July, 28 was a beautiful day. My farrier was finishing up with our 3rd and last horse. Just a routine trimming. Our 14 mo. Andalusian gelding got a bit anxious. I was holding his lead. He moved away and (my fault) walked over a garden hose and got his leg tangled in the hose. He then circled me and bolted. The hose caught me around the chest and launched me like a rag doll to the ground. The gelding then kicked to free himself from the hose and caught me square in the jaw. His kick smashed my jaw into a thousand pieces and fractured my neck. Nearly unconsious, I struggled to stay awake. I was bleeding and broken. My larnyx was damaged. My voice was gone. I am lucky to be alive. I spent 5 days in the hospital trauma center taking all the morphine derivitives they would let me have. Five weeks later, my jaw is unwired, my spine has stabilized and my voice has returned. Small children can't help stare at my jaw. It is a mess and I don't blame them. Doctors say it will get better but I still have no feeling in my jaw or lower teeth.
If someone told me I was taking my life in my hands that morning, I would not have believed a word of it. Please be careful out there. You don't want anything like this to happen to you.
Doveguy
