tough Easter Sunday for Sherry..........

[RedValk]

we got home from the Cheaha scouting trip....and after unpacking...she wanted to ride her horse(s).

i was walking in the pasture....when i saw her ride up on one horse....leading another one as she rode the one. and suddenly, her horse rared up....there she was....riding "the broncing buck".....  She finally fell off as the horse went over BACKWARDS. but she was lucky she fell off...or the horse...would have FALLEN ON HER.

she picked her self up and dusted off...bruised but not broken.

but that was the GOOD luck story.

then, she took those SAME TWO horses....led them back to our fenced in arena (where they practice barrel racing). She tied off one horse on a hitching post out front of the arena...while she worked the other horse...the one that bucked her off!

i was walking up towards her again (i was walking the fence line...it takes a while!)...and i noticed the horse tied off was in an awkward stance. She had tied it off with TOO MUCH slack...and like a dog...on a chain/rope...it had got tangled up on the FAR SIDE of the hitching post....wrapped around it. It kept trying to pull the WRONG WAY...like a dog that is tangled but can't figure out how to simply go back the direction it came from....to get free. But we're talking an 800 pound horse here. So...it's pulling against the post....which is in the ground about 3-4 feet! the post aint movin. neither is the horse...

as i walked up....to try and help it...the horse freaked out...starting bucking and carrying on....and lost its balance and fell to the ground. Now, the rope...is even TIGHTER. the horse is laying there....with this rope pulling on it's neck....the horse wedged up against the hitching post. it was an ugly sight.

Sherry stopped me from getting close and trying to release the hitch where the rope connected to the bridal (ok, i don't know all these dang horse terms....so ....hopefully, you get the picture). It was EXTREMELY tight....but i thought maybe with my strength...maybe i could move the horse and get some slack and get it undone. Sherry was trying to undo the knot on the other end on the hitching post...but 800 pounds of horse pressure were on it! NO DICE!! She told me to stay back...as every now and then the horse would start kicking wildly with ALL FOUR legs.

with seconds going by like minutes....she asked me to run to get a knife. (we're talking a LONG run....all this is spread out on 35 acres of land!). to make this LONG story a TINY bit shorter, by the time i got a knife....and came back...i saw her laying on the ground. I knew she had probably been kicked ...probably in the head....the very thing she had WARNED ME ABOUT.

i got there....cut the rope on the horse (it went off like a gun shot....800 pounds of pressure stretching the rope...i only had to "saw" on it with that knife two strokes!). then i went to her...blood was everywhere...but she was conscious.

my daughter took her to the ER...while i tried to round up horses....dogs....a tractor....secure the property...etc. She was at the ER most of the afternoon and some of the evening...getting home about 845! after xrays....a catscan....etc....they finally found a specialist who could patch up her nose. it got pretty cut up....but she was lucky. We think she took a glancing blow to the head....with her nose catching most of the damage. it broke/tore some vessels in her nose...so she bled like a stuffed pig. but...it looks like she got maybe some minor damage to her nose...and a mild concussion perhaps (she is light headed today).

But...if you can be lucky...she was....in that in didn't hit her with FULL FORCE! it was "pawing" with it's front hoves she said...and one of them got her....before she knew what hit her.

bucked off one horse....kicked in the head by the other. and then she wonders why i don't ride "any horse with a mind of it's own....i only ride IRON horses" 

[NiteRiderF6]

Wow... I'm glad Sherry wasn't hurt worse, but I'm sure that's bad enough to suit her...

I hope she gets recovered quickly and is 100% for Cheaha!

I'm going to send you a pocket knife for situations like that ! A good redneck always has a pocket knife~~~~~

Good Luck to Sherry on a full and speedy recovery!

[MAD6Gun]

Jeez Tim that sucks. Could have been worse I suppose. Tell her I hope she feels better......

[Normandog]

Hope she heals quick.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Young man that lived up the road from us was killed by a hay burner a couple years ago. He was a farrier and made a decent livin' doing it. He had just turned 20 years old  the horse got him pinned between it and the stable wall and mauled him    Hope Sherry heal's fast 

[Sharkey]

I hope she heals up quickly.

We have three horses here on my place, and they are treated like royalty. If Your better half is like mine she would not be happy without them.

[3fan4life]

Sorry to hear about all of this.

Glad that things turned out as well as they did.

Prayers and best wish's for a full and speedy recovery.

