It only takes a second

[bluebell]

It's taken me some time to actually get round to posting this, basically because it was so distressing at the time.

To cut a long story short just a few days before Christmas, Jas, my horse had an accident. He managed to get past some electric fencing and make his way round to between the two stables - there is a 3 foot gap between them and my wheelbarrow was at one end of the gap. Jas knocked the wheelbarrow over, got his back legs caught in it (in the bent metal area which makes the handles and legs that wheelbarrow rests on. Basically he had fallen over onto his side and was trapped between the gap. I must have found him within a very short period of it happening (thank goodness - as I dread to think what state he would have been in), it was really upsetting, he had fallen on the rest of the wheelbarrow, so distorted it. He saw me and tried to get up, but I sat on his neck to keep him steady and just kept reassuring him. There was no one else around to call on so I had to work alone. I don't know how I did it but I managed to get his back legs out of the metalwork and once I'd got it safely out of the way, checked his legs from hoof to spine. I just got hold of his head and he quickly stood up. He's had a five day course of antibiotics and painkillers and is thankfully back to the way he was before - grumpy, but fit!

£60 for the dr-ugs was a small price to pay, I genuinely thought he had broken bones.

I've always stored a wheelbarrow near my stable, I didn't think this would be a problem. Needless to say no wheelbarrow near my horse now.

[Mad Chick]

It's almost impossible to predict these kinds of accidents - something that you've been doing for years with no problem.

Thank goodness he's OK and well done to you for staying so calm in a very stressful situation. It must have been awful

[Steve the Gas]

That took guts and all that goes with it!!

[rhubarb93]

Glad he's come through it unscathed, and well done you for dealing with it so well!
They are such a worry, our 4-legged friends, aren't they? Have never worried as much about anything as I have about my daughter's horse. They seem to have a natural talent for getting into trouble.

[Benny&Co]

Oh you poor thing and poor Jas too Thank goodness he and you are both okay though, if a little shaken

[bluebell]

One saving grace is he's had vocal commands since being a youngster, I just kept saying wo-hoa to him and that is in his instruction to stand still. I think it was this that allowed me to break the wheelbarrow up and get it out the way and check him out before asking him to move.

Also, I am sure he knew I was trying to help him so he waited whilst I got him free without struggling.

[Sara]

Aw bless him and well done you for staying so calm.......

All sorts of little things can one day be a problem, i used to get funny about forks etc being left lying around and stirrups being put down before leaving the stable, anything can happen in a second.......

Glad to hear he is ok though, Must have been scarey to see him like that

[Dinchy]

That must have been aweful - scary for both of you. I am so glad for you that there was a happy outcome

[poppydog66]

Glad he is ok, its awful seeing them like that, he is one lucky horse.
About three years ago now I had the lad who keeps his chickens down the lane from me banging on my door to say one of our ponies was stuck in the fence, so I jumped in the landy and drove like a loony up there taking my niece as back up. When I got up there I found my daughters pony stuck through the fence (he looked like a dead cow) his back legs were right through the fence just past his hocks, his front legs were squished into the fence and his neck was bent back as his head was resting on the next post in line. First thought was 'he's dead' then he did a silly little whinny, next thought 'great he's alive, crap he's got to have broken something Ill have to have him PTS'. So got the niece to get the wire cutters, she sat by him keeping him still and the lads kept the other horses back, I cut the wire from round his legs, stood back and he wobbled up and wobbled off to graze on the yard, after a check over from the vet, some eye drops (his one eye was flat in the mud) and antiseptic (for the lacerations on his hocks) and a week recuperation he was fine. Vet said he was one lucky pony!

[Mo]

Glad all is well.
We used to have a metal gate leaning against the side of the field shelter, so that we could keep one of them in when it was laminitis season (no stable at that time). Then one day we found it, bent, in the middle of the field. Fortunately the pony was only slightly cut. Sigh of relief. That one was into everything like a naughty child, I think we've got wise to him now. Double strength electric fence, checked regularly - the sort that would keep the old horse in won't do for him.
As you say, it only takes a moment.

[wendy]

My goodness how frightening. A pure accident but nevertheless gut qrenching.
I am so glad he managed to get out, with your help, unscathed.
That is you aged 10 years rather quickly then

[Gwenoakes]

WOW one very lucky horse there Bluebell. I totally understand you taking some time to post about this. At the time you seem to deal with what is in front of you, then it all hits you with the shock kicking in.

Trouble is anything/everything is a possible accident cause with horses especially. Even just cantering up the field, one slip and you have a broken leg which has happened to my sons girlfriends horse.

Have a huge from me and tell that horsey not to frighten his Mummy so much in the future.

[manda]

That kind of drama you don't need...good on you for keeping calm

[Annie]

You must have found inner calm and strength that day Bluebell well done for reacting so well to a crisis. Typical of an animal to recover while his human is still suffering from the 'what ifs' the joy of having an overactive mind eh ?

[bluebell]

Thanks for your kind words, folks. I was upset for a good few days afterwards. He's back to his normal (grumpy) self. He was really clingy for a few days afterwards, now he's like "Right, where is my breakfast, go away". Reminds me of the grandad in Bread if anyone can remember that character!