Happy Day

Dreamport came to live with us 

4 years ago today~!

 I wrote some about that day at the end of this page. 

I feel like we are just getting started. 

Welcome Home  April 13, 2007

 This is something I’ve never had a chance to mention before: in June 2009, Dream stepped on a two inch nail.  I remember this crisis time with my horse very clearly. He and I built up so much trust during this time. That first night, he slept with his head in my lap at times.

It all worked out for good and left Dreamer and I much closer and more connected. 

It initially happened when he pulled a door knob off the back of the barn by Ebony's stall. Then he stepped on the nail that was exposed. When my horse did not come in for grain, I went out to find him. I think it had just happened. I found him two steps down the path, with a doorknob nailed to his left hind foot, which he was holding aloft.

I still have the doorknob and nail going through it. The nail entered the foot at the bottom point of the frog and went straight in, just pricking the center of his coffin bone.

He stood perfectly still and let us do all we needed to do. I put Ebony away immediately and one of the children held Dream. I pulled the nail out and let it bleed as he held it up. I sprinted for supplies. I immediately soaked the area with peroxide (I know you don't use peroxide on a puncture, but my choice was to take the risk because peroxide kills tetanus.) Then I poured povidine on it. Then I put sterile gauze over it and wrapped the foot. His foot never touched the ground exposed.

We sat there with hay and water for him. He did not want to move. Scott and the vet had been called. Scott has a forty mile/one hour commute home. When Dream heard Scott's voice, he called out. Then he limped into his stall with us. 

[That taught me how much he relies on Scott, even though I have been Dream's principle care giver and only rider to that point. Maybe he remembers men/a man as a place of authority in his past--perhaps his trainer.]

The vet was at another emergency and got to us as soon as possible. My horse just stood rock still in his stall. I missed Ailsinn's spring dance recital as I sent her and the family away to attend.

Dream was perfectly quiet for the vet and his assistant when they arrived. I asked them to try to always remember Dreamer when people try to say Thoroughbreds are crazy. Dream knew he needed help, and I was truly amazed at his bearing.

Our vet showed me how to do intramuscular shots into Dream's neck for one of his medicines. The other medicine and pain killer went into an IV that was inserted into his neck permanently until we were finished using it. The vet had me pull a tee shirt over Dream's neck to protect the IV equipment as long as he did not rub it out (which he did not, thankfully.) 

I spent some time knowing that a bone infection would mean death for him. I prayed and cried a lot. But I knew his chances were good because of the vet's excellent care and our quick response to the injury.

I have to add, that summer Scott was down to one pair of dress pants for his job, but he ordered the x-rays for Dreamer before replacing his wardrobe.The x-rays showed a healed coffin bone.

Dreamer seems to be perfectly fine from all that now. I remember it as a time of trauma yet also developing closeness and healing. He found out that a foot injury does not mean a home change; I hope it helped him realize he is here with us, no matter what.

So, Happy Anniversary, my Friend~!

Happy Day, 1996

Danzig, Northern Dancer, Turn-To, 

Bold Reason, Sir Gaylord, Ribot, Buckpasser