Home sweet home

With a successful trip down the hall and back on crutches under my belt, I was ready to go. I had the strength today I didn't have yesterday. So at noon, Sasha rolled me out to the car and we said goodbye. All in all, Luther hospital was wonderful. I felt I was in the care of good, caring, competent people.

I've switched to Vicodin, but I need it every 4 hours. The pain comes from the bruise on the hip, the sprained finger I didn't even know I had until yesterday and the fractured pelvis. Bob and I have agreed not to think too much about what's next with the horses. One thing is for sure - I will be riding again --- in 9 months.

Morphine is my friend

It was a long night. Of course you never get a break in the hospital- they are constantly taking your vitals. And I was suffering from low blood pressure. I felt fine, but I was hovering around 70/40 which they tell me is not a good thing, except I'm normally low. The high point was talking with yet another nurse who has 3 horses (it seems 3 is the number to have.)

I love my PPC - personal pain controller. It's a little device clipped to my neck. When I need pain control I give it a squeeze and in seconds, I get another dose of morphine and I'm feeling better. There's a built in control that prevents me from ODing.

Everyone loves a PT

I got to try the crutches this morning with my physical therapist. She fits the character perfectly - but she's a great coach. I have all kinds of tubes dangling from me so it was interesting. Just a trip down the hall and back. Then I sat in the chair and got dizzy and nauseous. Oh and do you want to go home today? If you can walk the stairs later, you can. So I tried the stairs in the afternoon. I almost stumbled from trying to go too fast. I'm really not up to trying this on my own at home.

My nurse

Sasha is a Yugoslavian man who married a teacher from Chippewa Falls after they met in Spain. He's a character. He keeps saying, "You know it's up to you whether you go home or not. If you don't feel right about it, don't." I'm getting it from the nurse practitioner to go home tonight. I finally said I'm just not ready. Besides, I'm still taking morphine and I can't take that home.

I should be a rodeo queen...

So this was going to be a nice trail ride with Craig on Kahnor and Vicki on Timber. Bob on Gilly and me on Banjo. The perfect evening--warm, not hot. Quiet horses--except for Gilly. Half way out, Bob had had it with his antics. Trotting to catch up with Banjo, then stopping as if not sure if he should catch up. So I decided to switch and let Bob ride Banjo.

Buddy sour

In the time it took for Bob to mount Banjo and me to get on Gilly, Banjo had disappeared over the hill. I didn't see it coming but Gilly was paying attention. And he didn't want to be left behind. He went from 0 to 90 in a split second. I tried to stop him, but he would have none of it and gave a small first buck, a bigger second buck and a monumental buck on the third. Vicki says I flew 3 feet higher than his butt. I'm glad it was uphill and not down.

First thoughts

The first thing I thought or after my hip hit the ground, then my head was, "So tonight I skipped the helmet..." I almost lost consciousness but not quite. I remember hearing Vicki say, "Are you all right? Can you get up?" Something about how I just gave a great rodeo performance. Something didn't feel right, but I couldn't place my finger on it so I didn't even try to get up for a bit.

No leg

Vicki and I talked a bit as the smallest amount of nausea passed and I tried to sit up. I could pick up my right leg with my hands, but couldn't move it by itself. I figured it was just a stinger and I'd just need to rest.

No Bob

We couldn't figure where Bob was. Well, he hadn't seen the bucking. He was being pushed by Gilly and yelled at me to stop him when Gilly passed by riderless. So he dismounted and walked back. It seemed like a year to me on the ground.

No easy way out

By now I figured I wouldn't be riding or walking out. It's hard to think clearly at a time like this and as Bob left on foot with Banjo and Gilly he said he'd be back with the 4-wheeler. Now we are in the back 40 in an apple orchard with no roads nearby. My hip/leg was not feeling any better and I'm thinking I probably broke my hip. The 4-wheeler clearly would not work. I had my cell phone in an arm carrier (worked really well!) but Vicki had to walk up the hill to get reception. Sam was at home but didn't answer. Bob didn't answer. So we just waited and waited. Then we heard the truck coming. Bob had time to think clearly enough to know the 4-wheeler wouldn't work and brought the truck to Art and Vicki's--a shorter distance to the road from where we were--and he brought Art for reinforcement. Together they did the fireman's lift and got me into the truck. Vicki and Craig took a nice ride back to our farm on their horses and we rode out over the bumps and ridges of the fields to Art's farm.

