Pages

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

What was Boomer Thinking?

We've had a scary incident.  David had to go to The Big City for a meeting today, so he made an early morning trip to the barn.  He took a load of trash with him, and put it in the dumpster, which is behind the barn.  Boomer freaked.  He galloped to the end of his run and jumped the 5' gate.  He didn't make it over cleanly.  He hit it on the way over, took a tumble, then cantered around the paddock.  David opened his run gate and Boomer came in while David fed breakfast.  David looked him over and walked him, and Boomer seemed fine.  But a few hours later, Boomer didn't seem his usual perky self.  He looked stiff and uncomfortable, so of course we called Dr. Gary.  Dr. Gary examined him thoroughly, and thinks that he may have hurt a ligament in his withers.  We are treating him with pain medication and have hung his hay and water high so he doesn't have to lower his head to eat.  Dr. Gary also took x-rays of his withers with his portable machine, but because Boomer is such a large, heavy bodied horse, the x-rays were unreadable.  If he's still uncomfortable in a week, he will get x-rays in the clinic with a big powerful machine.

We are just aghast and perplexed over this incident.  Boomer is the most unflappable horse we've ever been around.  What was he thinking?  Why did this happen?  Coyotes?  They were very vocal last night.  But I've seen Boomer calmly grazing 20' from a coyote stalking a ground squirrel.  Deer?  That's the only thing I've ever seen him stirred up over, but the other horses weren't stirred up.  They were looking at Boomer, just as perplexed as we are.  David doing the trash?  David does the trash every day, just not that early in the morning.  And Waste Management comes and empties the dumpsters once a week, with a great thumping that makes me spook, but doesn't bother the horses.  We just don't know.

12 comments:

Lori Skoog said...

That would have been something to see...a big horse like that. Hope he improves quickly. Please keep us posted.

Anonymous said...

How strange - hope he feels better soon!

Alison said...

Maybe he was fast asleep, and David inadvertently "sneaked up" on him. At least when the trash trucks come, you can't help but know they're there!

That must have been quite the sight. Hope he heals quickly, with no other effects. Silly Boom-Boom. :)

Louise said...

Well, he just wanted to prove he was a horse. I think Flartus is on to something. He probably was dozing, or just not paying attention, and the sudden noise startled him. Please keep us informed on how my favorite Clydesdale is doing.

in2paints said...

If I had to guess, I'd also say maybe he was sleeping and when the trash went in the dumpster it startled him. But to try and jump a gate? He must have been terrified!

Poor guy... I hope he's feeling better soon and didn't injure anything else during his tumble.

JJ said...

I can't even imagine a big Clydesdale jumping over a pasture fence like that! Poor Boomer, I'm sure he gave you two a big fright. I hope he's feeling better soon :(

Funder said...

Ohh, I'm so sorry, poor Boomer. Even laid back horses have suicidal moments.

allhorsestuff said...

Oh so sorry for this departure from the norm and the injury. Who knows!
I am with you...what was he thinking?
Pray he recovers in time and no permanent damages.
Xo
KK

Java's Mom said...

Wow! I hope he is OK. I cannot imagine that scene unfolding... WOW.

Terry said...

Thank you all. We love Boomer, and feel horrible that this happened. He is bright and cheerful today but still sore.

fromsophiesview said...

That is very perplexing...not knowing anything about horses perhaps the heat is too much.
Thank's for the kind comments and the header felt just right for Sophie baby girl!!wink wink ;-) ;-)

sandy said...

Glad he didn't get even more injured. I wonder if he sensed any movement in the area. Maybe he could be an earthquake sensitive horse. I follow animal sensitives post on the earthquake boards and so many get skittish, even with small geomagnetic changes, solar changes, earthquakes.. They sense so much more than we can feel.

Just a thought anyway.