I was the biggest idiot today, really f’d up

[poiuytrewq]

I posted before about my lovely old boy and how we are near the end. He’s happy and ok but a combo of drugs can’t carry on so one has stopped and as soon as the effects show he will be pts.
So, I decided while we can to have a proper him day. Popped him onto the lorry and went to the river, it’s just a stream really. On private land belonging to the farm but too far for him to walk to (!)
We were having a really sweet time. He just follows me round so was (stupidly) loose. I’d shut the gates behind us so he could have got a fair way but no where dangerous and only ever wanders a few foot away.
Having a great splash and eating lots of green things which we just don’t have at home, suddenly he fired out of the river and bolted. I mean properly bolted. He was out of my view fast but I had calls from people on the farm etc saying he was just going through hedges without even slowing down. So he was out on the road and thank god went home.
This year the farm has employed a girl to corn cart who luckily managed to catch up with him near the house and had given him a good check over and was hosing him to cool him down by the time I got home. He has galloped a good few miles at speed on this horrific ground.
Im gutted, he’s now pretty sore and this week was supposed to be a lovely spoil him rotten and making memories week.
I think the world of the old doughnut: he’s such a special character. I just dont understand what happened, all I can think is maybe he got stung and then once he was going adrenalin kicked in.
He’s has extra bute and gone out to keep moving.

Really hope he’s ok tomorrow, I feel like me trying to give him a special time may have totally f’d things up

 

[Sheep]

Don’t be too hard on yourself; you were only trying to do something nice for him. Hopefully the bute takes away any aches and pains. X

 

[splashgirl45]

these things happen, horses can be so unpredictable , just think if you had been holding him in a headcollar you could have been badly injured, half a ton of horse going full pelt is no match for a human. he is likely to be fine tomorrow, dont be too hard on yourself..

 

[ponynutz]

Agree these things happen, you couldn't have known and you did put precautions in place in case this happened but he wilfully ignored it - as horses do. Don't be too hard on yourself, with the extra bute I'm sure he's just fine and comfortable

 

[Jenko109]

Maybe he just wanted to give you one heck of a memory ?

You really shouldn't beat yourself up over this. Horses will be horses. Sometimes they do stupid shit.

 

[ycbm]

I've done the same with a horse in SI rehab on box rest. He took off, jumped two 5 bar gates and didn't stop galloping around a10 acre field for 10 minutes.

I hope he's OK tomorrow and you'll be smiling about his last escapade for years.

 

[misst]

I hope he's OK tomorrow and you'll be smiling about his last escapade for years.[/QUOTE]
^^^^ this . They like to try us. He is obviously not going to leave on a quiet note x

 

[SEL]

Silly boy ? hopefully the Bute will kick in tonight and you won't feel so bad tomorrow. I have called one of my wonky ones a t*** today after having a blat across rutted ground. Sometimes you just have to shake your head at them.

I've got one who I'd planned a summer of stuffing himself on as much grass as he could eat whilst stuffed to the eyeballs with whatever drugs I could get into him. Drought and rock hard ground definitely wasn't part of my plan so you have my sympathy xx

 

[scats]

Horses do weird stuff sometimes, which obviously makes sense to them, but not us!

Try not to beat yourself up xx

 

[Fire sign]

Well it sounds like he had a lot of fun !!!

A jolly gallop home

Don't feel bad , horses like to gallop about even when they shouldn't x

 

[PurBee]

Even if you had a lead rope on him its very likely the exact same thing would have happened, but with attached risk of him tripping over the lead rope dangling - its so hard/near impossible to hold them when they really intend to ‘go’ for whatever reason is in their minds to just take off.
I recall when my gelding pelted on me and the lead rope was out of my hand faster than it took for my brain to register it was moving! Luckily he was in his turnout field…was enthused to have a few gallop laps…head held high all the way due to lead rope dangling! ??

Your intention was lovely, to give him a change of scene…he evidently wanted to take the scenic route back home! Dont beat yourself up at all. Its amazing we get anywhere with these unpredictable beasts isnt it?!…theyre mostly willingly compliant, and occasionally inexplicably reckless too!

 

[twofatladies88]

What a lovely thing to do for your oldie- I hope he’s not too sore. You will definitely remember today!

 

[Patterdale]

Sounds like he had a great time. How lovely for him - a splash in the stream then a really good gallop! I would bet that he was feeling happy and well with the new surroundings and nice food and just got his wind up.

It’s a memory - I bet he’s reliving it himself!

 

[littleshetland]

You sound like a wonderful horse owner.

