Big Horse Injury

[Marsha Cassada]

Just got back from the OU Medical Center. My sister was thrown from a horse last night. About a month ago this horse went berzerk and while in a bucking frenzy, stomped on her miniature horse cart. I was about 10 feet away and was very close to the drama. The power and ferocity of the horse was incredible to see.

Last night, this same horse, while calmly being ridden in the arena, snapped again. Witnessess say my sister rode him for about 8 seconds before being thrown. He continued bucking across the arena.

She has head trauma, a broken wrist, and knee injury. She is 63, so this has been a very hard riding accident. Do not know what will become of the horse.

He is one of those unpredictable horses: carry the flag in a parade one day, and turn into a machine of destruction the next--for no reason.

What does one do with those types? How can one honestly take them to a sale for unsuspecting buyers? She has owned him for about 6 months, purchased him at a local sale. He is registered with nice bloodlines.

There may be many mitigating reasons: past abuse, chronic pain... But the fact remains he is dangerous.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I'm so sorry. I don't know that I would be messing around with the horse. If he is unpredictably aggressive as you describe he is even more dangerous than a horse who is aggressive all the time. In his case he will seem safe to someone until he isn't setting them up for a tragedy. I know it sounds cold but regardless of how he got that way he is a very dangerous animal and I would be considering having him euthanized (sp?) so no one else gets hurt. I hope your sister heals up quickly and doesn't carry any emotional scars from her ordeal.

 

[LittleRibbie]

I would have to agree w/Reignmaker. Prayer going out to your sister.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Prayers to your sister. I had a bad wreck on a horse a few years ago. He just exploded into a bucking fit. I spun off, hit the ground hard and he stomped on me before he ran off. I still have nerve issues and pain from that accident. The helmet I was wearing saved my life. I hit so hard my helmet broke, but it could have been my head that broke. I knew I would never ride him again, except for the few minutes I dragged my really messed up self back into the saddle because the man from snowy river says "you don't let them beat you, you get straight back on"... then I realized I was really hurt bad and it was off to the emergency for xrays and a cat scan. Luckily I didn't break anything, but the nerve and muscle injury has been long lasting. What I did with my horse is that I sent him to a horse sale calling him a project horse, I sent a letter of explanation and told them to tell people that he needed work and was not child safe. He brought almost nothing and that was ok. Don't fry me guys, just sharing my story.. He had ridden all summer long for me just fine as long as he was ridden frequently he was ok... then the fall time changed and it was dark when I got home from work and I became a weekend rider and that is when he became too fresh and bucky for me. . I thought about putting him down, but he really wasn't aggressive, just too much horse for me at my age and man could he buck. If I thought he was aggressive, I would have put him down.

I do know of one horse that had back pain that caused his bucking... They called him "Buddy the bucker" and he was un predictable. She visited a chiropracter for horses and amazingly after a couple of treatments Buddy the bucker didn't buck any more. Pain can do some strange things.

I had bought my horse from a horse dealer for my 50th birthday. I had ridden most of my life, but had taken a break for a number of years while I had kids in my 40's and after the loss of the horse of my dreams Smokey.

I still wanted a horse for my 50th birthday but knew I wouldn't ever ride again, and so began my life with miniature horses. I hope your sister heals fast and I wish her peace with any decision she makes for the horse.

 

[Equuisize]

Best wishes for quick healing for your sister.

I have to concur with the others. There are to many horses out there that want

to be loved, cared for and spoiled to take your life in your hands for one that is

unpredictable.

Our trainers fabulous Arabian stallion, many years ago did something similar.

Fine, then freaking out, then fine. They took him to WAState University Vet School

and he was found to have a brain tumor. He of course was euthanized but the loss

of deep to those of us that loved him...there was no magic cure for him, however.

 

[REO]

Oh Marsha, your poor sister! Thank God it wasn't worse than that.

I'm afraid I've known horses like that and they Never get over being that way. He will never be safe for anyone. Not only just for riding, but what if he hurts someone while they're cleaning his pen? If he's the type of horse he sounds like, he can't help it. There's something wrong with his wiring that can't be fixed. He'll always be a danger.

