Stories from Bachelor Creek Ranch

02.04.10

On Solid Ground

by Shelly Peterson

It was a quiet morning not unlike any other wintry Saturday in January. My family and I were enjoying the calmness of the day. Morning chores had been done and the ranch was peaceful with a new dusting of snow on the ground. All at once, our daughter Amy exclaimed that Sis was down. This was alarming because Sis was almost 31 years old and getting back up from a lying position had become a feat all of its own. I went to the front window to look with my daughter. I commented that we'd give her a few moments to see if she could get up on her own. After several unsuccessful attempts, Amy decided to go out and encourage her.

Because Sis had shoes on to help her tender feet, she remained unable to get her footing on the blanket of snow that covered the frozen ground. She continued to flip herself over in an attempt to get up; she only tired herself more. As I went to grab a halter and a lead rope, I summoned my husband, Scott, to meet me out front. We tried without success to get Sis on her feet. She could not get her back feet underneath herself and her front feet only slid out from under her.

After several more attempts, I made an urgent call to my brother and sister-in-law. Since they had owned horses for over 20 years, I decided to ask if they had any ideas. At that point, Sis had only been down about 45 minutes. They were not too concerned about the length of time, and together we decided to try to give her something besides ice to get a grip. My husband and I dumped shavings on the area in an attempt to put something under her that would not slip, but all to no avail. After leaving her to try on her own for about another 20 minutes we made a call to the vet. He was on another call at the time and would fit us in as soon as he could.

In the mean time, Sis had already started to work herself into a lather and was beginning to shiver. I decided to get a blanket to warm her. The problem was, by then she had become frantic and kept rolling herself over onto it. Out of sheer exhaustion, she finally resigned. We comforted her as we waited for the vet, not sure whether this would be the last day we would have our old friend with us.

At one point, as I stroked her head and neck, she rolled her eyes back into her head and her tongue fell out of her mouth. I thought, "We're losing her!" I called to my husband to get our daughter back out with Sis, so she could comfort her. I knew that if this was to be our final moments with Sis, Amy would want to be there, to say her goodbyes. Amy came out immediately, knelt on the icy ground and with tears streaming down her face, started talking to Sis. Sis responded with perked ears and the focus came back to her eyes. We spent the next hour or so crying, praying, and comforting our old friend before the vet arrived.

As the vet pulled into the field, I remarked that it didn't look good. He gave me his usual smile and said, "We're not going to make any negative prognosis till we see what we can do." By that time, Sis had been down over 2½ hours. The first thing he did was sedate her, so he could move her off the ice and begin working on her. We needed to use the tractor to move her to a clear spot in the field. (We had seen plenty of "Animal Rescue" shows, so we were somewhat prepared for what this meant.)

When we got her off the ice, we placed her on a canvas drop cloth to get her off the cold, wet ground. Dr. Andy wanted to warm her and get some fluids back in her before we attempted to get her up. He requested all the old towels and blankets we could muster to dry and warm Sis. I ran to get these and something to make a rudimentary IV pole. As I played the role of supply runner, the vet put my daughter immediately to work, scrubbing the IV site. My husband held Sis quiet, as Amy diligently washed and rinsed Sis's neck, repeating the process several times until the site was as clean as it could be. Dr. Andy then started the IV, pumped up with anesthetics. As the IV was flowing full-bore into Sis, Scott held her down to keep her calm.

When the IV was nearly empty, Dr. Andy started planning his next move. I don't know whether it was the fact that Sis was warmer or that she had just enough drugs in her to feel better, or maybe a combination of everything, but she seemed to decide that she had in fact had enough. In one swift move, she threw her head up, knocking my husband off balance and pulling the IV out, rolled herself over and bolted to her feet. She was up! We ran to get a halter on her and a line on her tail, so we could keep her up and stable. We walked her to a stall to keep a close eye on her. Before the next hour passed, she was drying and had stopped shaking. The 24 hours that followed were crucial, but she faired well and it looked like she would be fine.

In the initial days after that memorable Saturday, we had to help her up several times, but now almost a year later she is doing well. The LORD showed us how important she is to our ranch. This event brought a change in Sis, too. Prior to that Saturday she was getting persnickety and cranky. She no longer seemed to enjoy having her favorite spots rubbed and she would balk at giving me her feet so I could pick them out. But, since that day she has started following us in the field and seeks out our attention. She even lets me pick up her feet with no argument. It's as if she's saying, "I get you guys now, you really love me."

This event continually reminds me of our relationship with the LORD. How many times do we slip and fall and it seems absolutely impossible to get our feet on solid ground? He showed me so clearly how we struggle within our own might to get ourselves back up, but we are completely ineffective. Yet, when we reach the point where we stop resisting the help we need and give all control to the One who knows what He is doing, then we are able to stand on solid ground. God reassures us in His word and through that reassurance we also can say, "I get it LORD, you really love me!"

"In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation." I Peter 5:10

This story appeared in our newsletter.
Click here to read the Winter 2010 issue

03.19.09

This poem was written by a young person who discovered unconditional love among the horses at Bachelor Creek Ranch...

Come to us
If you are in pain,
If you are suffering,
And we will help you heal.

It doesn't matter to us
If you are not the smartest,
If you are not the best looking,
We will accept you.

If you have done something wrong
That you feel is unforgivable,
That you feel makes you an outcast,
We will love you.

Bring to us
Your hopes and dreams
That no one understands
And we will listen.

Talk to us
About your fears,
Your worst nightmares
And we will comfort you.

We will.

The horses of Bachelor Creek Ranch