happen you ask?  The walls on the trailer have a rubber mat
to protect against injury.  This mat was flimsy enough that a
paw of the hoof caused it to seperate froms the walls, exposing
32 phillips head screw tops that hold the mat to the wall. 
It was like razor blades sticking out from the wall.  He 
repeatedly cut the legs.  The shipping boots were shreaded.
We took pictures of the trailer, the boots and  injuries.  Our 
lawyer is going to hear about this.  It was a freak accident,
but I am afraid that there is a serious manufactuer error with
this horse trailer.  Asa's career has been brought to a halt
this year. My nerves are shot.  People need to know that this 
has happened.






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