# Terrible accident



## fffarmergirl (Oct 9, 2008)

I haven't been on here for a while - neglecting the horse forum that I've only recently become addicted to!

My dad had a terrible accident involving a horse last week. He's lucky to be alive. He will never be able to ride a horse again. There are going to be a lot of things he won't be doing again. Bicycling, running, maybe not even kayaking although I hope he'll be able to do that. 

So here's what I know of the story. As I tell it you'll probably see where I inherited my bullheaded daredevil attitude but I'll tell the truth anyway. 

Dad just turned 65. He retired at 62 and he's been spending the last 3 years traveling around playing in his country/blue grass band at fairs etc. and just volunteering everywhere, working for and with his family. They own a lot of meat markets and restaurants and some of his cousins bought a 3500 acre cattle ranch in KS. Right up Dad's ally - he's always dreamed of being a cowboy.

When his cousins bought the ranch, they kept on the live-in ranch managers and cowboys. His family is very familiar with slaughterhouses, meat, marketing, etc. They aren't so familiar with ranches and horses etc.

So 3 years ago Dad started working several days per week at this ranch, rounding up cattle and branding, giving vaccinations etc. He started out using the 4-wheelers most of the time and worked up to using the horses all of the time. He had a little horse experience before but not much - just riding around bareback as a kid etc. When I was a kid he bought me a pony and we rode it around some, but we didn't really know what we were doing and never had lessons.

Dad's a very physically fit man and he thought he was immortal. Kind of like an overgrown teenager. So last week he was on this horse, rounding up cattle with 3 or 4 other guys. He had not bothered to adjust his stirrups and could barely reach them. The horses there are very well-trained, used daily to work cattle, but something happened and the horse started bucking, over and over again. Dad thinks it saw a snake. Maybe a bee got caught under the saddle or something. Who knows. It bucked him up and down on the saddle horn, over and over again, until he was finally thrown. He got the worse kind of pelvic fracture you can get - fractured in 4 places - called an "open book" pelvic fracture. It's a fracture with a 50% mortality rate. Unfortunately, he was 4 miles from where they were going to meet up and his adrenaline was pumping so hard he couldnt' really feel the pain yet. He pulled himself back on the horse and rode 4 miles. As he rode, the pelvic bones spread further and further apart and his organs got jounced around, rubbed on his pelvic bones.

He's been in the ICU. His bladder was damaged by his pelvic bones jamming up against it while he was riding the horse. He was in surgery for hours. He had pins and plates put in. Fortunately the bones fit together perfectly and when he eventually learns to walk again he might not limp too bad. His feet can not touch the floor for a minimum of 10 weeks, and he's lucky he's even going to be allowed to sit in a wheelchair. His testicles are literally swollen to the size of a soccer ball. He has a nasogastric tube in until his bowels wake up.

So. Yeah. Anyway - he keeps calling me begging me to be careful around horses. Which I will do. For sure.


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## SunsetSonata (Nov 23, 2006)

Horrific! Glad your Dad is on the road to recovery. Ouch, ouch, OUCH


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

Hope things go as well as possible and it sounds as if things could have been even worse. Accidents with horses are like accidents with vehicles, no matter how experienced you are and how careful you are, things can go wrong for no reason.


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## fffarmergirl (Oct 9, 2008)

He's not out of the woods yet so if you're they praying type I'd be grateful for some prayers. They say he'll be ready to go home as soon as his bowels wake up, though, and he's transferring independently using his arms. Thank God he's so fit.

He won't let me go see him. I've packed my bags and got ready to head down there and he begged me not to go and then had my stepmother call and tell me not to go. She says he feels like it's his fault and he's so embarassed about getting injured that he will barely even let her in the room. He won't let anybody help him. The VA sent a bed and wheelchair, commode etc to the house and they're installing a ramp. He's having my brother hook up a trapeze on the back porch beside a hose and a shower chair and he's going to wheel himself out there to bathe himself. He just wants to be left alone, and is insisting that my stepmother go back to Tennessee to say with her sister for a while. He's so stubbornly proud and independent.


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

Oh my! I hope your dad has a successful recovery. I'll keep him in my thoughts and prayers.


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## CJBegins (Nov 20, 2009)

His reaction to his injury is very worrisome. Depression after a major injury or illness is very common. If he was my father I would talk to his wife and or doctor and inform them of his plans/thoughts. He is in no position to be alone and really needs support of those that love him. 

He really needs to talk to someone and possibly even an antidepressant for a while.

I will be praying for a speedy recovery for him.

Carla


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Prayers for your dad!


