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Re: [RC] [RC] Update on injured mare- lightening strike - Amy CieriThanks Truman. Patty (Patriot Games) is a great endurance horse. I've ridden quite a few horses in competition and darn, this is a good mare. She was bred to a great stallion and the baby was stellar. We know things happen and pitfalls are many in life. Thanks Truman, and thank you to everyone else who's been keeping our spirits up. When you get that once in a lifetime horse, it's hard to see them in a debilitated state. This mare is owned proudly by Tim Miller of Sami Hills Farm in PA. I'm frequently asked to take a horse through a 1st 50 or just keep one going. This was the case with this mare. I was just recovering from a very traumatic injury (for lack of a better term) and wasn't sure of my abilities anymore, but took on the job of getting her to the Michaux Madness. Truman, I sat this mare and laughed my head off the whole ride, she carried me to heights only known in my healthy days. She gave me back to desire to do endurance because she showed me I could. She carried me to an EASY 4th place on a very tough ride. Heck, she wasn't even trying, neither was I and what a blast. Her baby was to be co-owned by Tim and I and we would talk and day-dream like every foal parents do. As of yesterday, the vet said Patty was 80% better! Louise Burton has also been in our position and from what I told her she think a 100% recovery is in the cards. The vet confirmed that yesterday too. Still unsteady but not ataxic. Still has facial paralysis, food falling out of her mouth but a lot gets down. Pulse is down, swelling decreasing, etc. Heart and lung function obviously improving. On the day of the injury this valiant mare took Tim's forearm into her floppy lips and nuzzled his hair. She knew his desperation and tried to comfort him. She's a true arab, in your tent as they say. People come first. I looked at the ground where it happened trying to learn something from this. I can't see where the lightening went. The foal was completely intact, no marks. They were under a tree. No scorch marks. Can it just hit the ground and travel up? I don't know, but I'm going to learn more as I go. The following day another friend was bringing in her horses because of another storm. She was removing a halter from one horse, the only one with a window in his stall. Lightening struck and came through the window and sparks flew from the metal rings on his halter. He suffered a minor burn to his face and she was unhurt. Another wonderful surprise. A lurker on ridecamp knows Patty, delivered her and trained her for the track. She sent us stories, photo's etc. God Bless her and you and everyone else who's shown the compassion and caring, innate to truly good people.
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