 

[Caol Ila]

I was a bigger idiot than you. See those photos of Hermosa carrying a stuffed bear? It did not go faultlessly. I put the bear on her when she was loose in the pen, bareback, to be sure she was cool with it. She was. Excellent. Then I saddled her up. OH and I were trying to work out how to secure the bear to the saddle with rock climbing slings. We got over-ambitious and over-confident with her tolerance of flappy, dangly sh1t, which has improved one-hundred fold, and we lark-footed a 240cm sling to the billet strap and brought it around her hind end, with the intention of attaching it to the other side of the saddle. She startled at the sling touching her arse, then started broncing, in hand, with the sling dangling near the ground. I was sh1tting myself because she could have got caught in it, and dyneema does not break. She stopped for a couple seconds, and I yanked off the saddle. I took a breath, so did she, then I put the saddle back on. She resumed being super cool, and she did not mind the bear, or, indeed, the slings, although I used a 120 and a doubled up 240 to be sure that whatever happened, it would be nowhere near her feet. I felt pretty dumb, although I was pleased she did not hold our stupidity against us and let us repeat more or less the same process, without the drama.

 

[planete]

Even if you had a lead rope on him its very likely the exact same thing would have happened, but with attached risk of him tripping over the lead rope dangling - its so hard/near impossible to hold them when they really intend to ‘go’ for whatever reason is in their minds to just take off.
I recall when my gelding pelted on me and the lead rope was out of my hand faster than it took for my brain to register it was moving! Luckily he was in his turnout field…was enthused to have a few gallop laps…head held high all the way due to lead rope dangling! ??

Your intention was lovely, to give him a change of scene…he evidently wanted to take the scenic route back home! Dont beat yourself up at all. Its amazing we get anywhere with these unpredictable beasts isnt it?!…theyre mostly willingly compliant, and occasionally inexplicably reckless too!

This. I am still recovering from being concussed last week-end when Woody bolted for no visible reason while I was leading him. First time in fifty-five years of being around horses. Do not blame yourself, nobody can predict such things. Hopefully your horse is ok today and you certainly will have a lasting memory of his grand day out!

 

[babymare]

Please don’t be hard on self. What a lovely owner you are. And heck your old lad had a blast. In time this memory will bring a smile to your face.

 

[webble]

Not your fault, you couldn't have held him even if he hadn't been loose, hugs to you both

 

[Denali]

Please don’t feel bad. He reacted and I agree with the others who said you might have gotten hurt. If you’d like a story that might make you feel better I’ve got one.

Trail riding in Florida. My horse spooks and I can’t hold on. I had already dismounted and had rope burns from the reigns pretty bad. I couldn’t find my mare for hours! Thankfully she was smart and exited the state forest at the nearest barn. Expensive vet bill later and a tub of burn cream for me……. Not diminishing your story at all but you definitely aren’t a jerk. Horses take a notion.

 

[Pmf27]

Nothing to add that hasn't already been said, but hope that you are both doing okay today!

 

[Old school]

You didn't mess up. You are not an idiot. You are a thoughtful and caring owner.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Your all so lovely! It was a stupid thing to do all the same, true we will always remember that day, just not for the chilled river visit maybe ?
He’s not as bad as I’d expected. He does have a fat fetlock and doesn’t want it touched, however he’s not hopping and just came over to see me when I got in from work quite happily.
He has however obviously worsened. I’m thinking I may call tomorrow and see if I can book Wednesday as the farm is quiet then, the combines are moving on for a few days.
The heat is supposed to be pretty bad next week and he struggles with really hot weather, it seems silly to make him suffer through that for no reason with a bad leg while I wait for him to start coughing, which to be fair will
Probably be within a week anyway.
Sad times with the old wombat

 

[Equi]

you wouldn’t have been able to hold him and you possibly might have gotten injured. You did something nice and stuff happened don’t beat yourself up about it.

On my lads last day the yo went to catch him and couldn’t get near him, he was high as a kite on bute and feeling amazing. She just giggled and opened the gates to all the fields and let him have a right old hooley about the place until he decided to come to the stable of his own choice. I can now smile knowing my beloved horse went to the next world doing what a horse does, galloping wild and free, even if it was a bit wobbly on his part.

 

[splashgirl45]

hope you manage to have a good last day with him, look after yourself xx

 

[Barton Bounty]

Well it sounds like it was him trying to give you a memory ? hopefully he will be a bit less sore today! And dont be hard on yourself! Shit happens

 

[Fjord]

Nothing useful to add OP but big hugs.