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I have been extremely lucky with horses and
accidents. However, the people who ride with me haven't. My trainer Wendy, has
been snapped,crackled and popped as well as had a concussion or two. With a
helmet I might add. My daughter has broken her arm.
Whenever we return home, our dogs love to race us
down the driveway. The greyhounds really know how to cut each other off. I guess
they learn that at the track, going around the corners. They forget that the 1
ton truck is behind them and can't see them when they serpentine in front of us.
But, if we can see them, we gas it and we all come to a screaming stop at the
end of the driveway. It is their only entertainment before they pass out for the
next 14 hours.
At the end of the driveway is where I park my
trailer. Have had it parked there for over 8 years when it is not in use. One
night, as we were all racing for the end of the driveway, one dog,
Shamus cut the other one, Hank off before poor Hank could even slow
down. Next thing we knew 'ole Hank was knocked out cold on the ground. He ran
head first into the horse trailer. Dumb dog. I scooped him up, (all 75 pounds)
and ran him into the house. He was dazed and confused. That is not unusual for
our dogs.
I laid him on our bed,( which the worst thing to
do) so that I could get a good look at him. He was drooling a little, his pupils
were pretty big and he had a knot growing on the top of his bony little head.
After about 10 minutes or so, he seemed fine, except now he was on the bed and
playing dead so we couldn't move him. Not so dumb dog after all.
I took him to the vet the next day and told the Dr.
what had happened. I asked him if he thought Hank could have brain damage. He
just looked at me and said, "How would we know?". Good question. If they aren't
that bright to begin with..... Anyway, he did say seizures were in
the forecast. Hank has had a handful, nothing too bad, and not one for over a
year now. Since then he can do a spin on one back foot better than any reiner I
have ever seen. Fast and furious. But people do always ask about his helmet.
That is why we have the sign that says, "One old
dog, one young dog, several stupid dogs. Please drive slowly."
We do have a new dog. Actually, she is an older
beagle that some hunter left behind. I took her home thinking I would take her
to the SPCA. That was in February.
Anyway, she has this thing hanging from her
lip. It is like a big mole, with some stray hairs. When ever she shakes her
head, it almost beats her death. She has to tilt her head to the side when she
eats, or else she is constantly spitting it out.
When John first saw her he asked me why couldn't I
ever bring home a pretty animal? Or at least something that didn't scare people.
He said that thing on her lip had to go. I told him, "Look, if I take her to the
vet, it will cost us $5000 just to find out if they can do the surgery, what
with blood work, and urine samples, shots, toenail clipping and a beauty bath."
(I know that is a little exaggerated, but they do get carried away)
So instead I just named the little booger. The
dog's name is Lucy and her little tag-a-long is Lou. When I call, "LucyLou!",
they both come bouncing down the driveway.
We can dress her mole up for Halloween as a pumpkin
and she can be a pumpkin patch! Or it could be a shrunken head. Or she could be
a stunt dog with a stunt mole and we can put a helmet on it. Awww, that's a good
little dog and her mole.
Lisa Salas, The Odd FarM
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