accidents
This message is from: Dave McWethy [EMAIL PROTECTED] Quick hitchs, improper, cheap, uncomplete equipment, missing parts of training, or just plain stupidity on the drivers part. Good list, Lisa. I like the list and would have just reversed the order, starting with just plain stupidity... at the top, with the others following in order, to quick hitches. I always look at accidents and ask the question With some forethought, could this have been prevented? There are very very few that the answer isn't yes. That makes things simple! At a sleigh rally I went to Saturday as spectator and helper, one of the regular helpers noted that there wasn't enough protection for spectators there, even after the woman had been hurt 5 weeks ago. He was right. The trailers were scattered around the lot, with people parking anywhere, with families and children walking through the same area where the horses went in and out. All of us there could all remember from a couple of years ago a woman being flown in a helicopter to the hospital after a runaway (she was a participant, but not the cause of the runaway). One reason things went okay there was good luck, and also that the participants were generally well experienced with well trained horses. But it was organized in a way that things could have gone badly wrong. My friend noted that a gate to the competition area would prevent a runaway from going into the spectators and the trailers and cars. He had even suggested it several times earlier. I am not proposing we sanitize horse activities from all risk. But the evidence is we need to use sensible caution. I don't think my reputation in driving is for being timid. I take risks and sometimes I may take foolish risks, or ones that seem foolish but really aren't. The important thing is to be conscious of them, and evaluate them. There are no black and white rules to follow. Ultimately the issue will come down to know your horse. What is risky with one horse isn't with another. Some things are risky always, as in my opinion many parades are. I generally avoid them. Too many factors out of your control, and too many unprotected people on the ground. I could go on and on about this. I am fascinated by the subject (obsessed?). Lisa, you mentioned the multiple with no driver, which killed someone. I somehow missed this. What is the story? Dave http//:www.horseharness.com
Re: accidents, concussions, bailing out and training,kinda long
This message is from: Rebecca Mayer [EMAIL PROTECTED] Just a few comments from one who usually lurks: re accidents--No human can participate in sports without sometimes falling or having an accident, so why should horses be expected to be perfect. There is always a risk. re concussions--having treated a lot of people with brain damage from accidents--riding, car, skiing--I would say that it is very important to let the brain recover after an accident involving a concussion and not risk another bump during the next few months. Multiple concussions--each relatively mild--can result in permanent damage of a most distressing kind. This happened to a friend of mine--mostly falling off her bike-- and she is permanently disabled. I see quite a few people after automobile accidents who do not realize that the problems with memory, concentration and depression that they are having 6 months later are from a concussion. re the driving accident mentioned--I had the same thought as the person who felt the pushing of the cart may have startled the horse--we live on a mountain and have to train very carefully for the weight of the cart going downhill--we usually start with an empty cart. Most of the horses react initially. I started driving my mare after a long time of disuse and got the britching too tight and my what a reaction! Thankfully she is very sensitive as I only had a snaffle bit and she was miffed. re bailing out--Yes I have when the horse took off into the woods. We were ok, horse was ok, cart was repaired--other horses running in the field spooked her. We decided she was not a driving horse as it was not a short bolt. re training--I don't back before age 3, but a lot of training goes on before this. I am concerned when I read about horses that have not been ridden being jumped on and ridden--primarily because I think we need to consider that their back muscles are not in condition and they may pay for their kindness to us. Would you like to carry a heavy pack up a mountain with no chance to get in condition first?
RE: horse related accidents
This message is from: Werner, Kristine [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ann - right on - I think people who say who cares ? I´m going to die anyway don`t really believe it`s true and are therefore so careless - what they really seem to mean is it can`t happen to me. If they are lucky, they feel confirmed in their belief - if not, they regret their decision for a long, long time. -Original Message- From: Mark and Ann Restad [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Donnerstag, 19. November 1998 16:43 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re:horse related accidents This message is from: Mark and Ann Restad [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi, I want to respond to Pat Wolf and others comments on helmets, not because I am so experienced in horses, but in medicine. Head injuries are fairly common, and as Pat said, can mean anything from killing you, causing a vegetable situation, prolonged hospitalization, head aches, and a lot of other, more subtle symptoms such a a person's personality changing, usually towards irritability- not nicer! People often say, well if i am going to go, I am going to go or such comments, but the thing we should really consider is living on, but having your life changed forever by one of these conditions. Enough from me. Happy horsing! Ann Restad, PA-C
Re:horse related accidents
This message is from: Mark and Ann Restad [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi, I want to respond to Pat Wolf and others comments on helmets, not because I am so experienced in horses, but in medicine. Head injuries are fairly common, and as Pat said, can mean anything from killing you, causing a vegetable situation, prolonged hospitalization, head aches, and a lot of other, more subtle symptoms such a a person's personality changing, usually towards irritability- not nicer! People often say, well if i am going to go, I am going to go or such comments, but the thing we should really consider is living on, but having your life changed forever by one of these conditions. Enough from me. Happy horsing! Ann Restad, PA-C
Horse related accidents.
This message is from: Pat Wolfe [EMAIL PROTECTED] There has been quite a bit of discussion on the subject if you should wear a hard hat or not. I would like to add a little more thaught to that by telling you of some of my experiences. This will be done by questions and answers. 1, How many years have you been working with horses? 28 2, How many horse related accidents have you had that caused body injury? 4. 3, How many could have been avoided if you had the experience that you have now? 3 4, How many carriage or sleigh accidents have you had? 2 5, How many riding accidents have you had? 1 6, How many draft accidents have you had? 1 7, How many of these happend when you were alone on the farm working the horses? 1 8, Where you unconscious the time you were alone? Yes 9, How long where you unconscious? 1 hour. 10. Do you remember anything about the accident? No 11, What is the first thing you remember? My wife standing over me bawling her eyes out wondering if I was going to live or not. 12, What is the next thing you remembered? The ambulance driver asking me what day it was. I can't remember my answer. 13, How was the ambulance ride?. Horrible. Every little bump felt like someone was stabbing me in the back with a knife. 14 What is the next thing you remember? In the emergency ward I remember asking the Dr. to take off the collar that they had on my neck because because it was aching like hell. His answer was. Mr. Wolfe we think you have a broken back or a broken neck and if we take this collar off you may be paralized for the rest of your life. That scared the hell out of me and I have never forgotten that moment. 15, How many hours where you in the emergency ward? 9 16, How many days where you in the hospital? 6 17, What were your injuries caused from that accident? Broken collar bone, broken ribs and the rest crack on the left side, bruised lung, smaller lung space and a concussion. 18, How much work time have you missed because of horse related accidents? 4 months. 19, Do you carry any accident insurance to cover you while you are off work? no 20, Where you wearing a hard hat when these accidents occurred? No 21, Are you wearing a hard hat now when you are working with the horses? Yes 22, Since you have been wearing a hard hat has it saved you from a head injury? Yes 23, What advise can you give too other horse owners. Keep safety in mind at all times and NEVER trust a horse, even the quiet ones. When there is an accident in a family it effects more than just the person that was injured. Pat