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## fols (Nov 5, 2008)

Prayers!! With those injuries I was so surprised he was able to ride 4 miles back. I cringed reading what happened. Owie!!! Hopefully since he is so physically fit, that will make the healing that much faster.


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## BKB HOMESTEAD (Mar 25, 2013)

Go anyway. He needs you, your brother and stepmom right now whether he wants to admit it or not! If for nothing else for his care, but along the way you could all help in other ways. Let him know you are just as stubborn as he is. Prayers your way!


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

I'm so sorry. What a terrible accident. I doubt it was a snake though, I used to ride past rattlesnakes all the time and was surprised when the horses never reacted like they do on TV. 
I was in a terrible crash several years ago, warming up my husband's horse for him and also didn't bother to shorten the stirrups (stirrups on western saddles are such a PITA!). Something set off the horse as we cantered up a hill (Jet Deck horse) and he bucked for keeps. I broke several bones and dislocated my shoulder. Thank God my kids were there to get my husband and I wasn't so far from anything. 
I will always carry a cell phone on rides too, after being out with a friend and giving her a hard time about carrying one and her Arab TRIPPED and ended up on top of her, breaking her leg. Thank God she brought that phone.
Good luck to your dad. I think if I were you I would go anyway.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I'm sure sorry to hear of your dad's accident and hope that he heals quickly and well.


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

fffarmergirl said:


> He's not out of the woods yet so if you're they praying type I'd be grateful for some prayers. They say he'll be ready to go home as soon as his bowels wake up, though, and he's transferring independently using his arms. Thank God he's so fit. He's so stubbornly proud and independent.


He sounds a lot like my grandfather was. He always told me if you can get up, walk and get back on the horse, you'll survive. The last photo I took of him was on a horse when he was 80 years old.

Sounds like your father is determined to make it as well.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Don't give up on progress yet. My father had that at an more advanced age than your father and he was up and walking when it healed. He didn't think he hurt himself so badly and put off treatment until he could see his own doctor the next day.

Over the years I have seen some bad injuries and two deaths from horses. When someone just treats horses as if they can not hurt you, I point out a thousand pounds is very dangerous and treat it with respect. Then I add that only people who are addicted should think about having horses. And only because they can't help it.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I'm so sorry to hear about your father! That's a terrible accident. If I were you, I'd consider going against his wishes and just going down to help him out. He may fuss, but he might also be secretly relieved to have the help. You'd have to make the call though, because you know the situation and your father. I hope he does well. I've seen some pretty awful things heal up well in tough older people.


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## fffarmergirl (Oct 9, 2008)

CJBegins said:


> His reaction to his injury is very worrisome. Depression after a major injury or illness is very common. If he was my father I would talk to his wife and or doctor and inform them of his plans/thoughts. He is in no position to be alone and really needs support of those that love him.
> 
> He really needs to talk to someone and possibly even an antidepressant for a while.
> 
> ...


I am so worried about severe depression. He was already depressed because his youngest brother, who was also his best friend, died last year. They were so close - they did everything together. They went into business together twice, hung out together all the time. When one got a job somewhere, the other would go there to work. They looked so much alike people couldn't tell them apart. It's really, really sad.

After his brother died, it was just run, run, run. If he wasn't at a show he was in a kayak or at that ranch or volunteering somewhere. He could never stop moving and let himself think. And now he's stuck in a bed/wheelchair for 10 weeks.

He refuses to even take a pain pill, there's absolutely no way we could get him to take an antidepressant. We'd have to force it down his throat.



BKB HOMESTEAD said:


> Go anyway. He needs you, your brother and stepmom right now whether he wants to admit it or not! If for nothing else for his care, but along the way you could all help in other ways. Let him know you are just as stubborn as he is. Prayers your way!


My brother is really stepping up to the plate, mowing the lawn and helping with the ramp, etc. I hope he will continue to be there. He has addiction problems but he's back on the wagon right now and I guess he and dad might have a chance to bond during this. I do have a sister who lives near him and they're very close. He doesn't want her to see him right now because of the problem with his scrotum - it's very visible under his gown and he's modest. I'm a nurse. I've seen more male parts than the average prostitute, but he doesn't want me to see him.



where I want to said:


> Don't give up on progress yet. My father had that at an more advanced age than your father and he was up and walking when it healed. He didn't think he hurt himself so badly and put off treatment until he could see his own doctor the next day.
> 
> Over the years I have seen some bad injuries and two deaths from horses. When someone just treats horses as if they can not hurt you, I point out a thousand pounds is very dangerous and treat it with respect. Then I add that only people who are addicted should think about having horses. And only because they can't help it.


