It *was* a good ride. |
In case you haven't pieced it together yet, I'll ruin the ending to the story for you and let you in on what happened yesterday afternoon. My horse sunk. Again.
It all sounds so ironic and it almost makes me seem like some reckless horse rider, but I promise you I am far from that... despite tour affinity for finding sink holes, that is. It all started out so innocently, and I had even trail-rode in this particular spot hundreds of times over the last seven years. The unfortunate position of this sink-hole was not previously known, and had it of been... I would have never gone there.
So yesterday, the sun was out and I was itching to go for a ride. Naturally, I saddled up after doing some chores like scrubbing out the water trough and filling haynets. I didn't intend to go for a long ride, as it was in the late afternoon and it would start to get dark soon. With Spud ponying behind Suzie (attached to the ring on her rear cinch like usual), we wandered down to the one watering hole like we always do for trail riding and crossed the small stream.
You may remember this small stream from a hilarious video of Spud swimming across it during the summer months (the flow of the water was quite low yesterday and it will continue to be low for the next month or so).
It all started so well. |
I turned her to the left and as we walked towards the rocky part of the stream, Suzie literally fell out beneath me. A gigantic hole swallowed her right up to her chest and as she sunk, she flailed forwards to right herself again. I was popped off her shoulder and landed near her hindquarters, my left leg hung up on the lead that attached Spud to Suzie's saddle (it was not tangled, just hung up). Spud was also sinking and both horses managed to free themselves rather quickly, and as they yanked forwards, my foot came free.
![]() |
Blue arrow = main crossing where Spud swam across Red arrow = where Suzie and Spud sunk. |
Oh, fuck. |
I honestly was shocked how it happened, as this area did NOT show any predisposition of being "dangerous". Paint me embarrassed that this happened yet again.
Suzie came out of the sink hole very, very sore. She was noticeably lame at the walk so I walked the two horses home - my boots squished and sloshed water the whole time. Upon arriving back at the barn, I stripped Suzie of her tack and went to work on drying her and Spud off with the towel I had in the truck. After doing this, I put their blankets on to help them dry off more - it was just after 5pm and beginning to get dark.
I mixed up some grain and bute, but Suzie refused to eat it (I seriously don't know why bute is cherry flavored...). So I ran back into town, changed my clothes and then scooted over to the drug store and purchased some syrgines (mine broke last Summer), and some Arnica gel.
So, I've been massaging Arnica gel into her shoulder/leg and today was her second day of bute. I trotted her out this evening and she is pretty sound now, so I'll stop the bute treatment but continue with the Arnica pills and gel.
Sigh.
Oh, and when I bought the Arnica pills and gel, I also purchased the "I am the shittiest horse owner ever" starter kit. |
OMG how scary! You are NOT a bad horse owner, these things happen! My dear friend was out conditioning her fancy event horse last summer and he stepped in a gopher hole and hurt his leg... shit happens! I'm so glad you and the gang are OK!
ReplyDeleteOmg... no way.
DeleteLuckily we don't have any gopher holes around here, but holy crow... It makes you feel so helpless when it happens :(
That's scary. Glad you're all okay though. Like your starter kit!
ReplyDeleteIt was terrifying! I'm glad that we all escaped unscathed...
Deleteomg that sucks so badly (too soon for puns? sorry i'm a terrible person), i'm so sorry but glad the mare seems to be feeling better. how scary, i can't image what i would do if that happened... thank goodness both horses managed to free themselves? hope everyone is feeling completely back to normal asap!
ReplyDeleteIt does suck indeed, LOL.
DeleteI'm glad that Suzie is relatively quiet-minded and freed herself without too much of a fuss. Spud on the other hand was FREAKING out.
I'm glad you're ok. Our bute is molasses flavored. Who would make cherry flavored bute? That makes no sense.
ReplyDeleteReally?
DeleteI've NEVER heard about other flavors before...
So glad you all came out of it relatively unscathed. And I don't know about you, but anytime I have to buy Arnica gel, it's pretty much a guarantee that chocolate is needed as well.
ReplyDeleteThey should sell Arnica gel and chocolate together at stores... lol
DeleteAhhh! Super scary. I'm big arnika user too :) Hope your girl is feeling better soon.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that you are a big arnica user - a friend of mine actually told me to get some ASAP for Suz!
DeleteI'm so glad everyone is OK. Poor you!! One of the perils of living in a rainforest I guess? Hope this means you've used up our quota of bad luck for a while!
ReplyDeleteYOUR quota, ha ha, you don't need my bad luck too! ;)
DeleteI certainly hope so, lol.
DeleteAnd you never know, maybe I used up all your bad luck too!