OT--Horses can kill you

[getitdone1]

I was reading answers to the question about why most people mount a horse from the left side. Enjoyed the stories that evolved from this question.

I grew-up on a farm and have had a little experience with work horses and a riding horse.

One day when I was about 10 years old I was riding a work horse in the pasture and it decided to run through a shed that was open on both ends. Problem was the openings were not tall enough for me and the horse. I couldn't stop the horse and I had to make a not so fun--and quick--decision. Either I jump or maybe get killed. I jumped, landed on my rear, and my feet stopped about a foot from the shed. Didn't get hurt at all.

I do believe you have to let animals, not just horses, know whose boss--and yet be kind to them. Well....be kind to them to a point. I'm changing the subject here but still related. We had a cow that liked to kicked at me rather than forward with perhaps a foot in the milk bucket. Finally one day I had, had enough. She kicked and I got an old full-sized oak 2x4 from under the corn crib and layed it between her horns. I recall "holding back" a little because I might have killed her if I hadn't. She went down on her knees and stayed there for awhile. I thought she might die and didn't think my dad would take that very well. She finally got up and I finished milking her. There was no more kicking of any kind after that.

Don

[rossim92]

lol Have an old friend who used to tell me stories of his father. Told me one as to where when he would milk the cow, if he had cold hands it would kick him. His father would just kick the cow back till it let him milk her. The old man didn't care if his hand were cold or what! Old farmers were tough in the old days. I'm talking about thirty or forty years ago and earlier time frame. Not that some of them not tough today, Just a different mentality toward things back then!

[JimT]

lol Have an old friend who used to tell me stories of his father. Told me one as to where when he would milk the cow, if he had cold hands it would kick him. His father would just kick the cow back till it let him milk her. The old man didn't care if his hand were cold or what! Old farmers were tough in the old days. I'm talking about thirty or forty years ago and earlier time frame. Not that some of them not tough today, Just a different mentality toward things back then!

Them ain't the "old days" ... that was just a few years ago. Now when I was a kid 50 some odd years ago .......

What's scary is that 50 years from now your grandkids will be tellin' your great-grandkids about THESE DAYS as 'the good ole days' ..

[LeverBob]

Never trust any stock, never trust any human until they prove it. Never trust in any good will until it is proved. Give a man a chance, but never an animal. If'n the man proves untrustworthy, then mark him as Cain. No compromising & no second chance. Let vengance be in the Lord's hands, but no second chance.

If you own stock (not a pet) then one of you has to be in charge. Either you or the animal. Do you want a horse or goat to rule over you? How about a Jackass, (Oh...we've already experienced that....how's that "Help me change" working for you?).

Like some of the boys here, I've been "kicked" to many times to trust in good will, by either stock on the ranch or by inner city pukes. Trust has to be earned the old fashioned way.

I'm old school; my word is my bond. The handshake seals the deal. No animal can do that, whether it is stock or an inner city scumbag. That is why I frequent this site...The brand is good & the hands have my trust.

LB

[Hobie]

My great-grandfather's horse kicked him in the head and that killed him.

[geobru]

My grandfather was a blacksmith by trade and died in about 1954 or so, so this story goes back a ways. There was a particular horse that the owners brought in for shoes periodically, and it was prone to kicking at the smitty. One time that old nag kicked my grand father, and he lost his temper and hit it with his fist and knocked it out colder than a cucumber. He put the shoes on it while it was out. After that, when that horse came in to be shod, it stood there and shook like a leaf, but never kicked him again!

[LeverBob]

There's another side....

You won't have more fun than learning how to ride, (Don't any of you Pards mention sex-get me?). Once you've been trained, it is a pure joy to trail out into the wilderness. It's purelee work, but a sweat never hurt anyone.

You city boys can have a ton of fun by finding a stable that trains riders as well. I practiced during the school year by going to a stable just north of Chicago in Deerfield, Ill. when back to school in the early 60's. Kept my chops up & learned a ton. Had a blast!