[big d]

Hope sherry keeps doing better as time goes on. Will keep her and your family in our prayers for a speedy and full recovery. 

[Strider]

WOW BROTHER!!!!  Sherry is my prayers man!!!!  WOW!!!!  Tell her to stay away from horses and you stay away from falling trees until we meet on top of the mountain!!!!!  With all the other chit going down, I sure would like to keep ya'll around for another rally or two.....THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY STORIES THAT AIN'T BEEN TOLD YET!!!

Man, that was scary - I hate to say it, I skipped to the end to make sure she was OK and then went back to the beginning.

Healing winds for Sherry Bro!!!!!!!!!

Sure glad that story ended as well as it did......Even though it was good, it was far better than it could have been.

Glad there was no damage with the Cat Scans, etc.  Keep a watch on her man!  Don't want no swelling if ya know what I mean.

See you two soon - STAY INSIDE!!! 

[Stanley Steamer]

got into Horses....when they get spooked, they can do some serious damage to themselves and others around them...I was once at a friends house and one of his horses was pulling a sled, was spooked to where the horse took off at a pretty good run and ended up breaking it's leg so badly that he had to have it put to sleep...it broke his heart since it was a dear "pet"...to him....

Thank Goodness Sherry wasn't hurt worse!!!...I hope she heals fast!!!...

[2tonevalk]

I feel her pain Tim.  When we were kids we rode horses.  I been kicked, bit (scar on my right jaw), had one clothesline me at a full gallop by a treelimb.  My brother's horse had a nasty habit of headbutting you while you were in the saddle.  We had to put a tie down on him pulled tight, or he'd knock your a$$ out of the saddle.
They get onery when you dont ride em for a while.
Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery.

See ya in a couple weeks
Robert and Glenda

[Lil Bit]

Wow! I'm glad it wasn't as bad is it could have been... keep us updated. We'll be praying and thinking about her!

[Black Pearl's Captain]

Sorry to hear about Sherry and the horse. I hope she's feeling good before too long. Thank goodness she wasn't hurt worse.

Hi to Sherry.

Raymond and RHonda

[Charlie McCready]

Geeezzz, sure hate to hear that. Hope Sherry is well soon. Tell her we send our best from VA

[Thunderbolt]

Glad you were there.

[BOOMR]

Hope you are feeling better, could have been much worse.
Heal quick and hope to see both of you soon.

....Sy

[Highbinder]

Horses, they can make for an exciting day for sure....you need to carry a knife at all times on a farm, I never leave the house without one....we hope Sherry recovers quickly with no pain....horses have a tendency to go crazy when they are scared, its like their brain stops working...give our best to Sherry...

Don and Tracy

[R J]

Like Don said, a scared horse is worse than a bull that the lads are trying to ride.......

Rode horses as a kid, haven't been on one now for about 40 years or more.

Last one kicked me right square in the belly.  Knocked the crap out of me.  She was the one who could be in the far end of the pasture, and when dad called her she ignored him, he had to walk out and get her.   I could walk up to the fence, whistle and holler once, she would turn and come to the house on a dead gallop and don't try to stop her then.  I was 14 years old, and everyone said if I staid around horses very long,  I'd be dead before I turned 21.....  Fooled them.

Now, Sherri, follow the Dr's orders, buy that stud muffin of yours a firkin pocket knife and tell him to always have it handy when around the farm............     NO one who lives on a farm runs around naked, that be no knife......

Now, heal fast accurately and take it easy for awhile.....  You have earned it.  We will be saying prayers for ya till we hear you are up to full tilt.........  I'll even add you to our Church Prayer list tonight.  I got to go up and close up after the Water Dept meeting.........  Like in 5 minutes.......

[Chrisj CMA]

Prayers for Sherry from Us here in FL....QD is a horse person so Im sure all the visuals will make even more sense to her.  Sounds scary enough to me!!!!!!   Glad she will be ok!

[RedValk]

per Don, Doug and RJ's advice...i have a new pocket knife.....and...just for good measure...i also will start carrying the new derringer i got for Christmas on me. It's snake season now down here. So i'll be carrying the pocket knife AND the derringer when walking around on the property.....and be prepared!

Sherry's nose is swollen up quite a bit more today....and....both eyes look kind of like they have black eyes. But..........she's at work................so she's on the mend........

