we've all done dumb things

[DreamWeaver <karen@chaton.gardnerville.nv.us>]

At 01:40 AM 1/28/99 EST, you wrote:
>Whoa!  What was the "mother of all dumb things" that you did?  Please share,
>we've all done dumb things...it helps to know we're not alone!

LOL!  

Okay, I helped a friend move her horse. Everything was fine, he loaded into
the trailer really nice (slant load).   He hauled beautifully.  Got to our
place to unload him...and I went in the back to get him out.  We had
dropped down the feed door and she (owner) was holding the lead rope and
had untied his lead in the trailer.  He had no fear whatsoever of being in
the trailer, was not nervous and stood calmly and quietly.  I opened the
divider and moved it over.  I looked at him, he looked at me.  I put my
hand on his rump, everything was fine.  Walked up to his head, and just as
I reached for the lead rope - was within about oh - 4" of grabbing the rope
under his halter - he went ballistic.

Turned into me, cow-kicking - I flew backwards.  He nailed me with both
hind feet.  Hit me in the gut - and the thigh.  I went flying backwards and
hit my head on the center divider, splitting it wide open, then fell out
onto the pavement.  I think that had I spent even 2 more seconds in the
trailer with that horse, he would have killed me.  (the whole episode
lasted probably less than a fraction of a second!) 

Went to the ER.  They stitched up my head - I had a really bad concussion
and had to go get a cat-scan for that.  I had three broken ribs and a
ruptured kidney (was passing blood for a few days).  The doctors in the ER
commented about how they had never seen anything like the hematoma (gosh
have you ever seen one that BIG before?) on my thigh. It was literally the
size of a football.  They took x-rays because they thought my leg may have
been fractured.  Luckily, it wasn't.  They weren't sure how to stitch up my
head either.  I heard comments like "how do we put that back together"
(guess there was a piece missing - it punctured my skull).  Needless to
say, I was not a happy camper.  I had suffered serious trauma to my neck
and cervical spine as well, and spent many weeks in therapy.  I lost all
feeling in my right side - arm-leg-everything - from the nerves being
pinched because my spine was so out of whack.  My whole world spun for
weeks - I could barely stand, let alone get on a horse. They gave me
crutches, but have you ever tried crutches with broken ribs?  Ha! 

Yet I did ride - I had already entered Tevis and couldn't *not* do it
because of ME.  At least not when the horse was fine <G>.  By then the ribs
were mostly healed, and the only real problem still was the hematoma and
the dizziness problem, which didn't help me one bit on THAT trail believe
me!!  I still have a bruise and lump on my leg - if I spend much time on
foot (like running or walking) then it swells up and discolors again.
Riding seems to be good for it.  :)  btw, I didn't ask the doctors ahead of
time about doing that ride - they found out Monday morning first thing
after the ride though. ;^0  If you ask they just tell you you shouldn't do
it and then you feel guilty.  It's kind of hard to feel guilty when you
have your Tevis buckle tho..hehe. So what if I had to spend a couple of
weeks in a dazed state, smiling like a loon while popping fuzzy white pills? 

I am now quite paranoid about going into the trailer with my own horses.  I
have no reason to be, they have never done anything to make me afraid  -
but the idea of being in there with a horse - any horse - makes my palms
sweat.  I hope I will get over that fear.  I suppose I should teach the
horses to load and unload without me going inside but I *know* that if I
change something like that then THAT will be what will cause something else
to happen.  I am lucky both horses are sweethearts about the trailer - even
my husband can load them by himself.  

If only I had been wearing a helmet then!  

Happy Trails,

Karen
in Gardnerville
& Weaver...perfect size at 14.3 :-)
& Rocky...who got extra time off this summer cuz I couldn't get on him!