It's good to know your father healed well. It's a relief. 

I guess I have just never really thought about how bad horse injuries can be. I've heard of people getting bucked off and hitting their head on a rock or something but I've always thought - the saddle is only 5-6 feet high and horses don't go all that fast. I just never realized. 

_"Then I add that only people who are addicted should think about having horses. And only because they can't help it." That's hilarious - and so true. But I have been an emotional basketcase and the only thing that made me feel better was going to my friends and helping her groom her horses. They just . . . . take away heartache somehow. _


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

I'm so sorry your Dad got hurt, but he may heal well and be able to do a lot more than they think he can, especially if he's the stubborn, determined type. I think I would go to see him when the swelling goes down. I would also encourage your Step mother to stay home with him. She will need lots of support as well. He's not that old, and it sounds like he is in pretty good shape, he may suprize everyone.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Again, I would like to express my sympathy to you and wish your father a speedy recovery. 

I think most of us have taken shortcuts with tack in one way or another but this does serve as a reminder as to why we should take that extra couple minutes and make sure our tack is fitted properly and in good working order. My daughter suffers from permanent nerve because of an injury sustained from a saddle that a saddlemaker had improperly restored.


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## RLStewart (Sep 10, 2006)

I will be thinking of your dad and wishing him well as I continue to recover from my recent horse wreck. I don't think getting bucked off a horse and injured is really something to be ashamed of. I admit I'm pretty ticked off about it esp since its summer but these things happen. Its true that adrenaline does really keep you from realizing how bad you're hurt for awhile. One of my mares that I've raised since birth and rode for years has always been somewhat unpredictable but if you're careful with her you she's usually okay. Well 3 weeks ago she wasn't. Decided to buck like an NFR bronc for no reason that I could determine. The second pass across the arena I decided that bailing off seemed like a wise choice. Apparently I need more practice because I didn't land well. I really didn't think that I was hurt though, didn't even knock the wind out of me. Got up to go catch crazy and had a pretty sharp pain in my back but still made it to the barn and then to the house and couch. Wasn't until I tried to get off the couch that it got bad. Turns out I fractured a couple of vertabrae and tore everything to heck. So tell your dad that if you ride horses long enough, you will have a wreck and that I think he's super tough/brave to get back on the horse that threw him. I've sold mine.  Recovery is very boring but I did catch up on my sleep for the first time in years and have read about a 100 books.


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## fffarmergirl (Oct 9, 2008)

RLStewart, I hope you recover completely, without any pain in the future. I will tell Dad what you said. Enjoy your books and your sleep! Maybe Dad will learn to settle down a little, now that he's being forced to sit still.


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## dkrabec (Apr 5, 2012)

So sorry to read about your dad getting hurt so badly, I do hope he makes a speedy recovery. And I echo what everyone else says he should not be ashamed of getting bucked off and getting injured. When your with horses long enough it is not an if it happens, its when it happens, and theses things happen.

And I would not take no for answer I would be there to help take care of him if I could, especially if you think depression is setting in. I am hard headed too.


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

fffarmergirl said:


> Maybe Dad will learn to settle down a little, now that he's being forced to sit still.


All you can do is what your Dad will allow you to do and hopefully he will allow someone to provide the help he has to have, at least. If he needs some temporary or intermittent assistance at home, you might suggest a male nursing tech, I've worked as a nursing assistant myself and some older men, especially, are more comfortable with a male assistant. If not, you and the rest of the family will have to simply do what he allows you to do.

But he should not feel he was particularly at fault. I grew up with horses, my first memory is actually of being put up on a horse and I was riding alone by the time I was five. I've ridden some bad horses and had any number of accidents that could easily have injured me badly or killed me but didn't even require a hospital visit until I was in my mid-60s ... after a lifetime working with horses. In my case, a horse I trusted in a situation I should not have trusted and being older and slower. The first of two accidents put me in the hospital for six days, with no real issues after recovery, the second left me with vision impairment and several doctors that could not believe there was no skull fracture. I'm still working with horses ... let's face it, I'm addicted ... but I have 'downsized' with fewer horses, more ponies, all of the stallions now are ponies ... and I am much more cautious and aware that my reflexes and athleticism are absolutely not what they were 30 years ago.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Sorry to hear about your Dad. My Dad was 80 when his favorite mare did the same thing. Same injuries except he broke his neck also. He was swollen from his chest to his knees and all black and blue. He recovered but never rode again because Mom was done with him and horses. It took 2 years for him to recover from the broken neck. Doctors put a plastic brace/cast that had holes for ventilation, he got gangrene in the sores from the holes. He never limped and walked a lot until his death at 95. But he never rode a horse again, Mom saw to that....James


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

so sorry - best thoughts!