[charligirl]

Hope she's feeling better! I just recovered from a busted lip my horse gave me (of course everyone blamed it on Big Hoss  )

[SherRune]

THANKS EVERYONE!  I am doing fine.  Just wish it would quit bleeding and I could get the blood out from under the glue.
It looks pretty nasty and I have to look like this until the glue falls off in the next 2 - 3 days.

But everyone that comes to CHEAHA will be able to see the brand new scar!

I was back on my trusted "CACTUS" last night.  He has taken care of me for the past 12 years.  I just hope he is around for a while longer.

Maybe the 2 year old the struck me will be my next trusted horse.  He really was calm and did not fight much when he was in trouble.

It was not his fault that I was in the way.

[sugarbee]

glad it wasn't worse than it was....I've never had much luck with horses...had one that tried to put me in a barb-wire fence....last time I ever rode one.....I am looking forward to seeing you at Cheaha .

THANKS EVERYONE!  I am doing fine.  Just wish it would quit bleeding and I could get the blood out from under the glue.
It looks pretty nasty and I have to look like this until the glue falls off in the next 2 - 3 days.

But everyone that comes to CHEAHA will be able to see the brand new scar!

I was back on my trusted "CACTUS" last night.  He has taken care of me for the past 12 years.  I just hope he is around for a while longer.

Maybe the 2 year old the struck me will be my next trusted horse.  He really was calm and did not fight much when he was in trouble.

It was not his fault that I was in the way.

[fudgie]

Wow sorry to hear this! Horses scare me...I used to ride 1200-1600 lbs bulls right outta high school for a few years, and horses still scare me....

[stormrider]

Glad to hear she is doing better today. Sherry needs to carry a knife also. We have three too many horses and I can feel the pain. Know of folks that got kicked in the head and, well, let's say she is one blessed lady. Being a city boy and married a farmer's daughter, with all kinds of kritters I learned a long time ago, don't care how strong you think you are a scared animal ain't nothing for mortal man to contend with. She needs to take it real easy for awhile.

[Clark]

I would like to suggest you put a quick release snap on every one of your lead ropes.. that would have saved Sherry a lot of pain and suffering and could keep the horse from bein injured also.. any tack shop should have them

[ChromeDome]

Glad Sherry is OK. Like others have said .... follow the DR.'s orders. 

[RedValk]

there was a quick release on the END of the rope....attached to the bridal (or whatever ya' call it). but the rope and ALL the stuff attached....was under so much tension...i couldn't get that off. Now, any of you that know me....know i lift weights...heavy weights....5 days a week. i'm in pretty good shape. I couldn't get that quick release undone...it was like it was froze. AND...she also had a slip not on the end of the rope tied to the hitchin' post....but....the horse had walked back on the other side...and made it so that the slip knot wouldn't come undone either. Then...when the horse stretched the rope...and THEN FELL DOWN....stretching it even more....EVERYTHING was under tremendous tension. She informed this horse...while just two years old...actually weighs about 900 pounds...not 800 like i guessed. Like i said in the original post....that rope was under so much tension...when i touched the knife to the rope...and made just two "sawing" strokes/motions...it popped like a gun going off.

BTW, she had to go to the orthodonist yesterday. The blow moved/loosened her braces. they're fixed now....nose swelling starting to go down...eyes not quite so black today.........

[Scott in Ok]

Glad you are doing better Sherry!  Hang in there, and keep us updated.

-Scott

[SherRune]

I am glad for all of the advice....  But I have been around horses all of my life and know that freak accidents do happen.  This was a freak accident.  Being around horses I know that I am taking the chance of getting hurt.

In this case with him wrapped around the post with the rope over the knot it was impossible to undo the slip knot.  The gelding had so much tension on the lead rope it was impossible to get undone.  He was laying there very calm, and when I pulled his halter it freed his front leg from behind the post he was wrapped around.  That is when his hoof struck my nose and mouth.  Never saw it coming.

[NiteRiderF6]

Sherry, I'm glad to see you posting. You are right, being around large animals can be dangerous, being on motorcycles can be dangerous and a lot of other things that we do can be dangerous. Heck, a tree can fall on our house and kill us in our sleep.... so about all we can do is live life to the fullest while we are here and if we are hurt or worse, at least people can look over in that box and say "at least he/she was doing something that he/she loved when he/she went out in a blaze of glory".

I hope you are feeling better soon! Take care now!

[RedValk]

Heck, a tree can fall on our house and kill us in our sleep....

at first, i thought you were gonna' mess with me about a tree could fall on your head and kill ya'....     We all don't know anyone a tree fell on their head ....do we?????