Florence Nightingale

Art's Vicki, a nurse, was there to read the pulse in my leg and tell me I was seated well enough in the truck. I am so fortunate to have a friend like her. She called the emergency center to tell them to expect me, what the situation was, my age and all. But I wouldn't let Bob take me until I knew our horses were OK. We beat Craig and Vicki back and Bob got their saddles off. Then it was off to the hospital.

Like a bee hive

I was greeted with a neck brace and a team of people just to get me onto the gurney. In the emergency room it was buzzing - people poking me with needles, cutting my clothes off, asking how I felt, where it hurt, what was my birth date, was I ever unconscious... Xrays were done in no time. Fractured pelvis. Maybe nothing else, but I'd be getting a CT scan and a sonogram to rule out further injury.

Who else has a horse?

Someone, I didn't catch the name, mentioned she had three horses. She had a good one and a couple naughty ones. But doesn't ride much anymore. While waiting for the CT scan, Suzanne told me she also has 3 horses and we talked about what the future might hold. She told me this definitely shouldn't stop me from riding again.

Wanna go home?

The emergency room doctor said I had at least 2 fractures. I'd be on crutches for 1 - 2 months, but I'd heal completely in 9 months. No surgery required. There's no cast so it will be painful and oh, would I like to go home tonight? Hardly.

More trouble with Sparkler

It is August in Wisconsin. I knew it was going to be a hot one, so Sally came over early to go for a ride - me on Sparkler, her on Banjo. It started so well, both were very cooperative and calm for the most part. We walked a bit up the trail before mounting. We stopped a few times. Sally had Banjo at a dog walk and Sparkler followed behind. Then we turned the corner toward Art and Vicki's.

Sparkler stopped to grab a mouthful of grass and when I asked her to go forward, the kicking started. I urged her on and got more of the same. Sally didn't think it was a good idea to turn around but the bucking increased so I dismounted and we walked ahead. When I tried to mount again, she kicked from the ground. Not at me, just a kick in place.

Well, I wasn't about to walk all the way back so I moved her forward a bit until I was able to mount. I decided it was time to turn back. So off we went. There wasn't any more acting up on the way back, which seems to point to attitude.

Sally and I chatted about the problem all the way back. She talked about her gelding, Bandit, who does really well with young, untrained riders. But put someone on him who will tell him what to do and he will rear. If you aren't afraid and stay with him, he'll get past it, but most will get off. If I don't nip this in the bud, I might have a really big problem with Sparker.

Now Banjo - Sally says the trick is first to keep the feet away from his sides. He is very sensitive to any touch. Keep a loose rein and he will walk very slowly. If he moves too fast, a slight pull then release. If needed, little bigger pull then release. You should be able to get him to slow right down. And keep your butt deep in the saddle with hips relaxed.

We made it back safe and sound and we had fun, but I'm still wondering what to do with my baby.

What's inside Sparkler's head?

It was a bit windy this morning. I didn't want to ride alone on the trail, so I decided to ride in the arena and spend the rest of the day doing barn/pasture chores.

Sparkler came into the arena curious as to what I was doing, so I saddled her up with her English saddle and sidepull and we took a spin. The first time around she was great and I was starting to think her problems were over. Then it began. Bang, she kicked out with her left rear leg. I told her to quit and made her go again. Bang, bang. Both rear legs kicked. So I backed her up and stopped for a while, then asked her to go forward. Kick, kick. We backed, tried forward and got more of the same. Now I'm really puzzled. This can't be her mouth - she has no bit with a sidepull. All indications are that this saddle fits. She shows no lameness. She is cycling quite hard, however.

Then Banjo walked through the tape I used to keep them out of the arena and Sparkler jogged down to the other end to meet him. He decided to go around and she followed him close behind, nice and smooth. He stopped and I tried to keep her moving. Kick, kick, no way.

Herd bound?

Is that what this is all about? It makes some sense. Weeks ago when all the horses but her were in the arena, she ran around outside and kicked the walls. Yesterday's ride was perfect because she was alongside Banjo. But what to do?

