horse vs 18 wheeler Long..

["D&M Arabians" <knever@eatel.net>]

Some may not see this as endurance related.. and perhaps if you have a weak stomach you may not want to read this...

I have no one else to tell so I am telling everyone on ride camp. The images of last Friday will be burned in my mind forever. I can not stress how IMPORTANT it is for your horses[s] to be TAUGHT TO TIE. Or whatever means you contain your beloved animal is SECURE AND SAFE --- NO MATTER WHAT!!!. There have been several threads as to fencing, how to tie and what with - I have enjoyed reading and learning- . The IMPORTANCE OF TYING hit home last Friday.

For those of you who don't know me.. my husband is a cross country truck driver. I had managed to get a few days off of work and took a short trip north with him. We had been running ahead of another truck and had kept up a conversation over the CB. We were in the lead for several 100 miles, so my hubby let the other trucker and his wife "lead" for awhile. It was a really foggy dreary night Friday, Nov. 19th. We were just on the north side of Meridian, MS {probably about 5 minutes after we traded running places}... the blue truck in front of us seemed to explode { no fire just parts and pieces every where} it ended up jack knifing, sliding sideways and finally hitting a embankment. We {hubby and  I} also ended up sliding sideways, into the median to avoid hitting the other truck & trailer and our momentum carried us back onto the interstate in front of the other truck. Our speed was at about 70 -75 mph.

We got out of our truck and went to check on the other couple. When I got to the front of the truck it looked purple in the light. -strange.- I put my hand on the fender to step over some debris my hand landed in something slick and sticky and I realized it was Blood!! I looked up at the truck stunned...the whole front {what was left} was covered!! there was no windshield left the chicken lights over it were gone I remember this great big indention where they should have been.... the passenger mirror was gone, that whole corner was smashed.. the metal piece that held the windshield and joined to the door was totally ripped out...

my husband got the driver out and then they were able to get the drivers wife out. her face was very badly cut- hopefully it only looked worse than it actually was- after making sure they were ok { By this time perhaps 15-20 minutes had passed.} I went looking on the side of the interstate to see "What" they had hit. The driver had no clue, did not see anything in the fog. I can still smell the stench of blood and fear...then I recognized what every horse person can recognize anywhere.. manure..,. HORSE manure.... I was shaking so bad and telling my self please god...noNO NO NO.. don't let it be a horse...then the noise started when I was about 15 ft from him.... the terrifying sounds of a horse in overwhelming agony. The noises that poor creature was making seemed almost unrealistic. He was laying with his back towards me, his legs were broken and I could see the bones protruding from three of them...one foot was severed off, the back legs and rump were totally mangled, I have no idea what color this horse was,everything was so dark and bloody... I walked around the poor animal and was nearly physically ill.. when I realized what I had seen on the horses "broken" back legs wasn't just bone but the insides of his tummy. His gut must have ruptured on impact. HOW could this horse still be alive!?!?!?! And Suffering? Why couldn't he have been killed straight out??The state trooper got there and was physically ill. I begged him to shoot the animal and put him out of his misery... I was crying I couldn't take the sound of it anymore. So my husband asked for the officer's pistol and ended the stallion's misery. That could have been one of My horses lying there or it could have been one of the people's on ridecamp.. { I pray it was not}  PLEASE TEACH YOUR HORSE TO TIE or make sure whatever enclosure you use is HORSY PROOF AS POSSIBLE . Check and double check your animals!! We have no idea where this animal came from that night. There are several farms in that area. The microchip from his coggins will show which one later. Cherish your animals, and if you think you have tied that rope secure, check again.... I wouldn't want my beloved stallion laying on the side of the interstate suffering the way that one did. and I'm sure none of ya'll would either. I am sorry for this being so long, and if you've managed to read this  far thanks for letting me use ridecamp as a sounding board.

May you always be able to ride your favorite...

Debi & Knevermore