Upside down

[glenatron]

Today was the day to turn some bad luck into good luck- with Small locked away on box rest Zorro is all alone in the field and as it happened we know of a horse who could really use a few weeks training, so we arranged for him to come and stay. Our lorry came back from the garage yesterday but was absolutely undriveable- kept alternately petering out and backfiring on the drive home, I think a fuel supply problem. After some desperate seeking and arbitrary ranting last night, the truly wonderful allezbleu lent us hers.

So this morning we're up early, over to Rollo's yard and set ourselves up in a field gaeway to teach him to load.

Rollo is an interesting guy. A fjord pony who has learned to push on people and that if something isn't working he can just set his neck and leave. He tried this a few times but although strong he isn't that fast so I just ran with him and kept him moving. No reward for that.

So after a few tries he was losing a bit of interest in the lorry and I used the flag to encourage him forward. He would accept it around him but he wasn't really relaxed. Rollo is never really relaxed. We were doing alright though, getting him closer when he tried to run over me. I swished the flag to back him off at which point he felt squeezed between me and the fence and left I tried to stay with him but still had tghe flag so he really left. I needed to drop the flag and keep him or drop the rope or both. I didn't drop the rope fast enough as he sped off so hit the floor at a flat out run, somersaulting over my left shoulder. I think even so, nine times out of ten that fall would have been fine but not today- I landed right in a rutted patch of solid clay and the impact went straight through my shoulder breaking my clavicle in two places.

Most of the afternoon was A&E and decisions about surgery. I will lose movement over my head if I don't have it done but after a day like that, in a week like this, you can imagine that when the surgeon said the op to put a plate in there was quite easy and 95% of the time it is fine but if it goes wrong it really goes wrong, I could totally see myself as unlucky enough to be one in twenty.

Maybe one shouldn't try to change one's luck...

Comments

[dancing-crow.livejournal.com]

ow.

ow, ow, ow, dammit ow.

I don't know about luck, although I see your point about the 5% thing. Can you really let something like that heal without intervention?

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Yup - standard broken collarbone response is a sling and left to its own devices...

[joycemocha.livejournal.com]

Ow!

Stuff like this is why I prefer plain vanilla whips and either a rope over the nose or a war bridle. Even the stiff-necked will give to pressure on the poll and the nose....and it's easy enough to rig with a lead line.

Definitely make sure you're getting physical therapy, especially sports-oriented (ask for it, otherwise you get the pussyfooting stuff). You're an athlete--you work with horses, you need to have full range of motion. Appropriate PT is really a good chunk of the battle. Good luck!

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

I will be - there is much physio expected as the bone starts to set anyways...

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

And on the pressure thing, this horse has been taught to ignore most pressure you would apply. When he cant ignore it he freaks out. Its a tough balance to work with.

Of course with anything like this I can now see a hundred ways I could have done things, but it actually wasn't going badly. If I had dropped the rope sooner it would have been a non-incident.

[joycemocha.livejournal.com]

Boy, that's one that should be handled by a professional, then. My trainer's worked with a few like that--and what he generally does is get them loaded up (often by just driving them into the trailer), get them to the barn, and start working with them on these issues in a controlled situation.

He has a lot more tools available than the rest of us, including a serrata. And a round pen. I've worked with a couple of horses like this, but in a very controlled setting under his supervision, back when I was a student and not an owner.

Freaking out when pressure is applied? Um, that calls for a pro--above and beyond the ability of even the best of amateurs. I wouldn't mess with it myself (except under trainer supervision, because it does help to have that second pair of knowledgeable eyes that can spot behavioral cues that you might not be able to spot because you're focusing on other issues).

Still, best of luck on your recovery.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Ah but you have the pros in the US- I only know of a couple of people in this country I would trust with a horse like this and they are all far away.

I know how I would approach the work and I'm absolutely confident I could do it and make a good job of it. I just got very unlucky yesterday.