Find a stable & get good instuction...you'll carry it into your old age. Chops get rusty, but come back real quick. I urge you to do so, because they just might be our transportation if the times get bad, even just outside of the city in the suburbs. Y'all deserve to know how, just use common sense, something that isn't being taught right now to the youngins. If you're on this site, then you already have a bunch, so go use it!

One tip: if you ride, learn how to put on a set of panty hose (your size & not your wife's). Not necessary for an afternoon outing, but it will be your lifesaver if you ride for a long hunt out west. You'll be stradled on a nag for hours each day. Both you and the nag will be sore, however, if you have a set you will be lubricated against the movements. I got that from a Montana guide.

Tend your nag too: buckles & cinches can rub a horse raw, so look out for your ride as well. Work up to the ride, I mean that if you're going for a long ride, work short rides first. Get the nag used to it....you'll need to as well.

When you pull the gear at the end of the day, curry, dry & look for any abrasions. Tend those & adjust the gear so that doesn't happen. Pick the hooves every day, pebbles & rocks can find their way into the hooves.

Tend your ride...and tend it first. Tend & water before you do, it's your transportation. Might as well get into the mindset now rather than later when the blue chips are down.

Go getcha some pards...

LB

[adirondakjack]

One of my first paying jobs was for an old farmer who had a small antiquated outfit. he milked a few cows by hand every day, and his barn had iron stanchions. The "boss" cow he called "the old B....." would lead the girls in every afternoon, and if she was in a mind, she's go into her stall put her head in the stanchion, where even a scrawny kid like me could lock her in. If she was not of such a mind, she KNEW she could put a shoulder or a hip against either me or the farmer and pin us to either the barn wall or an iron stanchion. I got trapped just once. Ole "Pick" (His name was Alfred, and I never knew why he was called "pick") busted her between the eyes with a 3 ft chunk of rough 2X4 and yelled something vulgar, then said "leave that boy alone." She never bothered me again, which proves two things SHE could learn, and she was too smart to be a dairy cow (which is generally a recipe for hamburger, helping make the barn safe and culling her "uppity" genes from the herd. But ole Pick had probably had her around for 10 years and he wasn't about to send her off to the packing house. She stepped on his foot the following winter and broke it.....

They say my GF was good with horses, which is odd as he was until age 40 a NYC boy. When he moved north and started farming, one thing he did to make cash money was board horses, including a herd of "dude ranch" horses he'd board all winter while the Dude ranch was closed. They say there was one stallion so afraid of the "van" (converted city bus) that would transport em back to work at the dude ranch in the spring, he's raise a ruckus in the barn that even the ranch cowboys would fear him. Gramps was a small guy, and weakened by a rheumatic heart, but that one spring the horse wouldn't come out of the barn and was busy breaking things up inside when gramps, without a word, went into the barn with it and barred the door. There commenced some thrashing and a few inaudible words, but then it was all quiet. Gramps opened the door and led that feared beast out by the lower lip, which he had grasped a fistful of and held low enough the horse had to stretch his neck down as he walked into the back of the van as pretty as you please. Nobody ever knew exactly what happened, but what everybody who was there (my dad, granny, and aunt) always said was gramps was as cool as if he was walking a three year old kid in the park. SOMEHOW that horse knew not to mess with him.....

I like to think I have a bit of that in me. I've not been around horses much at all, only ridden a few times, etc. But I like horses. Several years ago at a county fair a big beautiful mare was cowering in the corner of her stall as the crowds milled past. A sign gave her name, "Jenny", and said "careful, I bite." I was just taken by her uneasiness, the crowds passing behind her, as she hid, her head low in the back corner of the stall, her skin crawling as if covered with flies even though there were none. My youngest son was with me. He musta been about 6. I said "Ben, be still now", then began talking in a low, almost stage whisper voice to the horse. "Jenny, what's the matter? It's ok girl, you can come out, nobody's gonna hurt you", etc. In about three minutes she turned and eyeballed me, then slowly crossed the 16X16 stall and put her nose on my shoulder. I scratched the bridge of her nose and chatted with her a while, then picked Ben up so she could sniff and nuzzle him. Then we made our way along to the end of the row, where an old man sat on a hay bale, obviously watching. "Ain't nobdy ever had much luck with her" he said. "She's skittish. She's even bit me. I figured you was gonna get bit, but I figured you read the sign...." It felt pretty good to know I could deal with that horse, even though I had no need to. I just felt sorry for her is all, cowering in the corrner shivvering.

