this past weekend

This past weekend we went to Bell Cow lake for a competition. I was to be the leisure judge and Mike was the safety chair (which means, he was the sweep rider behind everyone to make sure no one got lost or helped people if they had a problem). We went Thursday and it was going to be a mini vacation for us to relax and ride some pretty trails.  Friday we got up and took our ride, hung out with our friends and about 4 I was thinking about just kicking back and chilling in my chair, maybe napping, because our ride meeting was at 5:30 and dinner was at 7.  I was making a drink at the back of Mike's truck and I heard another competitor call to her horse telling him to stop. Her saddle had slipped when she was mounting and he took off bucking across the camp ground. He kept circling and bucking with his saddle getting beaten to heck and he circled toward us.  I walked toward him thinking I could cut him off, but I was still a long way away. I was looking at it like a pool game, thinking if he kept going this way I could go that way etc.  About that time I saw Voodoo, who was in a really good pen, rearing up and go over the gate, but she didn't make all the way and got hung on a 2 3/8 inch post and it impaled her right behind the udder.  I saw blood dripping down the post and just knew she was bleeding out from her femoral artery.  Immediately all of my friends (and my husband who was right there and saw everything too) were there to help.  she was hanging by the skin on the back of her leg and it's amazing it didn't go all the way through her leg.  The entire camp mobilized to help. We had meds and were able to get them in her to calm her down. The vet for the ride came over and thank the Lord we had a ton of men with tons of tools in camp for this ride.  Mike always has more tools than anyone would think necessary, but I will never again complain. My girlfriends took me away because I was a wreck...In the end they were able to bring her down and they tried to keep the post in place but it came out.  She did not nick an artery and apparently did not break any bones, but she has torn muscles.  We took her to the premiere equine vet hospital in the area and they were amazed but it looks like, barring a few potential complications (muscle infection, laminitis in the good back foot), she will be ok. In the meantime one of the men helping, also named Mike, broke his ankle when she rolled on him trying to get up, but he had surgery and they think he will be ok too.  I picked her up yesterday in Edmond and we took her to a place a couple hours from me where they do wound rehab and they will get her along as best they can.  Many of my friends from the ride donated some money to help with her expenses, including the lady with the misbehaving horse who I in no way blame.  One of my friends said I should probably put her down from a financial standpoint but I can't. She is too good a horse and takes such good care of me that I just can't do it. I know my dad would be having a fit spending all this money on "just a horse" and the thought did occur to me too that if his estate ever gets settled and I actually end up with anything I might just have to use some of this money to save the horse lol.  (I don't know if I ever told you but Maggie spent part of what he gave her buying a really nice horse and a trailer) So, this is my update for now. I just wanted to tell you what was happening...now I have to go to work to earn some money to pay some vet bills. And I will enjoy every minute of it.

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