I decided to circle her if she kicked. She went ballistic. She tried to bite my boot, bite me, laid her ears back. Ok. I switched to backing her up every time she kicked, then just sitting. Every now and then we'd move a few yards, then she'd kick. She made it her goal to move close enough to the wall and kick it for effect. I wouldn't get off because that would mean she won. I tried circling her once more and again she laid her ears back and became vicious. I have never seen her vicious before which made me extremely sad.

At last, she made a half lap without a problem and I dismounted. She followed me on foot like a puppy as if to say she was sorry and gave me her pretty brown eyed look. How can you be mad?

I shoed her out and got on Banjo for about 15 minutes, working on slowing his walk and getting better stops. He's such a gem inside and outside.

Trail ride #2

It's Friday and I needed to take a day off from work. The past two weeks have been very intense bringing up a new project. All seems to be good now so I made my escape.

Since Banjo and Gilly didn't trail ride well together on Wednesday, Bob and I decided to try Sparkler and Banjo. Art called around 9:30 and said they were headed out. We got the two brushed and saddled in the arena. Bob rode Banjo for a bit so we could recheck the saddle fit. Sure enough, we needed to tighten a lot. I rode Sparkler to see how she was acting and all went well.

I had Sparkler in her sidepull and English saddle. I'm still trying to find out why she's been kicking. The sidepull should eliminate problems with the teeth since there's no bit. Using the English saddle should eliminate problems there. There was no kicking or acting up. So we walked them out and since this was Sparkler's first ride on the trail, we walked halfway up the first hill again and then mounted. By then Art, Vicki and Alexis had met up with us. They turned and we headed out. Banjo had to be in the lead, being a fast walker, but this time Sparkler kept up and it was the two of us in the lead. Soon Art and Vicki were way behind. Alexis kept Thunder at a faster pace and was always just behind us.

Trying to stop Banjo was better because Sparkler stopped easily. Sparkler was acting like a veteran trail horse. Smooth as can be, easy to start. Easy to stop. Responsive to every cue. No kicking or resisting. I think the training in Baraboo was the best thing we could have done for them.

We paused when we got to Art and Vicki's gate and they caught up. We decided to go past their pond and around. On the lower slope of the pond, however, there was a marshy spot. Their horses didn't hesitate. Banjo and Sparkler didn't like it one bit. Sparkler jumped up to higher ground. If she spooked to the right, we'd be swimming, but she stayed on top. Banjo found a spot half way and we were past the wet spot. That was enough for a day, so we said our goodbyes and went around the other side of the pond, a much dryer pathway.

The way back was beautiful. We stopped often. Banjo still only stands for a few seconds, but it's getting better. No craziness when we neared home. Just a calm ride back.

On our own trail!

We finally did it! I rode Banjo and Bob rode Gilly out on our very own trail tonight. I thought we were crazy but Bob wanted to just do it - starting at our end of the trail. I wanted to walk them to Art and Vicki's and start the ride in a group and come back via our trail. But we were running late so I agreed to his plan.

Here's what we know. Gilly is an insecure horse and is known to spook at cows, goats and other animals. He does not like to be in the lead and doesn't like to go alone. He's going to be much better in a group. He's also pretty slow. Banjo is a go-go horse with the fast walking horse gait. So I had no idea how this would work out.

For a warm up we walked the horses halfway up the first hill then mounted. They were calm for the most part. Banjo would get way ahead then I'd hear Bob and Gilly catching up from behind at a trot - bump, bump, bump, bump. Over and over. Holding Banjo back wasn't difficult - it was just all the time. We could not just stop periodically, either. With Banjo, its like this: come to a halt, prance around, turn a circle, back up a few steps then go. We need to work on this.

We finally met up with Art, Vick and Alexis near their back gate. We rode together for just a bit when a turkey flew up and all hell broke loose. Gilly lost it and flew into Thunder who backed up and all but Montana jumped several steps. Bob stuck to Gilly and we were OK. We called it a night and turned back.

Coming back I worried they might decide to make a run for home, but that never happened. In fact I think they were just getting warmed up and calmed down. After unsaddling and unbridling inside the arena, they clung to us even without their halters. Nice.