Polka Dot Ponies

This will most likely be just a collection of my ramblings. I ride and train horses, so there is bound to be a lot of horse stuff. But I also just like to vent and this seems the perfect place.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Dog Attack.

I have been so crazy busy that I haven't had a chance to sit down and post. Things are a bit of a mess right now. Well, let me start at the beginning...
The day before Easter (April 3rd) I had an AMAZING ride on Margo. Her jog is like and old pro and her lope was getting better each time I got in the saddle. She seemed to be getting a little bored so we were working on flying changes as well. Every time I ride her I feel like our bond gets stronger and stronger. It is so strange as I haven't felt a bond like this with any horse since getting Titan (and with training I ride a lot of horses). Sometimes you just click you know? Anyway I even called T and had her get out of the shower to come over and watch Margo and myself. She was pretty excited about the progress we had made in such a short time as well.
You may have noticed the jumps between past and present tense, sigh. There lies our problem. That was the last time I have ridden Margo. The next day (Easter Sunday) I was invited to go with some family friends to their family Easter since I have no family in the area and so I joined them. I first made sure that we would be back well before dark so that I could get a few rides in. We ended up getting back around 7 and I was beat from the long car rides so I decided to give the horses the day off. When I drove up my drive way there was a black pit bull that jumped on the car door until Chance chased it off. I came in and called a few neighbors trying to find the owners to no avail. I didn't really think too much of it because there are often neighbor dogs that wander up here and then they always go back home. I figured that Chance must have scared him off because I couldn't see him anywhere around the house. Around 8 I went out to feed horses and bring the mares in.
I walked into the pasture to get Margo and Mace. Margo knows when it is dinner time and came straight over to me. As I was about to halter her the pit bull seemed to come out of no where and attacked her. I booted Mace in the belly to get him to run away as Margo spun around and tried to jump the fence to get away from the dog. He grabbed her back right leg just above her fetlock and was hanging on for dear life. Margo did not make it all the way over the fence and ended up dragging her back legs down over the top rail pulling the rail down. I had to kick the dog to get it off her leg. After I kicked it, it ran off while Margo stood huffing and bleeding. I got her haltered and grabbed Mace and got them into the barn as quickly as I could as I was worried that the dog would be back (she did not want to move at all). Once I got her into the barn I was able to see the damage done. She was bleeding mostly from where he had bitten her (lower cannon on the hind right) but also from many of her other wounds.
I cleaned her up and then called the sheriff and vet. While I was getting her cleaned up the dog came back into the yard and I was able to get a rope around it's neck and get it tied up. The sheriff came and took my statement and took pictures of Margo's legs. He then loaded the dog into his truck (it tried to attack him while he did this). He said that any dogs that attack livestock are disposed of. At first I felt a little guilty sending the dog off to its death but then I looked at Margo's legs and didn't feel bad any more.
Here are some pictures. I don't have any of the night it happened these are a few days later but they give you an idea.
She is still very sore and when she jumped the fence she did some damage to her right front. I have consulted a few vets and it is mostly a waiting game now. There is a chance that she will end up being just a trail horse or even a broodmare for life. No matter what she ends up being she will be here for life, she is just one of those horses that I have a special connection to and I won't sell her.




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6 Comments:

Blogger Nicku B said...

Oh.my.gosh. I am so sorry this happened. I cant even imagine how terrifying that must have been for all of you. Thank goodness everyone is alive frankly! Please keep us posted on her progress. You both are in my thoughts and prayers.

April 13, 2010 at 4:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Poor thing and poor you - that is horrifying! Glad you were there to protect and rescue her.

April 13, 2010 at 5:41 PM  
Blogger Brooke (FBX Adventures - In Parenting) said...

OMG! Your poor baby! I couldn't imagine watching that going on! It had to be horrible! Don't feel guilty, I love dogs (all dogs) just as much as the next person, but if you attack my horse that's it! I hope she feels better!! I'll keep you both in our thoughts!

April 13, 2010 at 5:59 PM  
Blogger Ashley said...

That is the scariest thing! I bet you were so terrified! Don't feel guilty about the dog, he is getting what he deserves. And if he didnt, he would strike again on someone else's innocent animal- or God forbid, a child.

Do you think you could email me those photos? We are having a similiar dog problem at our barn and I want to show the owner what can happen. The dog at our barn has bit some noses and made them bleed but nothing this serious! It scares me to think this is the next thing.

April 14, 2010 at 8:56 AM  
Blogger Rachel said...

my thoughts are certainly with you and your poor mare.

April 14, 2010 at 9:55 AM  
Blogger Jean said...

Oh no! That looks sooooo sore. What a horrible thing to happen.

I do hope Margo can make a full recovery so you can ride her again and enjoy that part of your bond. Poor girl, and poor you.

April 14, 2010 at 5:14 PM  

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