Lucky To Be Alive

You would think after the abuse I've taken since owning horses for the last few years, I may consider getting out of it and dedicating my time to other things.  Most human relationships wouldn't survive similar circumstances an individual does with his/her horse.

Last year, I was riding Ebony and decided to open a gate and pass through without dismounting.  As I reached down to open the latch on the gate and pull the gate open, Ebony decided to go through the gate before it was open completely.  She managed to compress herself between the gate and the fence.  Of course her instinct is to go forward.  Another problem was that my leg was hung up on the latch of the gate.  As she continued to press forward, the latch continued to press into the calf of my leg.  Through the pain, I managed to get her to back up, but when I dismounted, I realized at that moment there was no feeling in my leg.  When I stepped off the stirrup, it felt like my leg was missing from the knee down and it wouldn't support my weight as I tried to stand.  It took a few minutes, but eventually the feeling came back and wow, was it painful!  I limped my way back to the house, pulled up the pant leg and noticed a huge lump already shaping on the muscle.  A year later, the lump is still there and makes a great conversation piece at the dinner table with friends.  Yes, I'm that host who throws his leg up onto the table, splashing potato and gravy shrapnel everywhere.  In my best Popeye voice, I talk about my scars and encourage my dinner guests to do the same.  Dinner is fun at my house.  Let me know if you have some good scars to share and I'll have you over.

Since owning horses, I have experienced crow hopping, rearing up, bolting and bucking and even been bucked off once.  I've been bitten, stepped on and kicked in the chest twice.

I know, I know.  You experienced horse people are shaking your heads and sayin', "some fellas just aren't supposed to ride horses."  You may be right and I admire those of you who have figured it out.  I want to be you.  I play the part well.  I listen to country music.  I wear cowboy boots, I have a big ole belt buckle, tight jeans and a straw hat.  I've even changed the way I speak.  I've got a little drawl to my speech......oh, wait.  I'm hearing some chatter in my ear piece.  Okay, I've always had the drawl.  I was just informed I am a country boy from Kamas.  Thanks Hun!  She thinks my tractor's sexy.....

A couple of nights ago, I let the horses out to graze while I cleaned their stalls.  A maintenance crew was cutting the lawns, trimming and edging at the park nearby.  This, of course, got the horses into a frenzy.  They were doing okay until the truck and trailer pulled right up next to their stables.  These two animals, who had been focused on me previously, started running back and forth.  Their heads and tails were up and they completely relapsed into "herd animal" behavior.  I wasn't positive, but it seemed the maintenance group enjoyed the show.  They realized their machines generated the excitement, so as they revved the engines on the machines, the animals would get more excited and snort and run and jump.

Against my better judgment, I decided it was time to put them back before my yard was all chewed up, or before they ran through a fence.  I was able to approach Kachina, grab her by the halter and lead her back to her stall.  One horse down, one to go.

Ebony will usually put herself back once Kachina is home.  It is fun to watch.  I just say, "go back" and she'll stop what she's doing, and walk back home, close the door and hang a sign up that says, "My House Was Clean Last Week....Sorry You Missed It!"  She's so funny.  Where she comes up with this???

Well, she was all worked up about the maintenance crew and wouldn't put herself back.  As I would approach her, she would go on a dead run in the other direction to avoid being caught.  I was finally able to corner her, but as I approached her, she ran past me, kicked her hind legs up into the hair and with a "Toyota, Oh What A Feeling" side kick, she clipped me right in the chest as she passed.

I immediately doubled over with the wind knocked out of me.  I was wheezing and in a lot of pain.  Again, I made the long journey (50 yards) back to the house.  My thoughts at this time were, "this is it, this is how I go out."   I found Coralee and with any breath I could capture, I said, "I've been kicked in the chest."

Fortunately, I'm doing okay.  I'm still very sore.  No broken ribs, just pain.  Sleeping hasn't been fun. Breathing hasn't been fun.  Walking hasn't been fun.  Telling you this story has been fun.

I'm thinking how fortunate I am to have survived this incident.  It could have been very bad and those thoughts I had could have been my last thoughts.

It takes a unique and a special person to love and dedicate time to these enormous animals.  Sometimes I question whether it is worth it, but there is something magical about a horse.  It is in those quiet moments when you're riding up in the mountains with nobody around and you take in the beauty around you and feel a kinship with your horse and the time you spend together.  Those moments make the challenges worth the effort.  I also have another scar to show to friends at dinner.