[FWiedner]

We used to have a paint mare that would let a rider mount and then head into the barn to rub them off her back using the barn door when she wasn't in the mood.

She had a temper and would sometimes rear up to keep someone from taking hold of the halter or bridle.

One day she rubbed my brother off going into the barn and when he reached for the bridle she reared up and smacked her head on one of the rafters in her stall. After 5 or 10 minutes on her knees getting her **** together, she and my brother went for a rather peaceful ride and she never tried brushing a rider off on the barn door or reared up again.

[LeverBob]

Hey Pards...once they experience gettin' their mind right, they aren't too much trouble thereafter. And...they can be a mountain of fun. Just keep things in perspective & use common sense.

FW...that's one way to get a nags mind right...Heh!

Jack...that's a touching story...that would be one horse I would try to pick up...if I could.

LB

[Wes]

I know of two neighbors that were killed by horses. One of my friends father was bucked off his horse and hit his head on a corral post and did him in. The other was a young girl about 8 or so who wrapped the bridle reins around her wrist and the horse spooked and ran off. Drug her to death and took her arm off. I tell that last one to my kids a lot. You can get killed leading a horse and that seems a pretty tame thing. Let alone adding lots of speed and lariats and colts, hooking horses to haying equipment, etc.
Then again I know of plenty of motorcycle accidents gone bad too. Life is full of danger but you gotta have some fun.

[Cliff]

Never cared too much for horses, Mules yes. Anway was reading on another site about a woman who was guiding some people all on horse back, near yellow stone I believe. Grizzly country she is aware of what to look for and careful. Anyway her horse which is 18 hands high of mixed heritage started acting up, then she saw a deer run across the trail, followed by a grizzly bear. The party's horses all tried to get the heck out of there. Her horse stood fast, it seems the grizzly decided to go at a young 9 year old lad on a horse and couldn't control his horse, just hanging on. Her horse, named Tonk, charged the grizzly, the grizzly didn't like that beat a retreat. Rangers said from the Grizzly's tracks he went about 700 lbs. The Boy's father was highly relieved and presented the woman with a super tip. She bought Tonk instead of sending back to the pasturage they rent the horses from each summer. Quite a story with pictures of her and Tonk. Been riding since a teenage and is now 25 and loves the job. Was on the Blaze site I believe. ATB

[foxtrapper]

A horse will kill you any Time you give it a chance. They are prey animals and are wired so.

[FWiedner]

A horse will kill you any Time you give it a chance. They are prey animals and are wired so.

BS.

Horses are a lot like dogs. Train them and be kind and they're your friend for life.

Mistreat and ignore them and they'll treat you like the untrusted stranger or bully that you are.

JMO.

[OJ]

A horse will kill you any Time you give it a chance. They are prey animals and are wired so.

I dunno - my experience tells me they're more like women - some are easier to get along with than others - AND - some are more way more dangerous than others - striking when you least expect it - I learned that lesson long ago and several times since.

The best horse I ever owned I bought for $15 at a Saturday auction - I was 12 and nobody had bid on a choice looking 7 year old gelding (prime age for working cattle) so I took a long shot - and was sure others there were snickering since all there seemed to know something about him I didn't.

Turned out true - it seems the guy who broke him was intimidated by him - but, 12 year old cowboys aren't smart enough to be intimidated so I spent the next couple of weeks straightening him out - well, OK - about 80% straightened out. Cowboys earned $5 per day working cattle on the rancher's horse and saddle but, if you owned your own horse and saddle, $8 per day. I paid for him first week I worked him - but, one day, he pushed me too far when I was cutting critters out of the herd for market - so I went in and strapped these fancy silver inlaid spurs a friend of dad gave me. Didn't take but a couple of "reminders" for him to agree who was in charge -



I made a lot of money on him and, three years later when my folks moved to the city, I was sure I could get a decent price for him since everybody had seen him work for me.