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

My Dad always told me that "there isn't a cowboy that can't be throwed, there isn't a horse that can't be rode", something his Grandpa used to say to him when he got thrown. His Grandpa had been a cowboy when he was young.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

Prayers for your dad, and for your family.

One of the worst mistakes I ever made was to non-chalantly ask, "Hey, it's just round the field a few times, what could happen?" I had a teen on Sid, unflappable Sid, and his cinch is very hard to tighten. The saddle seemed a tad loose, but she was able to mount and we just went around the field. I am not sure WHY he bolted, my steady Sid, but bolt he did. Saddle and girl, under the horse. Had it been anyone but Sid, I am not sure this would have had as nice an ending. Sid, however, stood quivering in terror until she rolled out from under him, then took off bucking. I feared he would break a leg getting it caught in the saddle, but he ended up bucking the thing off and begged me to catch him and make his terror stop. Buddy was saddled, and I slung the teen up on Buddy and he knew he needed to be extra good for her; he walked as if on eggshells with the terrified teen on his back (my "crazy" arab) until she relaxed.

Too often, we are too complacent. What a sad reminder to us all.

Prayers and healing thoughts to you all.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

I am very sorry your father was hurt. Sending healing thoughts.
He will need help, even if he doesn't want it. 

Am sure you remember I was thrown off a horse over 6 years ago, after riding 35 years at that point, with no accidents. 
And it was because I listened to someone else and changed the type of girth I used, elastic girths on round horse's just don't work. I should of known better....
Horse spun and bucked like no bodies business, saddle slid to under her belly.... so I came off. 
Just started wearing a helmet a couple of years earlier. 

Still can't walk well without a cane... and lots of issues because of the accident. 
I still ride, but only horses I have trained and I wear a Beta 3/ASTM rated safety vest.

My Dad fell walking not to long ago, damaged his spine (he is in his 70's)... grumpy old man didn't want help. Was quite belligerent to the family so I was told. Hospital sent someone to talk to him.... when he told them to go away, that person told him to shut up and listen.
It worked....

Go see your Dad, be there for him. Get someone in the Hospital to talk to him, he really needs to talk this out.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

Molly Mckee said:


> My Dad always told me that "there isn't a cowboy that can't be throwed, there isn't a horse that can't be rode", something his Grandpa used to say to him when he got thrown. His Grandpa had been a cowboy when he was young.


My mother always said "you aren't a rider until you've been thrown a 100 times." 

fff, I hope your father heals quickly.


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## fffarmergirl (Oct 9, 2008)

He gets to eat some solid food today. I've been talking to my sister about not leaving him alone at all until he gets over this depression/anger.

People keep saying if you ride long enough you're going to have a wreck. Perfectly well-trained horses going berserck, experienced horsepeople getting severe injuries. It's not just "green plus green = black and blue" it's "horse + human = black and blue". I'm 43. Maybe I just shouldn't start riding. I don't mind a few bruises but I sure as heck don't want to wind up in a wheelchair for the rest of my life!


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

fffarmergirl said:


> He gets to eat some solid food today. I've been talking to my sister about not leaving him alone at all until he gets over this depression/anger.
> 
> People keep saying if you ride long enough you're going to have a wreck. Perfectly well-trained horses going berserck, experienced horsepeople getting severe injuries. It's not just "green plus green = black and blue" it's "horse + human = black and blue". I'm 43. Maybe I just shouldn't start riding. I don't mind a few bruises but I sure as heck don't want to wind up in a wheelchair for the rest of my life!


I wouldn't go that far. My injury was due to a bucking horse for sure. But I could have handled the bucks IF I hadn't been too lazy to shorten the stirrups and hadn't been riding in a saddle that was too big for me. It frequently seems to me that it's when we get lazy or cocky, that's when we get stung. It's always best to reduce our risks when doing something potentially dangerous, ie: picking an appropriate horse, tack, not taking shortcuts, etc. Just like getting cars with airbags and buckling seatbelts.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

LisaInN.Idaho said:


> I wouldn't go that far. My injury was due to a bucking horse for sure. But I could have handled the bucks IF I hadn't been too lazy to shorten the stirrups and hadn't been riding in a saddle that was too big for me. It frequently seems to me that it's when we get lazy or cocky, that's when we get stung. It's always best to reduce our risks when doing something potentially dangerous, ie: picking an appropriate horse, tack, not taking shortcuts, etc. Just like getting cars with airbags and buckling seatbelts.


