A Moment of Inattentiveness

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It was going to be a busy morning.  I quickly gulped down my two caffeine quota, as I was getting ready. The weather was absolutely perfect, I couldn’t wait to ride.

First the blacksmith was due to arrive at 9:00 a.m. to shoe and trim the horses.  Then the trainer would be there at 10:15 a.m. for my lesson.  We were going to work on polishing my timing on lead changes.

The shoeing went along uneventfully.  For the Blacksmith to get his truck and trailer turned around, he had to circle around behind the barn.  As he was leaving the trainer had just shown up and was out front on her phone by her truck.  My timing was working out well, I had Bella saddled bridled and ready to go.

Of course, it was then I needed to take the hose out of the water bucket in the stall to prevent it from overflowing.  I thought, I should take off the bridle and put on her halter and put her back in the cross ties.  I know well that it only takes a moment of inattentiveness for something to happen, even with the best of horses.  However, this was Bella and I was anxious to go for my ride.  Bella stood in the concrete alley way, expecting to go out. So, I just stepped into the stall for a minute, I had the reins in my left hand.  The next moment I was literally yanked off my feet, my hand was sucked under the large metal framed
stall door.  I tried to shake loose, as this is my first instinct; I was taught as a child to never let a rope get wrapped around your hand with a horse on the other end of it.  However, my fingers were folded around the reins when they were pulled under the stall door.  They were held so tight now that I couldn’t get free!  The next thing I knew the stall door came flying up.  Bella had jerked so hard, that she had pulled the door off its track at the top.  Luckily I was able to get my hand free quickly.  Blood was pouring out of the fingers, I was afraid they were broken, it hurt so badly.  The edges for the metal frame had cut my fingers to the bone.

Bella now stood in the barn alley way like a statue.  The blacksmith and trainer came running in to help. Apparently the rein has inadvertently slipped under the stall door.  When Bella turned her head to look at the truck circling behind the barn, she was caught off guard when the reins hung under the door. Once Bella begun to pull back she was not stopping until she got loose!

Blood spotted all over my, nice tan riding pants, as I struggle to put myself back to gather with mainly my right hand.  The blood splattered along the alley way, as I walked to the center wash area. I am afraid, I may have sputtered a few select words along the way from the pain I had incurred.  I tried to clean off my riding pants and washed off my wounds as well as possible.  With my hand wrapped in an old, but clean barn towel, I watched as my trainer took my fancy horse out to school on this, beautiful cool crisp sunny morning.

I thought the worst of it was over, but I was wrong. The fingers would require some 12 stitches, divided over three fingers.  To block this area the three shots would have to go into the sensitive palm side of the hand. I had no idea that anything could be so incredibly excruciatingly painful!  Over the next few days I watch my hand swell and darken, wondering if it would soon resemble a boxing glove.

This left me time to contemplate how long it will take, before I would be able to close my fingers around the reins again.

A Wild Animal

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Living on a farm one never knows what kind of wildlife they may encounter.  One evening recently, when I went up to the barn to feed the horses, I noticed one of them kept looking out toward the woods, which lays behind our back fence line.

“Could be wild boar,” I thought, they had badly rutted up the ground, behind the fence this past summer.

I had almost forgotten that earlier in the spring, an elegant doe, had carefully paraded her, new born spotted fawn, along the back fence line.

As I was throwing out hay for the horses a, magnificent buck, whose thick neck and back supported a, nice set of eight point, forward curving antlers, trotted out into the open. He probably intended to graze on the, green grass path, which we keep mowed behind the fence.  When he realized my presence at the barn, he quickly paused, turned and tiptoed back into the shadows of the woods.  Could this be the father of the, cute little fawn, I had seen earlier this year?

I don’t know what it is about seeing such a lovely wild animal.  I felt a sense of peace, knowing they should be safe in our protective woods so close to my home.  ©CKReese’11

Bella and I at the 2011 Regionals Dressage Show

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The horse show this week-end was held with the Regional Championships in Ocala, Florida.  The weather and footing was perfect for riding.  The giant live oaks with their Spanish moss, were a picturesque backdrop for the beautifully turned out horses and riders. It was also, a little intimidating for an amateur rider such as myself.

My horse Bella, had brought me a long ways over the last twenty-one months.  I found Bella while looking for a safe school master to learn the art of dressage on. I also wanted to be able to enjoy taking an occasional trail ride. This is not as easy as it sounds to find. After having been injured on some big beautiful warmbloods I had, safe become a number one priority.