Not to be - instead of concluding I had done a good job straightening him out, it seemed the conclusion was he was a "one man horse" who would only work for me - $15 was the best bid - got $40 for my saddle and bridle, though.

However, most of us find we need both horses and women - but we do need to never "fall asleep at the switch" or we can sure regret it.

[getitdone1]

Never cared too much for horses, Mules yes. Anway was reading on another site about a woman who was guiding some people all on horse back, near yellow stone I believe. Grizzly country she is aware of what to look for and careful. Anyway her horse which is 18 hands high of mixed heritage started acting up, then she saw a deer run across the trail, followed by a grizzly bear. The party's horses all tried to get the heck out of there. Her horse stood fast, it seems the grizzly decided to go at a young 9 year old lad on a horse and couldn't control his horse, just hanging on. Her horse, named Tonk, charged the grizzly, the grizzly didn't like that beat a retreat. Rangers said from the Grizzly's tracks he went about 700 lbs. The Boy's father was highly relieved and presented the woman with a super tip. She bought Tonk instead of sending back to the pasturage they rent the horses from each summer. Quite a story with pictures of her and Tonk. Been riding since a teenage and is now 25 and loves the job. Was on the Blaze site I believe. ATB

Cliff,

That IS quite a story! Here's a link. Nice picture of the courageous woman and horse. Left click on the picture for a closer look.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/s ... -charging/

Thanks Cliff for letting me know about this. This story is about as good as it gets.

I posted: "Horses can kill you." Well, they can also save you. While there are times you have to let animals know whose boss I'm for being kind to them. Treat'em right and they'll nearly always pay you back in a positive way.

Don

[FWiedner]

Lookit them clod-hoppers!

That there is a "War-Horse".

She's a bit of a cutie.

[horsesoldier03]

FARMERS WITH COLD HANDS, JUST HAVE NO RESPECT FOR UTTERS!!!

[foxtrapper]

JMHO is that horses do not keep your well being in mind. if you get complacent around your trusted mount bad things can happen. trailer your horse a hundred times no problems. The next time he decides no not today and decides to rear and back out. You used to make sure you were at the side of the ramp while closing it ,this time your behind it . The horse knows your there but backs out anyway slamming the ramp against you and now your learning to ride with a store bought leg.

[BigSky56]

A gun thats mishandled can bite you to, complacency applies to all aspects of life. anytime a 1000cc horse comes in contact with a 100cc person guess whos going to be holding the smelly end of the stick all you can do is pay your money and take your chances, cides were not getting out of here alive anyway. danny

[foxtrapper]

That's the truth,you get one ride with no guarantees . A unloaded gun that is pointed downrange will not load itself and get you in it's sights and pull the trigger. A calm horse who sees the wrong shadow will spook and run you down ,drag or.......

[C. Cash]

That's the truth,you get one ride with no guarantees . A unloaded gun that is pointed downrange will not load itself and get you in it's sights and pull the trigger. A calm horse who sees the wrong shadow will spook and run you down ,drag or.......

I have very little horse experience except as a young man growing up and periodically working with them at the University. We had a quarter horse (Doc Bar bloodline) that was calm in almost any circumstance: folks driving by and honking their horns to make him spook, hot fence arcing on barbed wire, packs of dogs nipping at his heels....he would never blink. His one problem : traffic cones! I did not realize this until I first came across one and he came unglued on me, and that was about the only tense moment I ever had on him. Wish I would have had more knowledge to work with him on overcoming the cones. Our neighbor had his boy get killed on one of his stallions. After he was killed, he went inside and got his 30-06 and that was the end of the horse as well. He was overcome with grief and guilt....very sad. Count me as one who believes a horse can kill you quick(though he doesn't mean to), but you always have to be thinking about the possiblity and what could happen. I'm never one to hang out behind a horse, no matter what anyone says about him, though I've come across alot of people who think I'm crazy for being so paranoid.