[gemmabowles.livejournal.com]

this explains a lot :s a somersault sounds impressive, but not worth the shoulder injury. stupid fat ponies.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Bless him, he just doesn't know much and is learning to be dangerous as people teach him. I just regret that I couldn't get the job done and et to working with him. He really needs the help.

[gemmabowles.livejournal.com]

:( thats sometimes the hardest bit, not being able to finish what you started!

[http://users.livejournal.com/blitzen_/]

well, that was a surprise! reading along, then BAM, broken collar bone. yowch.

(that's right, clavicle = collar bone?) i've always been twitchy about breaking that. ick.

don't let your pattern of bad luck influence this, not for a long term thing like your injury.

*hugs*

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

It was more of a surprise to me, I assure you:)

It is my collar bone indeed. I know what you mean bout the bad luck, maybe not getting it plate is worse luck. Maybe my irrational fear of needles and anaesthetic is a contributing factor as well. We'll see how it goes.

[oifonly.livejournal.com]

Can see why you're leery of surgery after the week you've had but it sounds like it might be worth considering if the alternative is a serious loss of movement. How much movement will you lose if you just go for the physio option?

My stomach op was something like a 94% chance of being ok and a 6% chance of dying on the table. I'm still here though. :P

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

I'm leery of surgery at the best of times let alone now...

[(Anonymous)]

Hugs and Love. I don't know what else to say but Dave and I are both wishing and willing very strongly for your luck to turn.

Be carefull and keep us posted about getting better.

[(Anonymous)]

That was Clare, I thought I was logged in.

[baddynono.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, that sounds very painful. I hope it mends soon.

But if you don't get the surgery then there will surely be a lot more comedy moments of getting yourself stuck half-way into chainmail?

[baddynono.livejournal.com]

Also, if you need luck then I believe there is a lucky necklace round here somewhere - it would match your eyes too!

[shiva-matimbres.livejournal.com]

I still have it - you want me to pass it on for you, this sounds like an emergency luck delivery is required

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Sound lucky...

[flax.livejournal.com]

Yikes! Well, if you don't do the surgery, definitely get a good physical therapist and look into rolfing once it's healed. My mom lost a lot of ROM in her shoulder from a break and rolfing was able to get most of it back, in time.

And hopefully the pony will get to work with someone else who can help in the meantime ...

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Rolfing? Rolling on laughter floor?

[baddynono.livejournal.com]

Impersonating Rolf Harris?

[flax.livejournal.com]

http://www.rolf.org/about/index.htm

It's basically ridiculously deep tissue massage! I think a lot of people find it silly, but I know that after I was hit by a car and injured my foot, it helped a lot. I never was unable to use that foot or anything, but it hurt to step down hard on it (like on stairs or off a curb) and it was kind of swollen and weird looking. And after it was rolfed, all of that went away.

[velessa.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh! You write it so matter of factly, like it was just another part of your day, I wasn't expecting that! I hope you heal quickly! =(

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

So do I but it is a nasty break...

[evil-c.livejournal.com]

So thats how it happened! Sounds very painful. I hope you are feeling a bit better now.

[serennig]

Good grief, it sure was the day for accidents.

It's our job to always tell you that when things go wrong, they go really wrong. But really... They usually don't go wrong. 5% is a bit steep, and likely accounts for anaesthetic complications which, BTW, you are more likely to suffer fatal injuries in an aircraft.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Thank you, this -from you - is what I needed to hear:)

[z111.livejournal.com]

I had a nasty collarbone fracture and 4 years later, it still causes a fair amount of pain. But surgery was never given to me as an option. I thought sling and see, was about all anyone could do?

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Apparently pinning or plating is quite common. There are risks, but in cases like this they seem to think it is worth it...

[z111.livejournal.com]

I don't have full range of motion either. :-(

I hope everything goes smoothly for you and you have a speedy recovery.