Horsey Dreams

I have had some very vivid dreams lately. 

Snuff

They have also been strange. 

The other night I had a dream that I was in the mountains as part of  an expedition.  Only it was like we were brought their against our will and we had to  find certain things and complete tasks before we could go home.   Kind of like a cross between Hunger Games, Survivor, and Indiana Jones.

Yeah I know weird....

Honeymoon shot. Grandma loves this pic. 

Anyway, as the dream progressed we had to ride horses to the different destinations and events.  I was given a horse that was completely unruly.  He was severely agitated  and I could not get him calmed  down...... so I started to freak out and begging the other people with me to trade horses with me.   I am hyperventilating in my dream and eventually woke myself up unable to catch my breath.

People who know my horse background understand, those of you who don't let me fill you in.  Some names have been changed to protect the innocent.    

My Grandparents owned a ranch north of my hometown.  When I was growing up I would occasionally make my way out their to go horseback riding.   Sometimes my sister Jenn would come too and we would ride horses in the hills around the ranch while Grandpa drove the 4 wheeler  telling us about the old homestead and his family along the way.

The old barn.

The house.

One time I finally convinced my brother Ian to come along.  My dad came out with us and when we got there my Uncle Gary was out their too.  Uncle Gary helped us get the horses ready to go.  I was going to ride Snuff and Ian was going out with me the first round on Dolly.   While we were getting the horses ready Uncle Gary casually mentioned that Snuff was 3 days out from a horse chiropractor visit, but should be good to go. Of course I thought nothing of this.

This is Carter and I on Snuff in 2010 during branding.  I think he remembered me.....I remembered him.

We headed north from the house out into the pasture around the grove of trees that protects the house a little from the wind and snow in the winter.   Once we round this corner we are out of sight from the house and barn. 

Ian and I rode for a while chatting and enjoying the view.  It was one of the first times he had been out and he was doing a great job.    We turned around to head back and let someone else come out with me.   That is when things got a little out of hand.  Ian's horse Dolly got spooked by God only know what and took off at a pace that was not comfortable for Ian as a fairly new rider.  So I got Snuff to catch up with them to help Ian get her slowed down.   We caught up and I pulled back a little on the reigns to get him to slow down.

Snuff did not like that.  He did not like that one little bit and a bucking he did go.   For a brief moment I was flying............ up over his head......... and then gravity took over. 

Gravity will get you every time.

I somehow did some kind of a tuck and roll and roll and roll and stopped sitting on my butt in the dirt with my eyes shut.

Ian saw the whole thing and was freaking  out  trying to see if I am OK , while Dolly,his horse,  is taking  loping pace back to the house.   I open my eyes to see Snuffs butt rounding the corner to the barn......he knew he done wrong.  I sat there trying to decide which part of me hurt worse and heard the four wheeler come to life at the barn.

As soon as Snuff rounded the corner my Dad and Gary knew something was wrong.  Ian had not even made it to the turn to head back to the house yet. They went tearing past him on the four wheeler to come find me.   It took them about 4 minutes from the time I fell to them pulling up next to me.   I had not quite recovered my thought processes to tell them what had happened, but I know I needed a minute before trying to get up.

I could feel everything so that was a good thing...........except I could feel everything and that was a bad thing. 

Dad and Gary stood talking to me a few minutes, then slowly helped me get up.  We somehow managed to get me on the four wheeler and get back up to the house every bump sending pain throughout my entire body.  I asked for ice, water and Advil and laid down on the floor.   My left foot felt like it was the size of a watermelon in my boot, so I left it alone and laid on the bag of ice. 

By the grace of God I drove myself and siblings home. I had a follow up doctors appointment for the next day so I just figured I would have them check me out then.  I went home and slowly peeled  my boot off..... yep my foot was the size of a watermelon.   I propped my foot up with a bag of ice and turned on a movie.  My step-dad Gordon came home and looked at my foot and just shook his head.   I ended up sleeping in the chair as it was more comfortable.


I wobbled into the doctors office the next day and the nurse, Julie came out  to get me, took one look at me as I tried to walk back with her and said "What did you do this time?"

Yes I had that kind of relationship with my doctor.

Julie took me straight to x-ray and we took a picture of my foot, then hobbled down to the exam room.   Dr. W came in laughing and said "OK what did you do."  I relayed the story the best I could to him.  There happened to be an orthopedic surgeon up at the local hospital that day so he sent me directly up there to see him.  Dr. M came in and told me I had broken the weight bearing bone in my foot and would need a couple screws in it to stabilize the fracture.  I mentioned that I felt like I pulled every muscle in my back and he thought I had better get that x-rayed as well.

My mom had joined me at the hospital by that point and as we sat in the exam room waiting for him to come back in, we planned on how I was going to get back to school and get around.   Dr. M came sweeping into the room and said,  "well you definately did a number on your self.  You have compression fractures in the L2-L5 vertebrae."

I think Mom stopped breathing for  a moment then she rolled her eyes and shook her head.  I'm pretty sure I laughed a little and said, "Really???"   This news led to us getting a special back brace, scheduling surgery for my foot a week later , and Mom and Mason joining me in Lincoln for a week to get me settled for school. 

I don't think Ian has been horse back riding since. 

The next time I got on the horse was on my Honey Moon in Hawaii.  I was nervous and excited.   I did not realize how much I missed it. 

I have no idea what I am looking at. 

Peter's horse had an itch. 

 So you can see how a dream about an unruly horse would  make me hyperventilate.