Post by prizmbluekigers on Aug 17, 2009 18:06:06 GMT -5
I took Fit to the wild horse and burro show a few weeks ago and he was in 24X48 pen next to a gelding and across a wide aisle from my mare so he was somewhat interested in her, although he was not very excited. My mistake was in approaching him from behind and slightly to the side BEFORE I had his attention so I was about 3 feet off his right hind and WHAM!!! I got kicked in the thigh.
It was totally my fault, I have preached to my family for years that as he is a stallion, he requires more caution and attention when handling him so I have no one to blame, certainly not him.
I was lucky in that it caught me in the fleshy part of the thigh and missed hip & knee. I haven't been kicked in years but this one sure seemed as though it was a hard one. I got a star for the best bruise our ER had seen in weeks - hip to knee it turned purple and the knot was the size of a softball. Fortunately, I only have a hairline crack in my femur and had to promise not to run or twist the leg for 6 weeks to avoid a cast. Now the knot is down to hardball size and I can walk pretty well again.
I always always gotten his attention before moving in on him while he was agitated in any way. I made sure he looked at me and you could always see him decompress and then I knew he was listening and even then I was careful. I was distracted at the show wondering how he would do and eager to see Todd Titus on his back so I paid the price. That is not the main reason I am gelding him although it helped convince my husband that Fit could be difficult, so all in all it will turn out okay and it sure reminded me not to get sloppy, it can be costly and frail humans alwys lose.
If he had more experience at events with multiple new horses around it might have gone better and oh yeah, he bit the gelding in the next pen the same day. At home with no suprises he is a different horse. So I am older and wiser now and have learned from my mistake.
It was totally my fault, I have preached to my family for years that as he is a stallion, he requires more caution and attention when handling him so I have no one to blame, certainly not him.
I was lucky in that it caught me in the fleshy part of the thigh and missed hip & knee. I haven't been kicked in years but this one sure seemed as though it was a hard one. I got a star for the best bruise our ER had seen in weeks - hip to knee it turned purple and the knot was the size of a softball. Fortunately, I only have a hairline crack in my femur and had to promise not to run or twist the leg for 6 weeks to avoid a cast. Now the knot is down to hardball size and I can walk pretty well again.
I always always gotten his attention before moving in on him while he was agitated in any way. I made sure he looked at me and you could always see him decompress and then I knew he was listening and even then I was careful. I was distracted at the show wondering how he would do and eager to see Todd Titus on his back so I paid the price. That is not the main reason I am gelding him although it helped convince my husband that Fit could be difficult, so all in all it will turn out okay and it sure reminded me not to get sloppy, it can be costly and frail humans alwys lose.
If he had more experience at events with multiple new horses around it might have gone better and oh yeah, he bit the gelding in the next pen the same day. At home with no suprises he is a different horse. So I am older and wiser now and have learned from my mistake.
) anyway, be they stallions, mares or geldings. For a varierty of reasons, it is the sensible way to ride. With out a good handle on my 27 yr old mare, I ride at least 3 days a week on trails, she will take off full tilt back home. Yet she is an awesome horse that few can ride and can do what I ever I need done. I am completly relaxed riding her, just aware. Fantasy is a horse with no spook but grumpy as they come on occassion, she can be a nice ride or miserable. I have a friend who completed her Parrelli certification on her gelding who had issues. While he can be great, she says she still has to always ride more like at DEFCON2 his fears can overtake him at anytime, no matter their skill at riding tackless in an arena.
