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It could have been a camping disaster

3K views 24 replies 16 participants last post by  CookieCrumbs 
#1 ·
I went camping this week taking my horse G-Man. This is the first time that I have had him camping. This was part of a large organized ride. There were about 250 riders. There were a lot of new experiences for my horse to endure. I want to say very proudly, he did well. I was concerned that he may not be ready for all the excitement so we went a day earlier than most of the other riders to get him use to the trails and camping. That helped because he handled in all in stride.
Now for the almost disaster:
I had him stalled up the first night. The second night one of my friend’s horses got injured and they had her on a tether line. She couldn’t put any weight on her leg so I told them they could use my stall that I had my horse in. There weren’t any more stalls left to rent.
This was the first time my horse has been tethered over night. I was nervous about it and made sure that I had put lead rope through a swivel line that would be easy to break if he got into any trouble. I was very cautious to make sure his line was at a height that would keep him safe. I had my husband to check everything before we went to bed and I woke up a couple of times during the night to check on him. I woke up around 4:30 am and looked out of the window and he was lying down. I had his line fixed so he wouldn’t be able to lie down. I jumped up grabbed my coat and a flashlight and slipped on boots as I went to check on him.
I have camped a lot and have had my horses to get themselves in a lot of different situations but I wasn’t prepared for this. My horse’s legs were over his head and neck with his halter and lead rope caught which was cutting off his air. I could hear him struggling for air. I yelled for my husband as I tried to undo the emergency line I thought I had him in. It was too tight; I tried to take the halter off again to tight. My husband comes running out and he tries to help me. The horse is starting to give up and we couldn’t tell if he was breathing. My husband said to run to get a knife, I took off for a knife, scared that the horse would be dead before I could get back with the knife since I am not able to run due to a leg injury.
One of the guys in the group heard me yelling for my husband came out to see if he could help. He had a knife on him (thank you god). He was able to cut the lead rope. After he cut the lead rope we could hear the horse take a deep breath. It took a few seconds to get him up. He was shacking all over. I had to rub him down a little bit to help get the circulation going again and to calm him down. I walked him around a few minutes and then decided that I was going to put him in the horse trailer for the rest of the morning until it was time to get up. My friend and my husband said if I hadn’t went out when I did that he wouldn’t have been a live. He was already giving up and he wasn’t getting enough air. I am so thankful that something woke me up when it did and I got on up and checked on him.
I found out later that someone had undone my horse to show him off to some friends and when they retied him they did not tie him up right. They felt terrible about the situation, I was trying not to be upset but I was pretty mad. I was thinking that they had no right to undo my horse , they could have the people to go to him or wait to the next morning. It all most cost me my horse that I have grown very attached too. I still shake at the thought of what coul have happen. I am thinking that if I ever have the problem of not having a stall that my horse would be safer staying in the horse trailer over night. I don’t ever want to tether my horses over night again. :-(
 
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#2 ·
Wow what a scary story!! I'm glad it turned out alright, but I would have been mad at that person too.

What a close call, be sure to give your horse an extra hug for me that must have been terrifying!
 
#3 ·
Wow! Glad to hear everything turned out ok.

Some people just lack common sense or the respect of others property. They should have waited until morning and at least come and talk to you first.

I don't know if I would ever tie a horse up overnight. We always set up a corral with hot wire for our horses when we go camping. It uses the battery from the truck to charge the fence.
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#4 ·
So glad your horse is OK, I was on the edge of my seat reading the story! I would be furious at the people who untied your horse. Even if nothing had happened. What nerve some people have, and how disrespectful they were of you to do anything with your horse without permission.
Thanks for reminding me why I stay away from big group trail rides!
 
#21 ·
I agree I'd have ripped their head off! I've always believed you shouldn't touch another riders horse (aside from pets when you know the horse is friendly) unless theyve asked you to or you have permission
 
#5 ·
I still can't believe it happen. I can understand why you don't like to ride in large groups Outnabout. I still can't believe the nerve of some people. On the ride we heard about a person who's horse got spooked and they fell off their horse and broke their wrist, cracked their ribs and punctured their lungs. I am always concern about people getting hurt on any rides but it often seems that on larger rides more people get to drinking and it seems like more accidents seem to happen. This was a ride to raise money for Easter Seals it is really for a good cause.

I just wish people would use their common sense and be careful around horses. After this happen to me others were sharing stories of things that happen to other people and their horses. They were not as lucky as I was.

I gave my horse an extra hug and made sure he was put safely in his stall for the night with plenty of bedding, water and hay. He whinning when he seen his stall and was glad to be home. So, was I.
 
#7 ·
It was a terrifying experience, I still shutter to think if I didn't wake up when I did and checked on him. I am also thankful to the person who got up to see if he could help when he did. He said he could tell by my voice something was wrong. Especially since I am the one that is usually the calm one. lol

I think my horse and I have even a stronger bond. I also have made a new friend with the guy that helped us, I told him he was a hero in my eyes. Also, I have going to make sure that I include a sharp pocket knife as part of my horse tack.

I keep thanking god because I know he played a major role in the outcome of this camping trip.
 
#9 ·
I keep thanking god because I know he played a major role in the outcome of this camping trip.
Too true. It seems like everything that should have ended very very badly didn't. You and your horse had a guardian angel that night :)
 
#12 ·
So glad your horse was alright. How frightening.

Having said that, I am not a violent person but I think all of the Coconut Buster would have busted out all over me if someone had fricked with my horses ties and nearly caused his death. OMG someone would have got a big piece of my mind and it wouldn't have been pretty.

That took alot of nerve to fool with your horse in the middle of the night. Someone could have got hurt....like that dipsh!t when someone peppered their behind with buckshot.

