Monday, September 10, 2007

Goodbye Joe



Joey 2002
It's with a heavy heart that I write this post today. Yesterday, while chatting with Hubby at the breakfast table, I was waiting for Grandma to tell me she was ready to head out and do pipes. She called, a bit late, and I grabbed the phone and cheerfully said "Are you ready?" She replied "no," and I could tell she was quite upset. I asked her what was wrong and she informed me that one of our horses, Joey, was badly hurt in an accident. "OMG, what happened?" The guys were all heading up the mountain to put out salt for the cows and had a truck named "Whitey" loaded up with horses. About a kilometre up the road the deck of the truck broke through and Joey's leg went through the hole. They didn't realize something was wrong until the truck slowed down and by that time poor Joey had his back leg caught between the dual wheels of the truck. Oh what a mess! After losing an ice cream bucket full of blood, they got the other horses unloaded and both the guys, and horses, scrambled for home.
I headed down to the barn, loaded up with scissors, sheets, tensor bandages, etc., to see what I could do. Joey wasn't in good shape, standing up tall, still in the back of Whitey. My two BIL's and Pops, along with all of us, bandaged him up the best we could. Led by one BIL, Joey walked to the barn, we propped him up with hay bales and waited for the vet. She didn't arrive until quite a few hours later and said there was nothing more we could do. The damage was just too severe, and along with possible infection, his chances were slim.



Joey & Woody 2004 at my garden gate waiting for a carrot.

After the Vet left, Hubby came up and grabbed his gun... I cried, it's soooo hard to see an animal put down, especially when one becomes attached. Joey would come to my garden gate and I'd feed him carrots over the fence. Such a preventable accident, but then one just doesn't think about certain things on a ranch when there are so many other things to be done "at the moment." I know that's an odd statement, and terribly hard to explain, but I know there are people out there who will understand. Today I was reminded again when I pulled into the barn parking lot and saw the trail of blood still so fresh from yesterday. Joey is forever on the ranch at the end of the barn field, free to roam :)


Sort of after the fact but here's a picture of Mike & Doug (my two BIL's) taking the sides off of Whitey to replace the deck.

11 comments:

RiverCitySTL said...

So sorry for your loss. I just felt the desire to give you a virtual hug.

Anonymous said...

Kansas, I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. :(((( I can't imagine having to put down a horse who've become attached to. You and your family are in my prayers.

Anita said...

OMG, so, so horrible... I am so sorry that you - and Joey - had to go through this...
.....prayers for you all....

(found your link at Farmgirl Fare)

Anonymous said...

That is so sad It just made me cry. I am so sorry to hear this.

Linda G. said...

I too, feel so sad for your loss.
Joey looked a bit like my old horse, Sky, lost to me many years ago...and still missed.

Anonymous said...

Hi Kansas....
This is just so so sad and very hard to type with CT.(big tears) It is heart wrenching to even think about him and what happened. I also met Joey over the fence occasionly.
My heartfelt sympathy to everyone and specially to Pops & Grandma. Joey will be missed.

Love Ya!

Anonymous said...

Kansas, I'm just so sorry for all of you over this terrible loss. I can tell you'll miss him.

Jackie said...

Oh, I am so sorry. I have 1/4 of the things to do that you do and I TOTALLY understand about the "I'll get to that later". What a horrible experience for all of you.

Anonymous said...

Oh Kansas. I am so very, very sorry.

Dora Renee Wilkerson said...

I am so sorry to hear about Joe.

Dora Renee' Wilkerson

Anonymous said...

hey cousin,,so sorry to hear about Joey,it's so sad,I know it must almost feel like losing a kid.We get so atatched to our pets!
Cheryl xoxoxo