I hope your sister gets better soon!

 

[Marty]

Your sister is very lucky! This could have been a horrible tragedy. I'm so sorry about her injuries and send best wishes to her.

About 20 years ago I would have offered to ride the horse for you. Then I grew a brain........

This horse is unpredictable and exploding for a reason. Unless someone plans on dumping money in the horse to find out what is wrong with him, if anything is wrong with him, you'll probably never know. If money is not an issue I would begin with a medical exam and blood work, equine dentist, possibly equine massage, equine acupuncture and that's just for starters. If nothing came up out of the ordinary I would then proceed to the best trainer I could find and I have one for this horse in mind. But that's not all.....I would have to look at the riders also. Who exactly has been riding this horse? Everyone? or a few everyones? Because a horse like this may have been run and cowboyed to death, had people get in his mouth and heels in his guts and ridden with all the wrong ill fitting tack stuff like that right there is enough to make a horse goofy as heck. Its is not always the horses fault when these things happen. I hate to see a horse like this passed off without finding out what is going on to protect not just the buyer, but the horse. I'd be very happy to recommend a wonderful trainer to evaluate this horse for you.

Again I am so sorry your sister has been hurt. I hope she will be on the mend soon.

 

[lucky lodge]

unless you are going to put lots of money into finding out whats wrong and then there maybe nothing wrong.

there are lots of beautiful horse out there that are waiting for a home ..sorry i would but it to sleep..

 

[kaykay]

There is also a huge legal liability selling a horse like this even if you warn the buyers. With so many great horses with no issues going for pennies, the kindest thing would probably be to eutanize him so he doesnt end up a slaughter auction.

So sorry for your sister. This is why I do not ride anymore. Old bones dont bounce like they used to.

 

[little lady]

Prayers to your sister. My 2 cents I would have the horse put down even if you take him to a sale or sell him outright letting the person buying him know about this issue, what is to say this information will be passed on if the horse is sold again, all I can think about is some little kid getting this horse and riding along and this happen to them and they are severely injured or killed. She at this point can control the outcome. Her other option,if she wants to spend the money, would be to have a vet, chiropractor, trainer and whoever else may be able to find an underlying problem, again this may help or may not. I wish her luck in whatever she may decide.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Some among her friends can't bear to euthanize him and want to "rescue" him. I asked her not to decide anything right now while she is in pain and depressed. He's fine where he is for now. When she's feeling better in a few days she can make a better decision.

One of the reasons I do not think he should go back to the sale, besides the obvious one of danger to another human being, is it would be more torture for him. Whatever is wrong with him isn't going to be fixed by more cowboys riding him. No one is going to put the time, money, and mental energy into working with him when hay is scarce, money is tight, free time is a premium, and better horses need all those resources.

Putting down a large horse isnt' easy, either. There is no disposal in our area for large animals. Ranchers just drag their cattle out in the pasture away from ponds; they have to retrieve their dead animals from the vet and deal with it.

It is an unpleasant scenario any way you look at it. "Rescuers" of sale animals beware!

 

[bevann]

I am so sorry about your sister.Hope she makes a speedy recovery.Many of us now have Miniatures due to big horse related injuries.Contact Bonnie Fogg for a reading and go from there.He sounds dangerous and the best bet might be to have him put down.Definitely can't trust him.

 

[CZP1]

So sorry to hear about your sister. I hope she has a speedy recovery. I had an riding accident with a horse that would go bezerk for no reason also. Before I rode him he threw a person and they broke their arm (red flag on my part) but I rode him had for about two months with no problem and then while just walking around the indoor he just started bucking and threw me into the wall. I was wearing a helmet and I broke L1, bruised all over and the doctor said that the helmet saved my head. The horse was later euthanized.

Like everyone said there are alot of horses out there that need homes.

 

[sfmini]

I have encountered two horses like that in my life, one was at Meredith Manor, she would just crack and go running backwards slamming me into the fence with my instructor screaming at me to come back. Like I had a choice. They made me ride that darn horse for 3 weeks before one of them finally got on her and discovered it really was the horse and not me. By then, I was pretty beat up. I was allowed to walk her on the scales and on the slaughter truck and I did it with a big smile on my face.

The second horse would be just fine and then would snap and attack you on the ground and nothing could stop her. We hauled her to OSU, the vet students were sad and trying to talk the owner out of putting her down and the head vet, seeing how we were all acting, hustled us and the horse to a stall, we left and he made sure she was euthanized in short order.

There is something wrong with that horse so unless your sister wants a pasture ornament and the liability that comes with a horse that might kill someone who might try to hop on him one day, I suggest putting him down.

As for disposal, I know of people who compost horses in their manure piles, sounds nasty, but I guess it works very well.

Good luck to your sister, I know it will be hard to do this, but it sounds like the smart thing to do before this horse kills someone, her included. At 63 she is lucky she survived.

 

[Margo_C-T]

So sorry about your sister; sending prayers for her to heal quickly and fully!

There is almost nothing scarier than when a ridden horse explodes,especially when it is for no apparent reason. I have to say, in these times, I'd be VERY leery of buying any horse from a 'dealer'or a 'sale'; unfortunately, there are too often 'unacknowledged' reasons why a horse will be offered for sale by either, and they are not good ones! Too often, the horse has been in some way mis-handled in ways that may not be immediately apparent, leading to dangerous habits/behavior.

Euthanasia is certainly an answer, and one I do support. That said, it CAN be pretty costly to try to do the right thing in many areas, between the cost of the procedure, and then the cost of disposal of the remains. Around here,where previously the rendering company would come and pick up newly-dead livestock, now they won't pick up horses, period...and those that will(to take the remains to the 'special' area of the landfill),charge dearly...plus, the landfill has a fee on top of that, and it is not insignificant! Sad to say, but little wonder that many people won't or can't pay for all that. Thus, horses are abandoned to STARVE 'out in the boonies'...or, sent through the local sale ring.

I personally have a fund I save into as often as I can, so that when the time comes, I will at least be able to afford the euthanasia and a group cremation(for my minisI've heard it may be available for 'bigs', but at great cost, so not really an option for many.) Last I heard, for a mini at least, a group cremation was NOT cheap, but was actually LESS than the cost of having a 'private contractor' pick up the carcass for transport to the landfill! (Oh, and the primary local 'contractor' who does this was recently found to have piled dead livestock/animals, INCLUDING ONE OF THE ZOO'S RHINOS that had had to be euthed!, in his 'backyard' for MONTHS, creating a horrific stench and health hazard for his neighbors! His 'excuse' was that his wife became ill...yet he cleared them out pronto when it came to public attention---and apparently still holds a contract w/ the City, w/ no penalty for NOT HAVING PERFORMED HIS JOB as he is supposed to!)

Bottom line...in many areas, you may be between a rock and a hard place when it comes to trying to properly dispose of an animal that needs it.That said...I don't think I'd give this horse another chance to hurt me(or anyone else), and I wouldn't be able to sink the $$ into trying to 'fix' the horse.JMHO.

Margo

 

[Hosscrazy]

I am so sorry, and am wishing your sister a speedy recovery.

I, too, had a horrible riding accident years ago, and am beyond fortunate to be alive and healthy today. I returned back to riding about 4 years ago and am riding the old been-there-done-that horses. Sure, accidents could still happen with these old timers, but a lot less likely than with the younger ones.

I have no advice about what you should or should not do with the horse. I'm just glad you sister is going to be okay.

Take care,

Liz N.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Prayers for your sister...for a quick and full recovery and also for peace of mind in whatever her decision is regarding this horse.

I personally support euthanasia in a situation like this. Yes, it may cost several hundred dollars, but it will ensure this doesn't happen again. It's painless for the horse and is over instantly.

There are too many wonderful, loving, mentally and physically sound horses out there in desperate need of homes.

Hope the best for your sister.

 

[Shari]

Having also been in a big accident,with lots and lots of major damage a number of years ago. Will keep your sister in my thoughts and prayers.

Sounds like that horse should be put down. Life is too short and some horse's just are too dangerous to be around and not worth the risk.