Ok...I am talking trash here...I don't even have a gun:lol:but a frying pan up side the head would have worked. I used to be on a cake board that had a smiley that would pound someone on the head with a frying pan. We need that smiley on here!!!
 
#16 ·
My friends and I have been planning to take the horses camping this summer, but after reading your story I'm kind of afraid to tie them overnight...

I'm glad your boy is okay. Good deal on adding the knife to your gear.
 
#18 ·
My friends and I have been planning to take the horses camping this summer, but after reading your story I'm kind of afraid to tie them overnight...

I'm glad your boy is okay. Good deal on adding the knife to your gear.

I have some more camping trips plan for the summer. Some of them I am not sure if we will be able to get a stall. I am trying to come up with a back up plan so that I won't have to tie them up. The only thing that I feel comfortable about is put them in the horse trailer at night while we sleep. Has any other horse campers done it? What does others think about putting them in the horse trailer while you sleep only? That is if i can't get a stall. I am really concern about it now.

My horse is okay except for a scar over his eye. I am not sure how he got that. My husband thinks that I am worring to much but worring about your horse getting hurt takes the fun out of camping for me.

My sons agree with Joe4D they say that is the reason they go camping. They love it!!!! I enjoy seeing new trails and meeting new friends and seeing old friends. We love camping and trail riding. I guess you can say we live for it.

Thanks everyone for your well wishes for my horse. I still tremble to think what could have happen. I also found out it was a thirteen year old girl who was the one who took my horse to show him off. Her mother, (my best friend) gave her a very harsh lesson on respecting others property. I hope she has learned a valuable lesson. She has apologized to me several times but at first she let me believe that someone else had done it. I jumped all over the wrong person and they were so drunk they didn't know if they done it or not. The whole situation I have to look at as a valuable lesson and try not to hold a grudge. It is hard for me because my animals are like family members to me.

I may have to start a thread to fine out what to do with my horse when I don't have a stall when I am camping.......
 
#19 ·
I had chills reading your posts! I am so so VERY thankful your horse is safe and sound and worse for the wear, other than the small scar on the face.

The idea of anyone untying my horse (were I to own one), our even messing with a horse I don't own but am responsible for makes me queasy...I AM admittedly a control freak, but as your story evidenced, people don't always even have to have poor intentions to wind up putting a horse into a terrifying, if not literally life-threatning situation!

I also am not a drinker at all, so I don't want to come off as a prude/goody two shoes, but to me, alcohol and horses probably should not mix (especially in variable circumstances, such as being out camping/far from home/with new or little-known people who's judgment is unknown to me!)...I imagine drinking and that kind of "fun" is big on these trips; but the reason I don't drink/hang out with big drinkers is that everything begins to take on a total "lax-ness", which is usually ok at a backyard bbq (till someone invariably insists upon driving, of course!), but not in the wildernesses with animals who need to depend on our level-heads as humans! And btw, I did read that the "untier" was a young girl meaning no harm, but simply, as young people often do, chose not to think her actions through, and not someone drinking... the opinion about alcohol still stands, however!

I am glad to hear that this incident isn't gonna keep you from going on more rides/trips in the future. In many ways, these sound like a LOT OF fun (not to mention something I could really see myself enjoining, it out with similar minded people who know how to chill, relax, and enjoy the wilderness w/o booze)!
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#20 · (Edited)
:lol:When you say tether, he was not on a highline? Forgive me but how exactly was he tied? As far as someone handling my horse without asking is not a true horse person, unwritten rule. You do not touch someone else's horse. I would have ripped her a new @#^hole!


A tether line for me is a line stretched above the horses head. I tie my horses lead rope through an emergency rope or knot on the tether line. I tie it high enough so that my horse cant't get tangled in it with his legs. The young girl when she re-tied him just tied him directly to the line w/ too much lead rope hanging and he got caught up in it.

The young girl told me that one of her older friends had done it. I found out later that she had done it. I have a feeling she will never touch one of my horses again. She has borrowed on of my horses on several occassions and her mother is my best friend. She thought she had special priviledges. I think now she realizes that she is to leave my horses alone. It took a lot of restraint on my part not to tan her hide. I think a lot of this horse. I would never be able to replace him. I have looked a long time for a horse like this one. I think as much about him as I do my sons. My husband teases and says more than I care about him. I hope I never have to make that choice :lol:.
 
#22 ·
I would have busted that girl's butt, no doubt. Verbally, of course as I'm not too fond of physical violence, but I definitely would have given her a piece of my mind. Sometimes humility is the best punishment, and a stern lecture would have sufficed in this situation. Now, if it was an older person who had too much alcohol, that'd probably be a different story... But I am definitely glad your horse is okay.

As for keeping them in the trailer over night, how large is it? Do it have a divider? If you're keeping only one horse in a 2 horse trailer, perhaps you could take the divider out over-night so the horse could have room to turn around and such. Personally if I had a choice between tying and the trailer, I'd choose the roomy trailer.
 
#23 ·
What the WHAT! Someone came and TOOK YOUR HORSE so they could show him off to someone!??!?!?! I would have flipped my sh## for that. The fact your horse nearly DIED because they're so retarded???? Yeah, I would have to be restrained.

I am so glad that you got up when you did, that was incredibly lucky. Thank god everything worked out and he's ok.
 
#24 ·
I was so upset that I was afraid
that I may do something that I would be sorry for. We went camping again this past weekend, this time I keep him in a stall.
I was able to rest better. If I couln't get a stall I was going to put him in the trailér. It is a three horse slant, and I can lock the dividers open it would be about as big as the stalls . This camping trip experience was much better.

I am still counting my blessings.
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