Horse Eating Netwrap

Did you know...Netwrap is scary? At least it is to this guy (sorry, pics are super old)

I'm still feeling the pain from my encounter with Maverick and the netwrap from last Sunday. We needed to put in round bales so I put the hard keepers in the barn for their nightly meal and tied the others up. I questioned where I tied Maverick but didn't want him with the rest because he likes to mess around with lead ropes and halters. He helped Chaos get out of his halter one other time we were putting in round bales. I dont' want a loose horse while we put in bales.


So Maverick was tied to a corral panel. I knew when I did it, that I should probably tie to the post instead but didn't think the lead rope was long enough. I'd unwrapped the netwrap and was walking over to throw it out of the pen. I have a pile of netwrap I need to throw away but don't want to fill the garbage can with it until garbage day (which I always forget).


Of course, I was walking with the newrap way in the air so I wouldn't trip over it and apparently THAT scared the crap out of Maverick. It was all a little surreal from here on out.


Maverick got scared and pulled back...hard. He ripped the corral panel off (it was only tied to keep a weak spot in the fence from opening up). Well, that meant Maverick was even more jacked up because he was scared of the netwrap and the corral panel that was still attached to his lead rope but now dragging at his feet.


So Maverick was in high gear going backwards and was headed straight to the other three horses that were tied up at the hay ring.  They started to spook and Maverick took off running forward around the drylot in some deep, thick mud. I was afraid he was going to get his foot stuck in the corral panel and break a leg but he figured out how to run and drag the damn thing without getting caught (thank god).


He finally came to a stop and started backing up but then got the corral panel caught on the fence and promptly went face first into the dirt/mud. He somehow got his foot caught up in the rope when he backed up so it was elevated. I was worried that he had his nose buried in the mud so I rushed over. He didn't have his nose in the mud. Unfortunately I didn't have a knife to cut the rope if I needed to and I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get the halter off or not.


But I walked up calmly while Maverick was blowing hard and was able to get the halter off. I wanted to make a quick get away so that I'd be out of the way. But  because I was in ankle deep mud, as I was trying to get out of the way, I started to slip and fall. Maverick lunged right at that moment and went over the top of me.


I don't really know what all happened. I did not lose consciousness but I closed my eyes and hoped to god I wouldn't get my head stepped on. I didn't get directly stepped on but I did get nicked on one of my love handles (that'll teach me to be 20 pounds overweight). I also am not sure if he hit me in the head/shoulder or if I hit a rock when I fell.


I had to take a quick assessment after Maverick went over the top of me. I wasn't sure if I'd have to go to the hospital or not. The first thought was...well crap, I'm suppose to have jury duty tomorrow and I'll be headed to the hospital. But after a few curse words, I realized I was going to be fine but when I touched my head and saw blood, I figured I' better get in to the house and take a quick assessment of the damage.


That'll teach me to wear a barrette. I haven't worn barrettes in years and I did that day because I wanted the hair out of my face. I think that's where all the blood came from. The barrette must have cut open my ear when I hit my head on a rock (or had it hit by Maverick). At least that's my guess.


My ear is still crusty and hurts like the dickens but it's getting better. I honestly couldn't tell if I was sore from being run over or if it was from riding Rain (he has the worst trot and trying to get him to lope for drill team is exhausting).

After I went back out to finish chores, I did assess Maverick. The entire time I was finishing chores, Maverick stayed right next to Ivan's side. Ivan kept trying to lick him and make him feel better. Every time I'd look over to Maverick and point a finger at him and tell him he was a bad horse, he'd lower his head or try to hide his head behind another horse to block the view. He knew he'd done wrong.


But I did take a look at him and he did get banged up a little. He had a rope cut on his back leg that had gotten hooked up on the lead rope and corral panel. We have mud and lots of it. We'll call it "mud" for the sake of this conversation.


I didn't think that Maverick would let me do much with him and I was hurting so I decided I'd stall him in some deep straw and let the cut scab over. So into the barn Maverick went. He wasn't so sure about being in the barn. I forget that I'm fairly loud and clumsy in the barn. The hard keepers are so used to me fumbling around that I was a little surprised that Maverick wasn't used to it. But then again, I'm not sure I've ever stalled him in our barn.


So I guess I need to start getting Maverick used to being in the barn (if he's going to be my drill team replacement once I send him to the trainer). I didn't want Maverick in the barn alone because I wasn't sure how well he'd handle it...probably just fine but didn't want to push my luck. So I kept his best friend, Jim in with.


In the morning I went out to check and he walked off just fine. No swelling in the leg (or any leg for that matter). So Maverick is just fine and I'll be feeling better soon enough. It's just a reminder that you should always be cautious around horses. I seem to have more wrecks on the ground, rather than in the saddle.

PS, I promise to get more recent pictures soon! But he still looks the same.