[southfork]

In my experience, sometimes a horse will turn on you with every intention of doing you in. The last horse that I owned was one such. I bought it from a woman who said that the mare was very gentle and easy going. Well, it seemed that she was right because it would come out to meet me and nuzzle, etc. when I went out in the pasture to get acquainted (once I got it home). The first time that I took a bridle out with me, the mare planted its two front feet and pivoted quickly around and let me have it in the stomach with both hind feet. Fortunately, I was just far enough away that the rear hoofs didn't eviserate me, but it stunned me pretty good. The next time I tried to bridle it, it did the exact same thing (yeah, I'm pretty stupid to think that the first try to bridle it was just a fluke). I thereupon went into the house and got my Marlin 1894 levergun (in 44 magnum) and went back out in the pasture with the intent of shooting it in the head as soon as I could get the *** to walk over to the river next to the pasture. After about half an hour of trying to get the horse on the river bank where I could shoot it and let the river current take its carcas downstream and out of my life, I finally cooled down enough to find a better solution. I had paid $750 for the horse, and let a neighbor (who was an experienced horse trainer) have it for $250. Lost $500 but both me and my neighbor are still alive. Don't know what he ever did with that horse, though.

[kimwcook]

Well, I love my horses and I'll take the chance. I don't foolishly take the chance with a horse of unknown or bad character, but with mine I will. Horses are always, always, always, did I say that enough to get your attention. Horses are always looking to see whose dominant and whose going to lead and whose going to follow. If you give them a chance to become boss you can get in trouble. As has been stated, wet saddleblankets do wonders.

[C. Cash]

A life without risk is no life at all.

[41 Redhawk]

As has been stated, wet saddleblankets do wonders.

For those of us inexperienced with horses and ignorant of the term could you please explain what you mean? Thanks

[rimrock]

I've been around horses for 40+ years, and had some good ones that shared a bond. I never mistreated any of them, but learned not to trust any of them after I got a shoeprint in my shin when doctoring one of them. In college, I pointed out to my boss that several were too wild for my experience, and certainly they shouldn't be used for the campers. But no, we had to use all those wild critters that were ridden for 3 months/year. Ended up with 3-4 broken arms and 1-2 broken legs that summer (miserable experience for the campers AND me)--they was warned!!! Medical expenses took most of the profits that summer, I believe.

I've been around donkeys for about 13 years, and feel just plain stupid with them. Surely no trust there for them (ever) or me!

rimrock

[20cows]

As has been stated, wet saddleblankets do wonders.

For those of us inexperienced with horses and ignorant of the term could you please explain what you mean? Thanks

Work the horse till it's wringin' wet.

A lot.

[41 Redhawk]

As has been stated, wet saddleblankets do wonders.

For those of us inexperienced with horses and ignorant of the term could you please explain what you mean? Thanks

Work the horse till it's wringin' wet.

A lot.

Ah, makes sense....thanks

[Lastmohecken]

Lots of people were killed by horses in the old days, and it still happens today. Just so happens, the wife of one of my hands at work, spent a few days in the hospital last week, because a horse kicked her, when she was feeding them, last week, and had to even have an operation to fix the bones in here arm. She was lucky, according to her that she didn't get kicked in the head.

I rode horses all of my growing up years, into my early 20's, then didn't ride for many years. I never got hurt much in my younger days, and I never got throwed from a horse, like I did, about 4 weeks ago. I had a mare that I hadn't owned very long, but I trusted her, blow up on me like a stick of nitro. I had never been thrown like that in my whole life. Now, that I know what she might do, I have a real trust issue with her. The bad thing is I am not sure why she did it. After she threw me, she just stood there ground tied. Even though I was hurting I got back on here and rode her the rest of the way to the house. But now I don't know. I am 54 yrs old, and I can't really afford to take another fall like that.

I do have a Sorrel gelding that I don't think will ever throw me, but this mare, I don't know. Looking back, I think I should have beat the heck out of her, right after she throwed me, and I don't like hitting a horse.

