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RE: [RC] Horse Flipped - Mike Sherrell

Sometimes bad crashes are good psychologically for the horse as long as they don't get hurt. I've had a couple over the years in which the horse seemed to be more trusting afterwards than before. It seems to me it could be because the horse has encountered one of his worst terrors and survived while under your hand, with its gratitude to you for its survival being the dominant final emotion.
 

Mike Sherrell
Grizzly Analytical (USA)
707 887 2919/fax 707 887 9834
www.grizzlyanalytical.com

-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Ibiteraaarr@xxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, December 05, 2003 5:16 AM
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [RC] Horse Flipped

Yesterday afternoon I spent much of my ride going up and down various grades. My horse enjoys doing "hill" work (South Louisiana isn't exactly mountainous terrain), and he's gotten progressively better at it with his balance, footing and focus. But we were going up onto a small beach at the river that runs through the property and his hind legs got caught in a quicksand patch and he sunk up to his hocks. It happened really fast and I'm not sure where he lost his grip on the beach but we went over backwards. When I felt him reach the point where he couldn't move forward, I pushed myself out of the saddle and off to his left. He twisted himself away and fell off to the right and more on his side then his back. We fell into water with sand underneath, so it was a soft cushion and neither of us are hurt, but I can't help but feel guilty and irresponsible. I asked my horse to do a lot and venture into water and down grades that he was uncertain of, and he did everything I asked of him. I feel really horrible. When we got up, we were both rattled slightly, but he was not uncontrollable and he actually had regained his bearings and stayed quiet. He really took it like a trooper, and I can't brush past the feeling that he put his trust in me, and I let something happen.  It also bothers me that I was immediatly more concerned with getting to him and making sure he was ok, rather then my own health, given I could have been crushed, miscarried, killed, etc.  Argh. I think I'm just hormonal. Was there something else I could have done to keep him upright? Is there something *I* did wrong? I tried to lean forward further across his neck but I've never had a horse flip back before and it happened so fast, everything was just reaction.

Guilty feeling mom,
Liz

Replies
[RC] Horse Flipped, Ibiteraaarr