Bella, had been shown by a young rider, who had her imported.  My goal was to get a bronze medal, (1st thru 3rd)with the U.S.D.F.  This had been my goal for ten years! Bella, would give me lead changes right off, which is a must for 3rd level.  Even though she could get quick when, I clumsily asked her for the changes I still liked her willingness to try.

When I went to see her, the trainer offered to take us out on a trail ride around the stables.  I was very excited about getting to do this.  We rode around the large barn and past some of the paddocks. To our surprise the horses in the paddocks on both sides came charging up at us.  The trainers’ magnificent horse reared up screaming and striking with his front legs. Next this very, athletic warmblood gelding, leaped up twisting in the air and kicked out over the paddock fence with both hind legs in a quick jerking motion. I was very impressed, that the rider kept her cool and her excellent position on that horse. Meanwhile, the mare I was on affectionately known as “Bella,” give one short whinny to calm down the gelding, and took me a few feet out of harm’s way, and waited.  We continued our ride along the lanes that ran between the paddocks around that farm in Mississippi.  On the way back to the barn Bella threw in a few steps of piaffe, as if just for fun!  I knew than that she might be the one, that I had been looking for over the last four years.

She has helped me achieve my goals and more.  A kind of comradeship had developed between us. We are lucky to have found each other.

It is truly amazing the amount of work that goes into showing horses.  When you get to a show you hardly have time to watch the classes.  There is so much stuff, that you have to take care of when setting up.  Buckets for feed and water have to be hung.  Then you have to find the hose and get it out of your trailer or try to borrow someone else’s.  Of course, hang hooks for horse’s bridle and halter.  Tote in tack trunks, muck bucket and rake. Next, lay down hay and fluff shavings, for horse to come in, and poop on.  Last, unload fractious horse from trailer and get both of you to stall in one piece.  Than, try to park trailer as close as possible to barn. This is so one can retrieve any items they have forgotten.  Being very careful, as you weave thought the maze of trailers pulled by large trucks. Remember these are being driven by women with the same idea as you to get on and school their horses before it gets dark!  Knowing in the next day, or two the whole process starts over again, except in reverse.  On top of this, if you have a class that day, you may already be in light colored breeches. These have to remain spotless at any cost, including wearing whatever funny thing you can find to fit over them.

Now, it’s time to coordinate with our trainer to meet at one of the many warm up rings.  I felt relieved that, I could trust Bella to take me safely around the show grounds, which was being held at a huge race horse farm. Finally we were achieving a quiet ride in our lesson at the show.  Bella is very sensitive and when confused, she braces against my hands.  I’m still trying to learn to give, and take, and not hold. Bella, is far stronger, than I am and very determined to teach me the correct way. In the lesson we reviewed some of the test movements.

The next day, as I was getting ready to ride in my fourth level class. I looked at one of the neck ties, that I had purchased earlier this year. It was especially fancy with shiny gold embroidery. It matches my dark navy blue riding jacket’s gold piping perfectly.  It seemed almost too fancy for me, I thought about saving it to wear another time.  For a second I felt a little sad, as my mother would have loved that golden fabric. I couldn’t help but, wish she could be here with me. It occurred to me, what if this is as good as it gets. I quickly put the tie on with jacket. Bella turned her head and looked straight at me, she seemed to approve. I needed to learn to enjoy the moment and this was it.  As, I stood on my tack trunk my wonderful, Dutch warmblood mare, stepped her hindquarters closer to let me get on. On the way to the ring a, slender young rider, commented on how pretty my tie looked!  I was thrilled, it was so sweet of her to say.  She had no idea how unsure I had been.

We received a second place ribbon; its purple, red, and pink, colors go beautifully together!  The test went very smooth, much like the warm-up and the lesson the day before.  Still, I had some rider errors, that I need to work on.  However, we are progressing.

The Judges,’ comments mirrored everything, my trainer, has been telling me, so I know we are on the right track. Some of the things like shorten the reins I do, but the horse keeps shortening her neck as well.  Maybe, I should just glue my gloves onto the reins. Lower hands and ride horse more forward onto a steadier elastic contract “connection”.  Yes, that sounds lovely and easy doesn’t it.  I’m still working on the finesse it takes for that one.

