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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Wherein Izzy Tries to Kill Himself

2/17/2016

 
Again.

​This is at least the sixth time. While he might not always be going for death, I think dismemberment might be one of his goals as well.
Let me recap:
  • He tried to debone his own leg last January.
  • He tried to hang himself from a swinging Jolly Ball (barn owner saved him).
  • He tried to dislocate a leg by getting hung up in a rubber feed bucket (another barn owner save).
  • The farrier rescued him from a Freedom Feeder hay net when his first two attempts at ripping off his leg failed. 
  • I found him with his shoe (still attached to his foot) hung up on the neighbor's fence.
And then last week he tried to break all four legs at once by getting cast in the wash rack. To tell you the complete truth, I do not know what happened other than it was pretty terrifying.

Essentially, I hosed him off, walked away for minute, and heard grunting and scrambling. I turned around and ran back to the wash rack (20 feet) where I saw Izzy lying on his side with one of his front legs on one side of the wash rack's front leg and the rest of his legs on the other side. The cross ties had snapped free like they are supposed to do, thankfully. ​
Picture
Photo from January
I realized that with the leg of the wash rack between his two front legs, he couldn't get up. I tried to pull his other leg forward, but he was too close to the post. He tried once or twice to get up, but I patted his neck and told him to wait. Izzy is brilliant in a jam as he never struggles but waits for help. He laid there patiently as I puzzled out how to get him up. If he wasn't as level headed as he is, things would not have turned out well.

I tried sliding him over, but I quickly realized there was no way I could move him myself. Believe it or not, I didn't panic ... I never do, but I was deeply concerned. I realized that this had the makings for a real disaster.

I finally dragged the rear mat out from under his butt and wedged it under his hind feet. He let me lift his hind legs without offering to struggle. When his toes had something to push on, I went back to his head and asked him to sit up. He gave a few big swings, but he couldn't quite get free of the bar between his front legs.

I shimmied his hind legs and then his fronts, and with one final effort, he managed to free his front leg enough to use it to stand. Once he was on all four legs, he staggered out into the grass and hung his head. I quickly reattached his lead rope and looked for damage.

Miraculously, all he had were a few minor scrapes on his legs and one nasty divot next to his eye. I hand walked him for the better part of a half an hour until his breathing was quiet and he was munching on the grass happily. I called the chiropractor before I left for home.
Picture
Izzy loves the chiropractor.
Izzy got cast on Friday night, the evening before I left for Horse Expo. I gave him some Bute that evening and was pleased that he looked no worse for wear the next morning when I arrived to load up Speedy. Even so, I knew he was going to be sore.

The chiropractor came on Monday, and I was right, Izzy was sore from nose to tail. It took more than hour to get him feeling better, but after some body work, Izzy was good to go.
Picture
This one took a lot longer than usual.
To my relief, the chiropractor didn't find anything other than some muscle soreness. There was no heat or filling anywhere, and he trotted off sound. I rode him on Thursday and then again this past weekend. Other than being a jerk, he's as sound as can be. Not bad for a horse who keeps trying to break his own legs.
Hillary link
2/17/2016 06:13:28 am

He's got good and terrible luck. I can't believe he hasn't done more serious harm to himself in the recent attempts to maim. Glad he's okay!

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/17/2016 05:09:59 pm

Believe me, my thoughts exactly!

jenj
2/17/2016 06:43:55 am

Goodness. I'd suggest you bubble wrap him from head to toe, but he'd probably try to eat the bubble wrap or something. I'm glad he's OK!

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/17/2016 05:10:38 pm

You're right - next I'd be writing about choke!

Genny link
2/17/2016 06:51:22 am

Wow, how amazing that he didn't struggle or panic himself. Hopefully he's met his quota on crazy attempts to maim himself.

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/17/2016 05:12:09 pm

When his shoe got hung up on the fence, I was SHOCKED at how quietly he stood there as I used a ROCK to hammer his root off of the cable. He is just one of those horses who has complete faith that a person is going to come and fix things.

Tracy link
2/17/2016 10:14:09 am

OMG. I can't believe how CALM you both were!! So scary

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/17/2016 05:13:55 pm

Not bragging, but calm under pressure is my total claim to fame. Someone could lose an arm, and I'd be all, wow - this does present a problem. Afterwards, I vomit, cry, and go into hysterics, but during, I am an ice cube. :0)

Karen
2/17/2016 11:14:12 am

Good grief Izzy!! Knock it off already! And Kudos to you (and him!) for staying so calm until the situation was resolved.

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/17/2016 05:14:34 pm

Thank you - could you tell HIM that?!?!?!

Marlane
2/17/2016 02:43:45 pm

I am always astonished that wash racks always have very slick when wet rubber mats on them We have a mare who is terrified of rubber mats ? I wonder why. Why on earth do people not have sand or some other non slip surface in wash racks.

Hannah link
2/17/2016 03:19:27 pm

Sand or similar would displace almost instantly under a strong and frequent water flow.

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/17/2016 05:16:24 pm

I have seen railroad ties which provide a more textured surface, but I think water makes darn near anything slick - except for sand, gravel, or other loose materials. But like Hannah says, they tend to wash away with repeated use.

Hannah link
2/17/2016 03:18:11 pm

Auuuuuuuugh!

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/17/2016 05:17:03 pm

Yup. I am NOT even going to ask what next. :0)

Teresa link
2/17/2016 04:13:11 pm

I wonder if he tried to roll?

I think you have Irish's twin. He's tried to kill himself so often that I've lost count.

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/17/2016 05:18:01 pm

Out of the corner of my eye, I did seem him fussing and shaking his head. I am pretty sure he was being naughty. Jerk.

Kelly
2/18/2016 12:42:07 am

Oh my goodness Izzy! It is absolutely terrifying when they wrap their legs around poles. *shudder* So glad he is okay!
I had a mare rear, slip and fall with a roof overhang support pole wedged between her front legs. She completely destroyed the drain pipe attached to it on her way down and had those pieces pressed up against her legs and chest.
I was sure she was going to break her neck or a leg. Miraculously she only had a few cuts and bruised legs for a couple of weeks.
It was one of the most terrifying moments of my life.

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/18/2016 05:35:29 am

Very scary for sure. I was equally certain that he was doing severe damage, but then I continued problem solving as it was equally ikely that he was unhurt. A friend of mine had a horse break her coffin bone while galloping in a pasture, a normal thing to do, yet Izzy walked away basically unscathed. Life is weird.

Val
2/18/2016 04:47:17 am

It is truly amazing that Izzy waited so patiently and allowed you to rearrange his body until he could get up. That is very rare behavior for a trapped horse and much safer for you to free him.

Maybe his accident-prone behaviors will diminish with age.

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/18/2016 05:39:13 am

He has proven to be a saint when hung up. None of my other horse have ever waited as calmly as he does. He truly is unusual in that regard. He didn't just lay there tense and frightened either. He took a deep breath, exhaled, and then just lay flat out while I worked around his body shoving, wiggling, and rearranging. He only tried to get up when I asked him to. Since he's such a trouble maker, it's a good ting that he also a plan for getting out of trouble - wait patiently for help! :0)


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    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I am a lifelong rider. 
    I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.
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    About Speedy G

    ​Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
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    About Izzy

    Izzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
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