Hugging my horse, and my trainer, and my BM tonight

[Hunter Mom]

I got a call tonight that no one wants to get. My trainer was hauling my girl, DD's pony and two other horses home from a show this weekend here in town. She got to the barn, opened the door in the front slot and saw my mare's head underneath DD's pony's feet. Mare had slipped somewhere along the 5 mile trip and was wedged - left hooves wedged underneath the mare/foal divider on her left, head under pony's feet in the front. They were in the second and third slots of a 5 horse, with two horses loaded behind. Other folks were at the barn and grabbed the two off the back of the trailer, then the BM came running over to help her get the divider off of Mare's leg to get her off the trailer.

Now, lots and LOTS of things went right on this, and she ended up only having mostly superficial cuts on her legs, a few scrapes on her face, a pulled shoe and a swollen fetlock. Thankfully, Mare didn't panic, pony didn't move a muscle while Mare was underneath her. Thankfully, she'd hauled a mare & newborn Thursday, so the divider behind her had the mare & foal divider on the bottom, so it kept her from getting her legs underneath the horse in the next slot (5 yo OTTB), who wouldn't have been as calm as Pony. Thankfully, the bungie trailer tie was in correctly with the panic snap on the trailer end, so she could unsnap it without having to try to reach in and risk scaring Mare or Pony. Thankfully, BM was home and in the front yard on this very hot night (it is still 90 degrees and it's almost 11 now) even though it is he is off on Sunday.

I'm so happy all ended well - this could've been BAD. Makes the reserve that we got this morning even sweeter!

[Meredith Clark]

So scary! That pony deserves a few extra carrots tonight and a deep massage for your girl :lol: What a horrible position to be in for so long!

[Hunter Mom]

So scary! That pony deserves a few extra carrots tonight and a deep massage for your girl :lol: What a horrible position to be in for so long!

Yes, they do. I'm thinking the chiro may have to come out - we'll see how stiff she is tomorrow.

[strawberry roan]

WOW!! So glad it turned out well. Talk about keeping your cool--what sensible horses. :)

[2boys]

Holy crap!!! So glad it all turned out well.

[monstrpony]

You're right--hugs all around! You and the mare and pony, as well.

[3horsemom]

how scary! sensible is definitely the right word to describe your mare. hope she is none the worse today.

[BuddyRoo]

Wow. Just wow. I'm so glad your horse is okay.

If it were me, I'd be out with a bottle of wine, sitting with trainer and cheering the good-ish outcome. (and calming nerves)

[ESG]

Boxes of sugar and bagsful of carrots to pony and mare. Wow. So glad it all came out well.

[marta]

so glad it all had a happy end.
chiro does sound good.
keep an eye on that swollen ankle...

what a good pony.

[ThatScaryChick]

Very scary indeed! I am glad everyone was ok.

[Bluey]

What a scare, to see the mare down like that.:eek:
Glad that everyone kept their cool.:yes:

[Hunter Mom]

for an update - we had day 1 of camp today. She was slated to be a working girl all week, but of course last night changed that. She spent the night with her Pony in a small turnout pen (she usually lives in a 2 or 3 acre pen with Pony adn a gelding) to keep her from doing too much and keep her out of the mud. We arrived at about 7:30, and Mare was quite happy to see us. Looked her over and saw no significant swelling, nothing that was scary. She was walked for a bit, and when trotted briefly - was not lame! WOW! Seemed a bit stiff/off, but nothing more than I'd expect for a pen girl who'd spent a weekend at a show in a stall and hauling my fluffy self over courses. Farrier came out and checked out the cut on the coronet, and he said it wasn't going to be a long term issue at all. He'll have to use other nail holes for a bit in 9 months or so, but nothing else. BM really worked their pen so the girls are now back in their home tonight.

She'll continue to get her bute for a few more days to help with any residual soreness, get a massage and work back into riding slowly over the next week or so. I think tomorrow she'll be up to a walk-only lesson for a teeny-tiny camper. That will make her happy - she enjoys her little folk.

[Hazelnut]

Good update, thankfully. What an experience.

[SCM1959]

I have a closed circuit camera with the viewing screen in my truck for exactly this situation. Only once in 5 years have I used it for its intended purpose, when a mare I was hauling kept falling down. Since we had the camera, we knew immediately that the bump that we heard was not just an arbitrary kick, but it was the mare in the first slot falling down. We were able to immediately pull over, unload horses and examine the mare, then re-load her in the last slot of the trailer to continue our trip which was about an hour longer. And, we were able to watch her that entire time to be sure she was fine, which she was.

The camera system is not that expensive for the peace of mind that it gives. I will never, ever be without one.

Thank goodness your situation ended well! I agree, lots of carrots and hugs for the ever so patient pony!

[BasqueMom]

All I can is "Whew!"