I agree. I refuse to live my life by what _could_ happen. You need to use the safe guards available but you have to actually live life to make it worthwhile.


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

I agree. I can't think of a time when I got hurt when it wasn't my fault. I got lazy, in a hurry, or whatever and what would have been a small problem became a wreck. If your Dad had shortened his stirrups he would have had much more control and may not have come off. 

I have been around horses my whole life, and I can't think of any "accident " wasn't something cause by a person doing something they knew better than to do. If you are careful and don't take shortcuts you should be fine. Even the horse that killed a friend of my daughters years ago was a known bad actor that should have been put down rather than sold to a kid. The former owners had warned the buyers about the horse. The girl was not supposed to handle the horse when she was alone but she did and he cow kicked her in the temple.

There is danger in almost everything. If you use common sense you will be less likely to be hurt by a horse than a car.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Among other parts of your statement, I strongly disagree with the comment about well trained horses going berserk. I know I sound like a broken record but too many people view a well trained horse as being one that has been casually ridden for 2 - 4 years and in my opinion, that isn't a horse that has seen enough in general to cope with unusual events so they do what horses do best, they panic. Training counts and it goes way beyond those first few years, which is why the good ones still command big money, even in a poor market. 

If you learn nothing else from your father's accident, learn that accidents can happen, learn everything you can about horses, tack, safety (including tuck and roll) and consider finding yourself a nice solid horse and let somebody with more experience train Ona.


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## Pat-wcWI (Oct 28, 2012)

ff, I haven't read all the replies, but I want to offer my prayers for your dad's healing.

I think most of us that have ridden most of our lives have had accidents. I have been bucked off a few times, fallen on by a rearing horse and dragged by the leg. But I haven't had that serious of an injury.

If you haven't yet, please go to see him, no matter what he says.


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

Horse accidents are like automobile accidents; a childhood buddy had his pelvis smashed when a cow went one way around a rose hedge and the horse decided to go the other way. Fell, saddle horn did the damage.

I never let my kids ride with saddles. When they got thrown they were thrown clear, no damage to horse or kid. I've met two men whose children died when they were dragged, another whose grandson died when his horse went into a pond with a hold-down on his head. Horse could not get his head above water and went crazy. 

Tell your dad we are all thinking about him. His innards will wake up when the anesthesia wears off---about three days. Tell him to go back to riding ATV's. They too have their drawbacks but are much safer for old men. I found out that you cannot rope off one, but they will carry a bucket of feed just fine.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Oxankle said:


> Horse accidents are like automobile accidents; a childhood buddy had his pelvis smashed when a cow went one way around a rose hedge and the horse decided to go the other way. Fell, saddle horn did the damage.
> 
> I never let my kids ride with saddles. When they got thrown they were thrown clear, no damage to horse or kid. I've met two men whose children died when they were dragged, another whose grandson died when his horse went into a pond with a hold-down on his head. Horse could not get his head above water and went crazy.
> 
> Tell your dad we are all thinking about him. His innards will wake up when the anesthesia wears off---about three days. Tell him to go back to riding ATV's. They too have their drawbacks but are much safer for old men. I found out that you cannot rope off one, but they will carry a bucket of feed just fine.


Ox, I learned to ride bareback and we had to earn tack as our skills warranted. I rember complaining bitterly to my father about 'other kids riding with saddles' and he calmly told me that tack just gives an inexperienced rider more ways to get hurt or killed. 

Like every other kid alive, I swore many times that I was going to do so many things different than my parents did but that was one area that made perfect sense to me and my kids also learned to ride bareback.


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## cathleenc (Aug 16, 2007)

Stubborn parents are such a challenge!

Very much hoping your dad heals well, both inside and out. 

Thinking of you both.


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## fffarmergirl (Oct 9, 2008)

Thanks, everybody, for your continued thoughts and prayers. Dad is home and doing so much better. As his parts are still the size of a cantaloupe, he's still not accepting female visitors. He says we can see him when he can get pants on. He is in a much better mood - got hot and cold running water hooked up on his porch, and a shower chair installed out there. And another thing that has improved his mood - he is now, as of today, a great grandfather. My grandaughter was born at 3:27am, suddenly and 4 weeks early but in perfect health!

Here are some pics - my dad (pre-accident) is the guy on the far right in the front in the dark brown hat, my stepmom is standing beside him. Then there's me and my sweet granddaughter, and my son and daughter-in-law with the baby.

Life sure is a roller coaster - and I didn't even have time to visit Ona today!


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

Congratulations on becoming a grandma!


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