the worst feeling ever

Lucy had all weekend to let her Robaxin work and I was excited to see how she was feeling. I had an appointment after work today, and because I knew I wouldn't be able to ride after work, I got up super early and tacked her up this morning. I was in the saddle by 6:30am. She started out great and was super quiet and stretchy. We were at the far end of the ring, by the woods, and all of a sudden there was a dog in the woods staring at us. Lucy looked at it, and it went down into the play stance (front legs down, butt up in the air). She spooked, spun, and bolted. I tried so hard to stay on her but she spun so fast that my weight pulled the saddle to one side and I fell hard onto my lower back. I tried holding onto her but she dragged me a few feet before I let go of the reins. Maddy had just gotten to the barn and she stood at the top of the path down to the ring, trying to stop Lucy, but the saddle was working its way around her barrel and she was absolutely petrified. She didn't even see Maddy. She flew right past her and up into the road. She slipped and fell on the pavement as she was turning out into the driveway, but got up and kept running. She ran a mile down the road to a major intersection, but then someone I know stopped and caught her, took off the saddle, and waited for us to catch up. Maddy made it down there before I did and by the time I caught up to her, she was already walking Lucy home. Thank god a horsey person stopped to help, and as usual, I don't know what I would have done if Maddy hadn't been there. She told me there were two other ladies who were screaming at Lucy to stop running and when Maddy caught up to them (someone had stopped and given her a ride in their car so she was way ahead of me), they screamed at her that this was horse abuse. What is wrong with people?

Lucy was walking fairly sound, but I immediately saw the damage to her legs. She was already bleeding quite a lot, but nothing arterial. As soon as we got her back to the barn, I called the vet's emergency number and initiated that whole thing. I gave her some banamine right away to help the pain and keep her calm. The vet arrived within about 45 minutes. Lauren also came - I called her right after the vet. My barn owner came over to lend a hand, too. My friends are just incredible.

Lucy's front right cannon bone had a massive swelling that developed within about 5 minutes. I thought she had fractured something and I spent the entire 45 minutes waiting for the vet, thinking that I was going to have to put her down. Nothing will make you forget about some silly clinic, or a beaten up saddle, faster than if you have to consider where you will bury your horse. It was the worst feeling ever.

The vet cleaned everything out really well. Sadly there was no way to suture anything because she had torn all of the skin away. She x-rayed the RF and it was just a bad bone bruise, thank god. The x-rays showed that her LH leg was fine, too. No fractures on her patella or her LH fetlock, despite the nasty injuries. The vet prescribed stall rest for a week, though she can come out and graze on a lead line if she stays quiet.

My saddle looks like absolute hell. I took it to a local tack store for the owner to look at it. The leather on the pommel and cantle is badly scratched up but the tree is thankfully not broken.

Tonight I am extremely sore. I was doing ok while the adrenaline was still pumping, but I went to work after Lucy was all tucked in and as comfortable as possible in her stall, but sitting in my chair at work without moving much caused my whole body to stiffen up, and I am really feeling it right now!

So needless to say, we won't be going to Equine Affaire this week. That is the least of my problems but I still am very sad that we are going to miss out on the fun. EA's management was absolutely wonderful; I called them right away this morning in hopes that they could give my spot to someone else for the clinic. They were so good about it - they said not to worry, and they even refunded my clinic fee once my vet faxed over some paperwork about Lucy's injury. Lauren and I are still going to go and enjoy EA since we both took Friday off and we have been looking forward to it for a long time!