But I will tell you one thing, I am not all that high on this touchy feely way of trainning horses these days, and often wonder if actually breaking a horse, like they did in the old days, might have been better. I know one thing, all of the horses I rode back 40 50 years ago, were probably broke the old cowboy way, and I think maybe they were better horses. Back then we didn't baby them, and lunge them around, etc. At anyrate, I would give a lot to just have at least one of the horses back from my youth, to ride today. But I have pretty much found out that money won't buy a horse like I rode when I was young, because I looked hard for one last year.

[OJ]

As I mentioned, I grew up a cowboy in the Sandhills in Nebraska. We lived in "town" (claimed pop 115 but I think half that was more accurate) since my dad and his dad were the bankers there.

I got my first horse at age four - before I got a dog. My great uncle retired "Tracy" at age twenty from ranch duty and gave her to me (he also gave me my first rifles a little later). She was gentle and tolerant of kids crawling all over (and under & around her) and we regularly rode two and three up on her.
- once we even had five of us on her back. However, she was still equine and still would do unpredictable things - I think out of horse's nature more than any mean or bad reasons.

My mother wouldn't let me have a saddle until I was six - she was afraid I might get a foot caught in a stirrup and injured that way - she wasn't aware we played "cowboys and Indians" on our horses and ran full speed around section sized pastures chasing each other. Now, cows tend to follow each other so there were trails of sand running through the grass - and Tracy would cross dozens and ignore them - until, for reasons known only to her, would see one crossing in front of her and stop on a dime sized spot - allowing the rider (me) to continue airborne - landing usually head first - I guess - because, when I would "wake up" the others would be standing around me looking down and wondering when I'd wake up.

Then, there was the day when I rode her to the depot to see that new diesel engine machine that would replace steam engines. I guess she saw or heard something I didn't and started bucking - something she hadn't done in the 3 or 4 years I'd owned her. Landing on my hear again, I remembered crawling a few feet away to roll under a fence so as not to get stomped on. Now, as the comic strip guy said that a bucking horse wouldn't ever step on the dislodged rider, I wasn't sure she knew that too. Again, I awoke with people staring over the fence wondering if I'd wake up.

Two points I'm hoping to make here - that mare and I loved each other - but as a horse, could do things that looked intentionally mean - but really were not - but, could never the less produce potentionally fatal injuries. The other is I think today's concern over concussions is interesting considering how many we got - and I still graduated in the upper third of my med school class.

[marlin shooter]

My grandfather got kicked in the forehead when he was 13 or 14 year's old by a horse. I don't know what he did wrong around the horse but it sure caved his head in and took over a year to recover (almost killed him). When you are young and your grandfather has a divot in his head and you ask why and you are told a horse kicked him I stayed away from horses! Fast forward about 40 year's and my wife's little cousin (8-9 year's old) was riding her horse when it spooked and threw her, then dragged her along a fencerow killing her. I am all set with horses though I have no hatred of them, I'm glad they came up with internal combustion engine's. I'll walk or use a pickup or 4 wheeler for my activities. I've never had issues with dairy cow's and like them much better. A old timer I knew alway's said a horse has 2 ---hole's, it's own and the person who feed's it. They are animal's and are capable of doing great damage or good.
Karl

[gak]

My tale of whoa! Warning--long and not just a danger story, but all horses and deserves some context
When we moved to Arizona when I was 13, we lived at a low grade dude ranch for a summer as we looked for a house in town. Really more of a horse ranch that duded occasionally in the winter. I quickly befriended the two owners' three teen sons and spent a lot of time around the horses caring for them in informal exchange for riding them any time. Sort of a three month intensive immersion. (I hadn't been around a horse since our pony at two or three. Ten years is a literal lifetime at that stage!).
Whenever we could, the boys and I'd ride 'cross desert to the then-unpopulated river (now swarming with tubers), unsaddle the horses, play Huck Finn for an afternoon under the salt cedars and swim the horses bareback in the cold deep water. We'd occasionally see wild horses across the river on the reservation. We all--horses included--loved it. Paradise for at least these teens, including me. On these adventures, I alternated horses usually riding a very gentle and seasoned Appaloosa mare or a great (gentle but a little dumb--in a charming way) sorrel gelding. The latter provided the ranch's comedic entertainment by always getting into trouble around the stables, including one of the local goats constantly leading him into some real spots--once getting stuck up onto an old rickety cattle cart where we had to dismantle the thing to get him out. ..

