I would say Happy Monday but I have been informed that it’s actually Tuesday. Whoops. Anyway, lets catch you up on the goings-on up in these parts.
On Saturday we had our first jump lesson in a couple weeks… our schedule had been interrupted the week before by TerraNova, so we missed our usual weekly lesson/jump school that week. It was also the first lesson back since I said something about how I need to jump a little bigger again before we start looking at a move-up, because we’ve kinda just been cruising through season keeping the fences lower. And, well, be careful what you ask for.
Trainer was like lol hold my beer (coffee?) and cranked a couple of those bitches right on up. Don’t ask me how big, I dunno. Big? Then she has the audacity to be like “now the Modified definitely won’t look big.”. She’s probably not wrong.
Jokes aside, Presto was really good and every once in a while it seems to benefit him to jack the jumps up a little bit. He’s a blasé, lazy, minimalistic sort of dude so if you don’t challenge him once in a while he really doesn’t ever try that hard. He whacked the oxer once and then was no-touchie after that, and jumped around the whole course with much more focus.
The next day I planned to just give him a nice loose stretchy ride and all was going quite well until I decided to canter a couple poles. Well ok, the first pole went totally fine. Loped around to jump it again, the distance was spot on, and WHAM – Presto fell down. Like pretty hard. He floundered for a few strides trying to catch himself, scraping his head along the ground so hard that his browband will never be the same again, then hit the deck on his left side and skidded a ways.
My lower leg was pinned under him during the skid, but the only thing that really took any damage was my ankle. It’s got a minor sprain. The scary part was that he didn’t get up right away, he just laid there sternal, groaning, then took a couple bites of grass before he finally got up. I was convinced he’d broken all 4 legs. I had to stand there for a few seconds for the initial wave of pain to subside to make sure my leg was okay. Poor Hillary saw the whole thing and I think she’s scarred for life… her face was something else. Presto seemed ok though so I got back on and trotted him a bit to see how he felt, and he was miraculously fine.
Luckily my ankle really does seem minor. I’ve been icing and wrapping it and I can walk fine. I rode yesterday and that was ok too. I’ll keep icing and wrapping it for a bit.
Presto still seems fine, I buted him and have put the BEMER on him a couple times, and this morning his bodyworker came and worked on him for a while. Other than some tightness in his neck and left gaskin she said he felt great. Yesterday when I rode him he was trotting around like a wild arabian with his tail in the air, so yeah… I’d say he feels fine. That was a scary one kiddo, please keep all 4 feet underneath you. Figures that he can jump like 4′ on Saturday with no problem and then eat shit entirely over a canter pole on Sunday. Horses, man.
In better news, a couple days ago I texted the vet that did the majority of Presto’s care while he was in the clinic as a newborn. I haven’t reached out to her in a couple years, so I sent her some recent pics of him and let her know how he was doing, and thanked her again (there aren’t enough thanks in the world for this woman). Her response was really cute.
She’s the best. ❤
In also more fun news my custom whip that I ordered a couple weeks ago is finished, and it’s awesome.
breedrideevent.com 
I can’t even imagine all the thoughts racing through your head when he didn’t immediately scramble upright when he fell. 😳 So so glad you’re both okay.
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Glad Presto is no worse for it. But god that would be scarry when he didn’t get up, but instead decided he needed a snack.
That jump is impressive though!!!!! Where are you thinking about running modified at??
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Ye Gods, no more of THAT, pleeeeease! Poor Presto, poor you and poor Hillary! I’m glad nobody was injured any worse but take care of that ankle, Ms. I Got Back On.
I’m sure Presto’s vet was absolutely thrilled to hear from you. What a nice thing to do for her! I hold the vets who have helped my animals very close in my heart. They are special people doing an incredibly difficult job and I know they appreciate every single “win” that they get.
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Compression socks and KT Tape are GREAT for sprained ankles! I was a new woman after that discovery.
I also want to stalk this vet now. She’s not at the practice I initially guessed, and there aren’t THAT many equine-only practices in CO that would have an internist on staff (mostly because Colorado State University is one of the best vet schools in the country, so most smaller practices refer to them). But how cool. Your horse is even more famous.
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Roaring Fork! Kari Bevevino.
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Glad the face plant only had minor injuries. Sounds like his legs didn’t listen to his brain!! I too would be scarred if I witnessed that.
So awesome with the vet!
Your whip made me say “Shazam!!” I think the lightning bolt is perfect!
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Oh my! Glad both you and Presto are okay.
Horse falls are the kryptonite that lives in my head after a trip at the canter took my boy down to a face skid, shoulder situation. He didn’t go all the way down and I didn’t come off, but it took weeks to feel comfortable cantering again and it still lives in my head rent free. they aren’t supposed to fall down when just cantering around (while not paying attention to his feet apparently).
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Ugh. That’s so scary. I’ve wiped out like that three times in the last few years, and I really could do with never having it happen again. Glad you’re both mostly okay. Hope the ankle feels better asap!
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God that fall sounds scary. And over a dang pole! Watch your feet Presto!
I love that response from the vet. The vet that I credit with saving my mare’s life after a rough colic surgery is friends with me on Facebook and she loves seeing how well she’s doing now. She just had her first foal and I think the vet may be interested in buying him, which would be awesome. We seem to be losing good equine vets left and right, so I always try to show my appreciation for the ones I’ve got!
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I have a friend, a retired equine vet, who literally makes her living now lecturing at various veterinary CE conferences and vet schools on that very topic. It’s a scary prospect for the future, especially for folks like me who live in a very rural area with minimal options to start with!
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I know it was scary and terrible but I’m also laughing out loud that he decided to take a few bites of grass while he was down there. Presto logic.
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Oh man, falls are scary. Did you go through the “do I bail or do I try to save it” decision tree in your head while it happened?
Your vet’s response is wonderful. I understand that being a vet carries many stresses, it must mean so much to them to receive expressions of appreciation. I’m in awe of my vet’s calm, pleasant, knowledgeable demeanor, and I’ve told him so many times. Especially when he had to visit my horse three times on Thanksgiving. My horses really like him, that’s why they have all their emergencies when he’s on call for the holiday or weekend. 🤦♀️
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