Why Mustangs Rock!

[dunbnwild]

This is a video of a horse with a similar injury (broken shoulder) to Mari's, except Mari had to survive in the wild, keeping up with her herd and not becoming part of the food chain. From what I've seen of my mustangs, I'm sure she didn't do this alone--her herd had to help keep her safe and stick with her. But when I see this horse and I think of the terrain on the HMA's, it just blows my mind that she did survive--that's hearty stock for you!

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aBnWfKnvndU

Good shot of Mari's shoulder (she didn't have a swimming pool or pain killers):

[Michelle Clarke]

She is definately a survivor! Knowing the mustangs, I always have to laugh at some of the other breeds when they get a little boo-boo and how they act. In fact, sometimes it is hard to know when they are hurting or getting sick because they hide it. My first Kiger, Zorro (Midnight), would take a couple hits by another horse just so he could get in position to get a good bite or kick in.

[dunbnwild]

On the first day of hunting season, we went out and found Catalina down with blood all over her chest and legs and not looking at all good, but stumbling up to the barn.

I started cleaning her up as we waited for the vet--I thought she'd gotten tangled in the fence and went into a panic, but there was just one spot on her--the vet said--she's been shot. It was kind of in her arm pit/chest area and I guess there is a main artery there--we went back out to the field and there were about five places where she'd stopped and bled out, got up and tried again. I'd never seen so much blood. It was like someone had poured quarts of oil into the ground. Cat was in shock, but had stopped bleeding, so we just treated her for the shock and infection and kept her up with a blanket on and such and in two days she was back to normal. I think many of the other horses would've just laid down where they were, but she's a fighter!

Also--one day after work I came home to find Lazzy has torn her nostril top and bottom--probably rubbing on a t-post--it was after 5 and already looked to be healing, so I decided that if I had the vet out to stitch her it would purely cosemtic and didn't want to put her through that--so I just treated it as I would any cut and tried to accept that my gorgeous girl was only going to be photographed from one side--but within a couple of weeks you couldn't even tell anything had happed. There a tiny spot that is a little thicker--but that's it.

They're always blowing my mind. (although, it would be perfectly fine with me if they didn't do it anymore LOL)

[lilnagy]

Is Catalina a dun? I have sometimes worried that a foolish hunter would take a shot at one of my duns before he got a good look at what he was shooting! I thought about getting them each an orange vest to wear in the fall....

[DianneC]

There are people who will shoot at most anything for the thrill of killing something. We had goats shot out of the same pasture my Kigers were in when they were in Chehalis. I can't believe that anyone thought Cat was a deer.

[fantasykiger]

Those are some wild stories ...I had no idea, you have me beat Someone once shot our persian cat (yes, he survived) with a high powered pellet gun, the pellet was in his hip and broke his leg. I can not fathom why anyone would shoot a cat that weighs all of 4 lbs. But to shoot a horse is just as much outrageous . It sounds like you have paid your dues as far as horse injuries go Your set now for good luck in the coming future, knock on wood and all that good stuff ;D

[dunbnwild]

Yes Cat is a dun--but I strongly believe that the neighbors accidentily shot her--the angle made it look like a riccochet and they had been "cleaning their guns, but had not fired them"-- they are idiots, and what's more annoying is that they had a perfect view of everything from their house (where several people--and a few monkeys --live) and no one wondered why the horse was staggering and dropping. Luckily we've moved from there--but oddly it was right in the city limits.

I did put up that ugly orange construction fence along my back fenceline out here in the country. ANd if they made orange vests for horses, I'd totally make her wear one, LOL.

[kimk]

I remember Mari from the 1999 adoption. Glad to see she is doing so well!
Kim

[lisad]

If not vests, I know there are blaze orange sheets and blankets.

www.horse.com/600D-ORANGE-TURNOUT-BLANKET-BES22.html

[canadiankigers]

A few years ago a neighbour of mine almost lost her horse to trigger happy hunters. She decided to go and buy those strips of light reflecting material and sewed them on her horse blankets. They work great in the day light too!!!! She also tied some old sleigh bells to the blanket so when her horse was grazing, there would be NO misunderstandings about the difference between her buckskin mare and the local deer.

[lisad]

Great suggestions.