Baydale
Well-Known Member
I doubt there'll be many takers after this tale. Make yourself comfy, it's a long one.
As you know, I'm off work after having recently had a huge piece of Meccano put in my forearm. I'd been feeling a bit yucky over the weekend but decided to keep my friend, Helen, company yesterday when she went to pick up her broodmare from Lancashire. I mean, how difficult can it be to sit in the passenger seat, enjoy the scenery etc etc?
We arrived at Helen's auntie and uncle's farm where Hattie had been running with their 4yo stallion, after being reluctant to oblige by AI to Jaguar Mail and much preferring the natural method with her cute but unknown Zangersheide boy. After a quick bit of lunch we changed the dressing on my arm, upon which Helen said "Ewww, that's gross, I can deal with horses but I'm rubbish with people's injuries". Little did we know how prophetic that was to be.
Hattie walked into the trailer, no partition in as she's 5 months in foal and huge already, and off we set. We were trugging along the M66 at about 45/50mph, not much traffic, clear day, no wind, nothing untoward at all. H and I were chatting away and putting the world to rights when BANG
, there was a sound like a bomb going off. My first thought was a blowout but it was so much louder than that, and we were shunted forward in our seats. H struggled to keep control of the truck and trailer and then the trailer flipped onto its side, detached itself from the truck and it felt like we were about to roll too. H managed to stabilise the truck and stop by the crash barrier on the hard shoulder and we lept out to see the carnage of trailer behind us as we sprinted back to it, me on my phone dialling 999 as I ran. I didn't even register the VW Golf with an older couple in that was smashed into the crash barrier, bizarre that. You can imagine the thoughts going through our heads and I feel quite sick and emotional just thinking about it now.
Unbelieveably Hattie was out of the trailer and trotting slowly towards the oncoming traffic. Thankfully a van driver and lorry driver stopped and blocked the traffic as H reached Hattie. As she turned her towards me all I could see was her mouth open and lots of blood. Helen was hysterical and it was obvious the mare had broken her jaw. I took her off her and she stood calm as anything while I tried to comfort H as we waited for the police. Hattie had gone into shock and was shaking; we needed a vet so badly and it seemed like we were stood there for hours. We were just by a bridge over the motorway and a gaggle of kids and adults ghoulishly gathered there, until a few choice words from H and I moved them on.
I spotted a trailer in the traffic queue behind us so a policemen went to see them and they kindly agreed to let us put Hattie in with their pony to get us off the motorway, as there was still no sign of the vet or horse transporter. The bleeding had slowed to a drip and bless her, Hattie whinnied to the pony and walked straight in. We got off the motorway and pulled into a garage - god knows what they thought as there was us in the truck, the other truck and trailer, police car, horse transporter and the vet, then H's uncle turned up too. The vet assessed Hattie and thought he could wire her jaw so the very, very kind people then drove her to the horse transporter's yard (rather than take her out of the trailer and put her in the lorry) where we put her in a stable and the vet set to work. Poor guy, I have a feeling he was a small animal vet but he did a sterling job of wiring it up: the upper and lower jaw was broken but she only lost two lower teeth and split one front upper one. She stood like a lamb again, and when it was all done and the dope was wearing off she started picking at some hay. H and I were wrecks by this time and had a very odd and pensive journey home.
She's being brought back today and Helen's vet will take over, and scan her - so if you could spare some vibes for a live and healthy foetus please, and for a very brave mare who deserves to recover fully and have a healthy foal.
Coffee and muffins if you've got this far, although I still feel a bit queasy tbh. Massive thanks to the lovely guy, Geoff, and his stepdaughter who rescued Hattie in their trailer, and everyone else who helped - my faith in human nature is well and truly restored.
As you know, I'm off work after having recently had a huge piece of Meccano put in my forearm. I'd been feeling a bit yucky over the weekend but decided to keep my friend, Helen, company yesterday when she went to pick up her broodmare from Lancashire. I mean, how difficult can it be to sit in the passenger seat, enjoy the scenery etc etc?
We arrived at Helen's auntie and uncle's farm where Hattie had been running with their 4yo stallion, after being reluctant to oblige by AI to Jaguar Mail and much preferring the natural method with her cute but unknown Zangersheide boy. After a quick bit of lunch we changed the dressing on my arm, upon which Helen said "Ewww, that's gross, I can deal with horses but I'm rubbish with people's injuries". Little did we know how prophetic that was to be.
Hattie walked into the trailer, no partition in as she's 5 months in foal and huge already, and off we set. We were trugging along the M66 at about 45/50mph, not much traffic, clear day, no wind, nothing untoward at all. H and I were chatting away and putting the world to rights when BANG
Unbelieveably Hattie was out of the trailer and trotting slowly towards the oncoming traffic. Thankfully a van driver and lorry driver stopped and blocked the traffic as H reached Hattie. As she turned her towards me all I could see was her mouth open and lots of blood. Helen was hysterical and it was obvious the mare had broken her jaw. I took her off her and she stood calm as anything while I tried to comfort H as we waited for the police. Hattie had gone into shock and was shaking; we needed a vet so badly and it seemed like we were stood there for hours. We were just by a bridge over the motorway and a gaggle of kids and adults ghoulishly gathered there, until a few choice words from H and I moved them on.
I spotted a trailer in the traffic queue behind us so a policemen went to see them and they kindly agreed to let us put Hattie in with their pony to get us off the motorway, as there was still no sign of the vet or horse transporter. The bleeding had slowed to a drip and bless her, Hattie whinnied to the pony and walked straight in. We got off the motorway and pulled into a garage - god knows what they thought as there was us in the truck, the other truck and trailer, police car, horse transporter and the vet, then H's uncle turned up too. The vet assessed Hattie and thought he could wire her jaw so the very, very kind people then drove her to the horse transporter's yard (rather than take her out of the trailer and put her in the lorry) where we put her in a stable and the vet set to work. Poor guy, I have a feeling he was a small animal vet but he did a sterling job of wiring it up: the upper and lower jaw was broken but she only lost two lower teeth and split one front upper one. She stood like a lamb again, and when it was all done and the dope was wearing off she started picking at some hay. H and I were wrecks by this time and had a very odd and pensive journey home.
She's being brought back today and Helen's vet will take over, and scan her - so if you could spare some vibes for a live and healthy foetus please, and for a very brave mare who deserves to recover fully and have a healthy foal.
Coffee and muffins if you've got this far, although I still feel a bit queasy tbh. Massive thanks to the lovely guy, Geoff, and his stepdaughter who rescued Hattie in their trailer, and everyone else who helped - my faith in human nature is well and truly restored.
