Sam

[Kelsey M <appyhehehorses@yahoo.com>]

Tonight I was sitting chatting w/ one of my dear old
net horse buddies who've I've shared tough times and
great times with over the net. I hadn't talked to her
in a long time, and I was thrilled that she was doing
well. Just a few minutes into the conversation, my
grandfather called from his home down by the barn and
said that Thunder, my black gelding, had a large
branch stuck in his tail and he needed it removed. You
see, I feed the horses in the morning, and the barn
cats; Grandpa does them at night- taking turn so we
can rest, get other chores done: we have a LOT of them
to do! 

I immediatly excused myself from the conversation w/
my friend, saying we had a little horse incident that
had to be dealt with. So, I put all the dogs away, as
they were getting their daily run before going back to
bed in the kennels.  Red, the Australian Cattle Dog,
is unfortunatly a horse chaser. We've tried since she
was a pup to break her of it, but she occasionally
does it again, and gets a really hard spanking.  She
hadn't done it in a long time, so I wasn't really
thinking about it. Just some gut sense told me to put
all the dogs away as it would be easier to make
Thunder stand still so I could remove the branch. I
arrived, broke the branch off, and gently removed the
rest from the mud clumped tail- winters are
disgustinghere!

I asked Grandpa where Sam was. He said he hadn't come
in for dinner. I had seen him this morning, and he
looked fine as usual. I went searching for him in the
field and saw his white form against the dark night.
He is half appaloosa and appaloosa's have a real
genetic traight for being night blind- Sam is! This
means they can't see at night- at all. 

I walked up to him. He didn't approach. I walked
forward again and took off my belt so I could lead him
down to the barn so he could eat. He looked kind of
not himself. I saw what looked like a flap of skin
hanging from his inner front right leg. It was. The
whole bone around his knee was exposed. Also torn up
really badly on the outside- muscle exposed- and down
on the lower leg. On the left leg the coronet band was
banged up a little- very soar, and a nasty cut alittle
ways up. 

I started thinking- okay- go get your first aid kit.
So I get him into the barn and really get a look. I
start shaking all over the place. I feel like I'm
going ot puke. I'm on the verge of tears because of
frustration- this isn't supposed to happen to my
animals!! But no tears come- they never did all night.
I ask Grandpa to go get me gause, vet wrap, peroxide,
etc. I run up to the house- dad calls the vet, and mom
comes down w/ the wrest of the supplies. She is really
worried when she sees the cut. She cries because she
loves him so much and I'm feeling horrid. I feel
guilty, like I could have prevented it. 
I go to look in the field to see what he could have
cut it on. The dog(s?) had run sam in the disker and
there was the white hair and blood to prove it. So- I
want to kill the dog- or a great urge to beat her half
to death- I love her- but my horses are my kids- my
family- my life!! I can't make you understand- NOTHING
is to harm any of my animals. and when another animal-
even ours- does it to one of the other animals- things
are going to happen. So- we wait  and wait and wait
for the vet. She finally comes. Mom's frustrated-
vet's frustrated- very long day for her- and the horse
is in pain. We do a lot of flushing w/ iodine thats
dilluted w/ luke warm water the vet - Tina is her
name- tacks up the flaps of skin and we wrap it.
Antibiotics- sedatives for Sam- more antibiotics-
tentanus shot- more hay- lots of water- get theblanket
on him.

To top it all off- the fronts of the stalls aren't put
on. The horses just go in and out of the barn all the
time- never had the need to lock them up afte we sold
the other horses, and plus the fronts need replacing
anyway. So- mom and I quickly tack up a 2 x 6 across
the stall- get him his water and hay- and finally we
can go to sleep. Its now 12:10. I took me ten minutes
to write this- we got done w/ Sam at 12:00 midnight. 
Tomorrow mom and I are going to be spending all day
doing major barn work- like puting fronts on the
stalls- making sure dogs can't get in- removing any
and all hazards from the field- and tying orange
surveyors tape on everything so the horses will be
sure to see them. And they are going to be getting
locked up at night from now on as well. 

Sam is laying down in his straw bedding in a warm
blanket, probably trying to sleep- in pain- but better
than it was! We hopefully won't have to take him to
Oregon State University Vet Clinic for the knee joint.
Tina- the vet- is pretty sure it didn't puncture the
knee because new fluid was coming out, etc. We give
him this special pill that I can't remember the name
of right now- 14 pills- twice a day- oh boy! 
Until monday- then tina will come back out to checkit.

I don't know whats going to happen to all the wounds
in the next couple of days. Tonight is Friday night-
so its going to be a busy weekend. I'll update
everyone on anything new that happens- I'm praying
that Sam pulls through this okay- and that also all of
you are safe and at peace this weekend. 

~Kelsey,
horse owner
dog trainer, owner
=====
Thought for the month:

"Pain is inevitable.  Suffering is optional."
   - M. Kathleen Casey

=====


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