It was a dream come true to be able to ride my dark shiny, Dutch warmblood mare, at Fourth level, under the almost magical giant oak trees in Ocala, Florida.©CKReese’11

The saddle

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My husband had won a trip to Paris, France, from a promotional program, where he worked.  It was such a great city, I had never been to, Europe, so it was quite exciting.  We visited lots of attractions, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and shopping. One of the stores in the fashion district we went into was, Hermes’. It was interesting to see they sold saddles and bridles right there on one side of the department store in the middle of Paris.

At the time I had been showing hunter/jumpers and Hermes’ were very popular saddles. My husband, told me I should buy one and we would ship it back.  I was in the process of changing from jumping to dressage and I was not sure what kind of saddle I needed for that discipline. Once I set in the deep black saddle, which wrapped around my leg like a glove the choice was made for me. These saddles were known for there ability to fit a variety of horses so we brought it and shipped it back to the states.

Years later after a bad riding incident, I sold off all my horse equipment. My husband had insisted that I keep that saddle as a souvenir if nothing else. I was glad that I had kept it.  Two years later, when I was able to come back to riding. The saddle was like new except for having been kept oiled. Before the accident I had been saving it for showing at higher levels of competition. Now I understood how silly that was.  With this second chance to ride I realized the importance of getting the maximum enjoyment out of every single ride.©CKReese’11

The small Creature

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As, I was walking up to the barn, I heard the dreaded scrapping of claws inside the large metal horse water tub.  Earlier in the week, I had seen a large field rat in the barn. I approached the tub with great hesitation expecting to see a large rat.

I peered over the side of the large tub, only to see the most beautiful long furry tail. The long hairs swayed with every swim stroke of the poor victim. It was a very large squirrel. I was a little relieved upon seeing a squirrel, but still I had to free him. I knew that even a beautiful wild animal could be very dangerous in such a close situation.

I had to lean the heavy tub half way over, so the water was at the edge. The exhausted squirrel reached out an arm and held on to the side of the tank, but was unable to pull himself out. Time was critical, for a normal squirrel would have bounded over the side when he grabbed hold of it. My only choice was to turn the tub all the way over. Once on the ground all he could do was to sadly lay in an upright position on his stomach.  One could only hope that he would recover his strength.

It was feed time, so I continued with my chores. When I checked on him a little later he raised his head a little opened his eyes wide and titled his head, but did not rise. Once again, I left him alone and to my relief when I checked on him, he was gone!  I think of him when I see the squirrels playing along our drive way, which is lined with their favorite acorn trees.

After telling my, veterinarian, about this, she told me to put a log in the tub at an angle, so the creatures can climb out. Leave it to her to have such a simple, but genius solution.©CKReese’11

Diary of a Bite

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After much work, the dressage arena was finally looking good, except for a weed growing under one of the low boards. It was as if, the weed had sprung up overnight. It occurred to me that I should go back up to the house to get a pair of gloves to pull weeds, but it was only one.

When I pulled the weed up, something grabbed hold of my right thumb and sank its fangs into the joint.  Naturally I tried to shake it off, but it wasn’t letting go. I looked down at my right hand to see what had created the sharp pain. To my horror a giant spider had all of its legs neatly wrapped around my thumb.  He must have been very proud of catching a nice tender dinner. I immediately flung it off.  Paying careful attention to where it landed, I recovered it, so I could identify what type of spider had bitten me. He didn’t run, but instead raised and lowered his body sizing me up! He was brown with exotic little circles all over his hairy body.

Years ago I had a severe allergic reaction to a wasp sting. My face and tongue swelled so bad that I was having trouble breathing and chest pains (anaphylaxis). On the way to the hospital my parents had to stop at a fire station to get help.  They gave me a shot that calmed down the effects of the sting and saved my life.

May 12th 04′
Knowing this, I had my son take me and the spider specimen to the doctor right away. The doctor looked up the spider and declared it was out of the wolf family and probably non poisonous. This is unless of course, you are allergic to the venom.  The doctor gave me a shot and a prescription for a steroid. Then the good doctor told me to be careful, as the spider was just defending his territory from invasion. At this time I felt fine, so I didn’t bother to fill the prescription for the steroid. This would prove to be a huge mistake.

May 23rd 04′
We were coming back from a long day, of an off shore fishing trip. The thumb was itching so intensely that the only relief came from scratching it with a hair brush over and over.

