This message is from: "ruth bushnell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> THANK Goodness you weren't hurt Ursula !! Sounds like a very close call. One of those unexpected and unavoidable catastrophes. You take care! Ruthie, nw mt
> This message is from: "Ursula Jensen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > It's been a while since I've posted anything worthwhile but feel I need to > share this information with those of you that have easy entry carts. > > Last week I took my stallion Penfrydd's Raynor to a Gail Jones dressage > clinic at The Ranch in Pritchard B.C. ....took my easy entry cart which I > love for every day use and just whipping around....it's easy for me to deal > with on my own and it's fun to drive. During lunch on the second day and > well after lesson, I decided to take the boy out for some cones work and > just practise some of the exercises that we had learned........ Did the > cones and was heading away from the area of activity by just walking and > cooling P. Raynor down....when suddenly I felt the whole cart leaning > forward and Rayon's back feet got awfully close to my face...I couldn't stay > on the seat and things were just not registering as it felt like I was > driving into this big hole........since I could not support myself in this > forward-on-my-knees-face near the ground position I decided to > bail....during all this time and I'm sure in a matter of a few seconds > Raynor became a tad agitated about all this nonsense behind him and started > to lift his back legs and wanted to go.( he did not kick and he did not > buck)...I thought I had him, but alas was in such an awkward position on the > ground that I lost the lines in my attempt to roll free of the back > legs...what an opportunity for a stallion ----in the spring----with a nearby > field of 20+ geldings & mares. When he realized no longer had any support > from me he went for it.......cart still partially attached and harness > flying .....within about 300 yards the cart dislodged but shafts, harness > and lines were still attached.......he sailed through a closed barbed wire > gate (did not even register that it was there) and started herding the herd > of horses/mules/drafts in a 3 acre field. Some of those old mares didn't > even > know what hit em......The folks having lunch started to head for the field > in an attempt to help me out...we finally managed to call the herd back to > the barn and a paddock and Raynor stayed by the fence at the farthest end > of the field looking rather forlorn as to why the herd had left him....I had > left a rope halter under his headstall and was able to lead him with the one > remaining line back to the trailer......others picked up pieces of harness > and cart along the way....Raynor only had a small cut on his pastern and a > small superficial scratch on his chest.....we were both in tact (albeit I > had a stiff time climbing stairs for a day) > The cart and harness did not fare as well. > The shafts of the cart had both broken off from metal fatigue back at the > site of the support bracket. Even though I inspect the cart regularly, metal > fatigue is not visible hence it breaks without warning...It is now at the > welders being re-enforced by sliding a metal sheath inside the area of break > of the shaft and then re-welded. > The next day the CDE-list posted a similar incident ...hmmmm. > Those of you who drive these carts need to be aware of the danger....there > is no warning 'manure happens' but if you see any bending at all make sure > you deal with it... > > I drove P. Raynor on Sat. here at home and we had no problems ...he acted > like the incident never happened. I'm sure his attention was so focused on > the herd of horses that it never even dawned on him that something serious > had happened behind him.....The harness has several broken pieces but all is > repairable or replaceable... when we checked the breastplate of the harness > we noticed a deep gash in the leather where it had saved Raynor from being > injured as he stormed through the barbed wire gate.... > I fared quite well too...since there was no libation to be had after the > incident, I had to settle for a bummed cigarette to calm my nerves.... > We were lucky and I'm very proud of my boy in the way he handled the > situation although standing still would have been even better but an > unrealistic option given the circumstances.... > > On a lighter note....We just completed our first of a full season of driving > vacations and all went well. The Waltons are on their way back to Portland > and we even managed to hook the non-horsey husband on driving... > Happy driving > Ursula > > > Ursula & Brian Jensen > Trinity Fjords > Box 1032 Lumby BC Canada V0E-2G0 > http://okjunc.junction.net/~ujensen/ > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > (250) 547-6303