Back on topic (sorta), flash forward to one evening the owners and their wives were gone overnight. That left the teens "in charge" (115 degree summer, no customers except for us in an unairconditioned casita up against the sizzling rocks. The boys decided they and I should go riding as dusk approached, but this time with one on his dad's top Appaloosa stallion, and me on the other's prize dark sorrel quarter horse stallion--one of the best in Az. He was a gem too. I had cleaned his stall and fed and curried him, never once felt threatened by him. Deep brown, bashful eyes and a personality to match. Well, I said "Uh are you sure it's ok--your dad's horse?" but being a naïve 13, that was the only protest I gave. We headed out into the desert, came upon a big diamondback getting the smithereens beat out of him by a red racer, as we sat there in a semi circle cheering the racer on. The horses didn't like it one bit but didn't spook. The rattler was left belly up as the racer zipped off into the brush. Hooray!

Ten minutes later, the four of us were riding in a desert wash when my horse took off on me. He just decided he wanted to run and, I'm sure sensing a novice, took control. Man-o- man, here I am on what some folks said was the top QH around--maybe anywhere--going a mile a minute completely out of control--and we weren't in some controlled arena either! The only thing saving my bacon was the wash took a near 90 degree turn at the end of this long straightaway...and the kid on the Appaloosa stallion was giving chase to try to get my reins--causing just enough "side friction" for mine to not want to make the turn. He came to a complete a sudden halt at the turn, jerking me forward then all the way back on the back of the saddle--right on my tailbone!

I couldn't sit (or just about anything for days). I, 13 again you understand, somehow got talked into going into Phoienix to a cattle auction with the fathers and kids two days later and sat through that agony for hours. Needless to say, no mention was ever made to the fathers about our escapade! (I had "slipped" 'r something!). I don't ever recall going to a doctor, but I was black and blue for a month. Close call. Looking back, I probably was closer to real trouble than I even felt that evening out in the desert. It was just excitement to me...ah the innocence (and stupidity) of youth! Loved that horse though, and he and I remained buds. Gorgeous critter. I remember those bashful eyes--and the jaws, legs and chest only a great stallion could have.

The QH and Appaloosa stallions were rare best buds too, and was said the former co-conspired with the latter to break out one evening. What a ruckus as we were all involved in trying to get several horses back in their stalls.
The Appaloosa stud got with the aforementioned gentle mare, much to the owners displeasure, but it "took" and later that year she brought a gorgeous rump spotted colt--a whitetail fawn comes to mind--into the world. What a summer. Guarantee I was the only one in our family that looked back on that as fondly though!

EDIT: there are some very tough stories here that are hard to get away from, a lot of them but especially the last post. My experiences were less than tragic (luckily and thankfully) and in no way is intended to diminish any of those. My limited stint with horses when I was younger was mostly a lasting, positive and certainly educational one...with the luxury of that being my lasting one, not having been around the equine world much since.

[20cows]

I am 54 yrs old, and I can't really afford to take another fall like that.

Same here, but I'm not through with the critters yet.

[Thunder50]

My Sister told me of a 15 yr old girl that was thrown, about 10 years ago, and killed. My Sister was thrown about 5 years ago and had her back broken. Horse ran back to the corral. Luckily, the neighbor came home a couple hours later and saw the horse by the barn, saddled, but no one around. Luckily, boned shard from the vertabrae didn't damage the nerves and she healed OK. Back just aches.

I like horses, but don't trust them. Also been thrown and bit and stepped on, but don't ride. Have ridden a dozen times, but that is enough for me. Figure thats how my Sister will go, by horse.