May 24th 04′
My doctor was out of town, so I had to go see another doctor. He told me he had seen a number of spider bites that year. He looked at me with concerned eyes and said, he was sorry I was having a allergic reaction to the bite. He told me not to scratch it as this releases some type of enzymes from the spiders’ venom. The nurse told me I should have filled the prescription for the steroid, so it wouldn’t have gotten to this point. The doctor said if it keeps you up at night to be sure and put ice on it. I wandered what they could mean? They give me samples of an antihistamine. That night I stayed on the sofa in extreme pain. My hand was on fire and my arm was burning. My husband stayed on the other sofa and watched me though the whole night.

May 31st 04′
I woke up sore in the chest with swelling all the way up to my tongue and the right side of my throat.  The fingers in my right hand had slowly continued to swell. We went to the hospital where a young doctor said my temperature and blood pressure were normal. She didn’t see how I could be having a reaction that long after the bite.  She thought maybe something else was wrong, like I was having an anxiety attack. Nothing is stopping the swelling I told her and it is spreading to my throat, of course I’m upset! The young doctor give me a steroid shot and another packet of a steroid.

June 4th 04′
I went back to my doctor. I was taken antihistamine and steroids. Right arm had steadily swelled at night.  Fingers became like sausages to work with.  Right index finger was stiff to bend. My wrist ached and palms felt like they were bruised. At this point I wondered just how bad this was going to get.  The only thing that seemed to control this was steroids, maximal amounts of antihistamines slowed down the symptoms in-between.

The days and months ran together in slow motion for me now. I was very sick and had a large farm to run.  My hand would stiffen into an unusable claw. What happens to a spiders prey like a bug, was now happening to me!  My hearing would start to close down. Dark clouds would in circle my vision.  When these symptoms converged on me I knew I had to get to a doctor fast. My daughter drove me on one of these emergency trips, I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest.  Once at the doctor’s office I couldn’t walk down the hall, but bounced back and forth of the walls. My doctor said he must explain that steroids could be bad for me.  In a slurred speech I told him, I understood, but was afraid at this point that the alternative could be much worse.  Without hesitation he gave me the miracle shot.  He said if it gets that bad again to get to the closest emergency center.

It would take a total of six months for the effects of the spider bite to work though my system. Some mornings I still have a little swelling in my fingers on that hand and tiny slit like scars are reminders of the fangs.

Wild mustang at home

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We begin by practicing leading around stall and its outside connecting pen daily. Often, venturing out to the alley way.  She was suspicious of any change, a brush on the ground or something moved.  At first if she became over whelmed, she would run back to her stall.  I found that I could not hold her if she bolted no matter the halter, so containment was important.  It became a game to set up little things for her to look at and check out. The alley way walks gave her a chance to sniff out the wash rack/grooming area.  Gradually, I could shampoo her long mane. All the while she watched my every move with her great big eyes.  Margarita began to trust me more, if something upset her, I could quickly reassure her. I was pleased with her progress and found her to be quit smart.  The big break though came, when I was photographing her.  I had called her name to try and get her to turn her head.  I was not expecting her to turn all the way around, and come right up to me, even with a camera in my hands.  My brave little filly, was ready to graduate to having her halter taken off.  I still find that even though she will come up to me in the pasture, it is easiest to put her halter on in the stall, while she is eating. ©CKReese’11

How I acquired a wild mustang – Part II

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The next day, I went back to the adoption. I told the cowboys that I wanted a young filly, that moved as good as the gelding, that I had seen the day before. The third pick was the one, a gray filly with a slighty Baroque head, and a lovely large eye. She had the lofty dressage trot with good action in the hocks. As I signed up for her, I realized this must be one of the craziest wild horse chases I have ever been on.

The next step was the trailer, my two horse with a ramp, would not work. I had to borrow a stock type trailer from somebody at the show. Of course, its hitch would not fit my truck. The lady said she thought that I was doing a good thing by adopting a mustang and she let me use her truck also! When I got to the my farm I just backed up to the alley, and allowed her to come out by herself. When, I got back from returning the trailer, she had put herself into a stall and seem content there.

It took about three days of five minute Alfafa bits to be able to brush, and sponge off her mane. To teach her to lead was like trying to teach a young foal to lead. I used a butt rope to get her to step forward. However, if she could twist around she would kick out violently. The first time I tried to lead her in the alleyway, she was able to walk all ninety feet of it on her hind legs, I was quite impressed. It also took time to be able to pick up her feet as she would go down to her knees when I reached for her hoofs until she learned to trust me.

Now, when I brushed her mane, and tail she closes her eyes. She is beginning to enjoy her new home. ©CKReese’11