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

[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.