Thank God you weren't more seriously injured! I don't do farm work with my mare, just hitching her up to a scoot and bopping about. I did learn a lesson early on that is burned into my brain. I was picking out her hooves and the ground was a little soggy. I lost my balance and slid right underneath her. She threw her head up and all I could think of was she would spook and her hoof squishing my head like a watermelon. In a split second, I opened my eyes and she was staring at me between her knees, like "What are you doing down there?" I was out from underneath quickly and shaking like a leaf. I now make sure I'm on solid ground when doing any grooming chores. I have an elder fellow that I visit that farms with teams and he gives me sage safety advice and backs it up with a personal experience every now and then. He's humble enough to know that most everyone has had a close call of some sort in their time with big horses. I owe him for sharing experiences, like you have, that may have saved me some limbs or even life. Wishing you a swift recovery!


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Glad to here that you were not hurt any worse than you were. But as my uncles ad father said if you are around horses long enough your going to be in a major wreck. When you have a wreck you learn from it, tell others about it later in life.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Billy,
Outside the bedroom,
Working teams becomes among the most scary and exhilarating legal practices for me in America. I sure miss it, for the moment.
I sure wish you and your family safety, exhilaration, and success.
Be well, on the lines, in hope for the future and not fear,

Kevin


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Billy,
Glad to hear that you were not hurt any worse than you were. I am sure you learned a big lesson. Don't be too hard on yourself, just make sure you learn from that upset.
Farming is a dangerous occupation. Those of us who choose to use draft power, enhance that danger. Try to always be thinking about what could happen, even then a close call will shake you up, but hopefully no serious damage will result because you tried to imagine the worse case scenario.
I think, by judging from your own words, that things may change a little for you. I appreciate you sharing your experience with all of us. Thank you! Now, move forward carefully, respectfully and safely.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Billy, you are hurt badly enough, but nevertheless it could have been worse. I am glad it wasn't and I wish you a speedy recovery. All the necessary words of caution have been said already, so I do not have to add anything to that. Your attitude about it honors you and everybody knows that this is also a learning opportunity, albeit a painful one.
I do hope you have somebody around, since I don't think you can do it for a while, who can drive those horses till you can again. You didn't tell how the incident ended for them, where the runaway ended and how, but that will be important for the next time they are hitched up.
And I want to repeat again, what I have written here in the past: If we start to understand that horses which have been trained without blinders from early on are not likely to spook when they suddenly see something behind them , then we all will be better off, because our training methods will change. On his publisher's post Joe wrote about impatience : Impatience with horses can be very dangerous and some of that impatience comes through when in order to use them for work without sufficient time spent on their preparation, blinders are put on as a safety device instead of making that device unnecessary. Of my two Percherons the one that I bought at the age of 5 after I trained him in several steps to do so now works without blinders and doesn't mind seeing what's behind him, whereas the other one, who was twelve when I got him, needs blinders although he is the older one and actually the one who seeks human contact constantly. That tells an obvious story.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Adding to the point I am trying to make , look at the Oktoberfest Parade Munchen 2015 With all the pandemonium going on around them only very few of those horses have blinders. And there are no reported runaways.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYcrZQKj9ME


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Thank you all for your support, advice and encouragement. I am still less than 100% but am feeling better each day and am looking forward to getting the horses out. The 2 boys that were involved are doing very well, they had some minor injuries to their back legs but with some nursing they are healing up nicely. I am looking forward to getting them in harness and back onto a fore cart. No agenda other than keeping the experience positive and to begin to put the event behind them. I plan on using these horses for the rest of the growing season but will not be keeping them. We had already decided to sell one of these two (near horse) before hand because of his temperament and given the off horses nervous temperament, I do not feel that he is the type of horse that should be hooked to farm equipment. I am confident I will be able to find them both an appropriate place to work and feel strongly that they go to the right owners, not just any owner.

Billy


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

I can't add much to what's been said other than to say I'm very glad you're OK and on the path to recovery. Our big animal work companions can be gentle, sweet, loyal and affectionate. They can also, due to their sheer size, hurt us badly and quickly if something goes amiss. I know most of us have had at least once close call. I remind myself every time I hitch the team, farming can be dangerous. But this is true regardless of whether we work with equine or machine. Heal well!


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Billy, I am thankful that you got over your reluctance to share your recent experience. I am in the midst of training 6 two year olds, and as things seem to go well, it is too easy to forget that horses can go from calm, to unsure and spooked in an instant. I have been telling myself, "small steps" but this is a very timely reminder that we need to be so careful, every moment. Appreciate your willingness to share. I end many conversations with "take care" and I am remembering why. johnR


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

I was finally feeling well enough to hook these 2 again on Saturday. It went real well, they were the same horses I have always known. I am sure they are less confident than they were before hand but in time I suspect they will bounce back...fingers crossed.
Thank you again everyone for your words of encouragement.
Billy


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Just wanted to let folks know I just finished discing and seeding an acre of alfalfa with the horse that bolted and he is acting very much himself. I can honestly say I was a bit nervous with even the thought of hooking a disc to that boy but the worst of it was in my head. The team stepped ahead with that noisy disc and he didn't even twist an ear.
I have set up the round pen and will be working on sacking this guy out. This whole event has impressed upon me (ha ha) the importance of recurring training. I have come to the conclusion that I am not a good enough teamster (yet) to keep them trained with work alone.

The other horse that was in the team has been worked as well and is doing very well. he was pretty un-shaken by the event I am not at all surprised that outwardly he has not lost confidence.

I keep hooking these guys to get the event farther and farther behind us. I think more about setting them up to be safe and work safe than just the work that needs to be done. It is good to be back on track

Billy


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Billy, for what it's worth, having been on the bad end of an animal that once bolted on me, I came away with the observation that horses and mules learn from those bad experiences too. It's just my two cents and worth every penny, but it's quite possible yours that bolted realized it was the wrong thing to do, knows you got hurt because of it, and will try not to let it happen the same way in the future. Equines are smart. As dangerous as farming with horses can be, at the same time I get the sense they watch out for us. No John Deere tractor will ever do that. Yes, when scared any equine can act irrationally (same with us humans) but they don't deliberately want to hurt us. It'll take a few good rounds hitching up without incident but you may have an equine that's way more settled and far more cautious then it was before the accident. Take care.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Good to read, Billy. You are doing all the right things with the right attitude!


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Every time you handle or hitch an animal you are teaching something, good or bad. It is a lot harder to un-teach them something


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum