This past Sunday I got out of the backcountry (backpacking for elk) and into cell range to learn my wife was hospitalized after getting bucked off of her horse. Long story short...she spent 4 days hospitalized and should make a full, but slow recovery.
My wife is a horse woman and always has been. She has more than four decades of cowgirling doing rodeo games, roping, working cattle, playing Polo and lots and lots and lots of trail hours. This past weekend she was riding her new 6 yo QH gelding when a friend riding beside her gestured, he spooked and came apart ejecting her. Totally benign moment turned into a seriously painful and scary experience. The folks she was riding with were able to get a truck to her and transport her to a place an ambulance could meet them and off to the local trauma center she went. Could have been SO much worse! We're blessed and truly thankful things are what they are.
This entire episode has me thinking... What if this had happened in the backcountry? What then? Why don't we wear helmets? Communications plan? Etc. Etc. Etc.
I work in emergency services and have extensive training and experience. What can be done to prevent experiences like this? At least to minimize the frequency and degree. That said, the logistics of backcountry emergency medical services and evacuating a causality is fresh on my mind.
Would love to hear what those more experienced in backcountry horsemanship have experienced and have planned for contengencies in the event of an accident.
My wife is a horse woman and always has been. She has more than four decades of cowgirling doing rodeo games, roping, working cattle, playing Polo and lots and lots and lots of trail hours. This past weekend she was riding her new 6 yo QH gelding when a friend riding beside her gestured, he spooked and came apart ejecting her. Totally benign moment turned into a seriously painful and scary experience. The folks she was riding with were able to get a truck to her and transport her to a place an ambulance could meet them and off to the local trauma center she went. Could have been SO much worse! We're blessed and truly thankful things are what they are.
This entire episode has me thinking... What if this had happened in the backcountry? What then? Why don't we wear helmets? Communications plan? Etc. Etc. Etc.
I work in emergency services and have extensive training and experience. What can be done to prevent experiences like this? At least to minimize the frequency and degree. That said, the logistics of backcountry emergency medical services and evacuating a causality is fresh on my mind.
Would love to hear what those more experienced in backcountry horsemanship have experienced and have planned for contengencies in the event of an accident.