Re: RC: Rattlesnakes = discouraged:((

[Dbeverly4@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/18/99 9:36:04 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
guest@endurance.net writes:

<<  That's my story and I'm stickin to it!!
 What I wanta know is, how does everybody else brave the wild?? >>

Hi Denise!  Don't feel too bad.  I've had the rattlesnake week from hell!  
They seem to be popping out all over the place (you midwesterners are 
probably glad you only have twisters).  I think that dang El Nino  is at the 
root of all our problems in California.  I have NEVER seen so many snakes.  
Today I was out marking trail for a CTR that our local club puts on and my 
horse stopped and stared at a rock with some brush sticking out of it.  I 
thought it was the usual "oh my God, it's a white rock" problem and urged him 
forward.  No way-- he arched his neck sideways at the rock and jumped to the 
right...good thing too because there was a rattlesnake in there, coiled up 
and everything.  I've always kind of scoffed at the idea that horses can 
sense a rattlesnake, after all we've trotted over one that was stretched out 
over the trail.  Maybe coiled up is one thing (even if they don't rattle).  
Guess I'm gonna trust Harca's instincts (white rock phobia aside) a little 
more for a while.  It does shake your confidence for a bit, but I'm not ready 
to retire from trail riding, so I guess I'll come to a truce with those 
rattlesnakes (and cougars).  I'm glad you weren't hurt.  By the way, I've 
been told that a rattlesnake bite on a horse's leg is serious, but not life 
threatening and you shouldn't cut it (or god forbid, suck the poison 
out-assuming your horse would LET you do that).  Just walk him in and get to 
a vet.  However, a bite to the nose is more serious (still no more cutting or 
poison sucking needed).  Anybody have some productive suggestions for a human 
snake-bite victim?

Sylvia



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