So I Got Injuries ...

[Digital Prophet]

Yup it's true.

It all started this past Sunday afternoon. Now let me begin by saying that I have been a bad horse dad. I have been neglecting my youngest horse in the bathing department. Between farm chores and time shortages I just had not given him first bath of the summer. I know, call the SPCA.

So what is the problem you might be asking? Well you see Pilot is 19 years old. So he has had hundreds if not thousands of baths. Sometimes he drags me to the wash area and demands a bath. But Solomon is a baby. So he is still realtively new to the whole bathing thing. And to compound it he hasn't had a bath since he was purchased and given to me. So this was going to be our first bath.

And he was ... well let's call it concerned.

Solomon has a fear of new noises. And he didn't take kindly to the sound the hose was making. I had started out having someone hold his lead rope. But he was misbehaving so I took the line back. Well right at that time Solomon decided he was going to go a little nuts.

Now for those of you that do not know Solomon is a Percheron. For those of you that are link lazy it is French for "Big Damn Horse". Solomon is 23 months old and just about 15-1 hands (about 5'-4" at his shoulder) and weighs about 1,200 pounds. And he is just a baby.

Well Solomon got very scared and started hopping and pawing with his front hooves. This is not at all unusual for a horse to do when they are nervous. While he was doing this he was throwing his head up. Now when Solomon pulls his head all the way up he stands about 7 feet tall from hoof to ear. Ok that is fine too. Solomon needed to learn that A) the hose is nothing to be afraid of and B) misbehaving will not get him out of doing things he doesn't want to do. And it is important he learns while he is young.

Well I was gently spraying his hooves and he was hopping around and throwing his head back. I was talking to him in a soothing tone and rubbing my face on his nose and mouth to calm him just like a another horse would. At this time my biggest concern was to not get accidentally cracked on the top of my head. So when he would hop I would take a step back. Well he hopped and threw his head back. And then it happened.

Solomon reared.

My god he was huge. I mean he took up my entire fireld of vision because he was only about three feet from me. I was shocked.

The next thing I knew I saw his hooves pawing at the air and he started to come down. Luckily he pretty much came straight down. But his left hoof hit me right on the right side of my chest. I was again, shocked.

Everything went white for a second.

When I finally started making sense of what happened I was about three feet from where I was standing. Luckily, through some miracle of happenstance, I was wearing a glove on the hand I had the lead line in. So when I was thrown back I hung on to it. That kept my standing b/c it wasn't like I was going to pull Solomon down with me.

So there I was staggering, bent over and not able to feel my right arm. It was a lovely experience.

Wildcrotch was all concerned and wanted to take the line. But I said no. Solomon has to learn that I am in charge and he is going to get this bath. I looked up an he was standing there looking at me b/c he knew he had done wrong. So after the kick I continued to wash him while holding his lead rope and man handling him around for an hour. When it was over I was dripping sweat.

But he was clean.

The impact area was scraped up. And so was my arm. But there was no bruise. Then agan I have never really bruised much my entire life. I went home that night and was sore. I continued to be unomfortable Monday. But today I woke up and felt like I had a knife in my back.

I could barely get out of bed. And driving to work was a real chore. But 8:15 I decided I definately need to go see someone. I went in to my chiropractor and he took some x-rays. And what did they show you may ask?

A cracked rib. Nice.

The examination showed I had muscle trauma in my lower back and a cracked rib around the back. The pressure of the hoof obviously was the cause. But the reason it happened around the back was because the hoof was so large it compressed the rib and the stress point was around the back, not the front at the point of contact.

So there you have it. I have now have a scar from Pilot (it's fading but don't tell him) and a broken rib from Solomon.

If I get one more horse he is either going to pull a knife on me or just have me shot but a gang of mercenary mules.

So while it is true "Percheron" is French for "Big Damn Horse"; "Animal Lover" is Latin for "stoopid".

Prophet out.

[Digitalrebel11]

Just about what?

[NathanJK]

Oh noeses, his injuries have incapacitated him mid-sentence!!!

[Daniel Bates]

Lemme guess, sixteen or so hands?

[pippin]

being just under two i'd suspect about 15-16 hands. mid way. fully grown, i'd love to see him bigger.

but dangit dude i want pics!

[Digital Prophet]

Damn I don't know what happened. I was still writing and it somehow posted while it was still incomplete.

All done now.

Prophet out.

[Digital Prophet]

Originally Posted by pippin

being just under two i'd suspect about 15-16 hands. mid way. fully grown, i'd love to see him bigger.

but dangit dude i want pics!

Here are some pics when he was about 20 months.

Now he is getting bigger and starting to dabble out. He is going to be a gorgeous horse. I can't wait to ride him!

Prophet out.

[pippin]

so when ya gonna start backin' him ?

[Daniel Bates]

I'm voting for the "shot by a gang of mercenary mules" option.


Good to hear you're okay...

[JenJohnson79]

This happened to me when I was 14/15. . . two cracked ribs and a bruise in a horse hoof shape right across my chest. NO FUN! Kudos to you still bathing him. I was thrown once 5 miles from home, my dad offered to take the horses back and come get me. . . I had broken my hand, and I said no and rode him back to the house with my broken hand at a pretty good gait. Don't throw me and expect to get out of exercise!!!

[Ropinamoment]

Awww, sorry your "Big Damn Horse" (that totally cracks me up) got ya good! He is a very handsome fella! I've always been in love with the big guys! I'm glad you remember the event......you may not be though. My hubby got thumped one day and when we got back to the barn, he didn't know who's vehicle was in the drive. It was mine! He didn't remember being thumped. Needless to say he went to the hospital and of course had a concussion.

Good for you for finishing the bath! I hope the next bath is less eventful! Course I'm setting here feeling bad cause my poor pasture ornaments don't have a clue what a bath is lately.

[srwatters]

And to think I complain when one of my bengals claws me

Heal quickly. I'm sure the broken ribs are no joy.