Things Not to Do Around Half Blind Horses, a Cautionary Tale

You would think, after literally spending my whole life around horses, that I would know better. Here's what happened:

I was turning everyone out after breakfast yesterday, and we have a particular order that we go in. Starting with Sparky in the big stall at the west end, I let Tassel and Callie out, then shift to the east end and let Emmy, Hope, Heather and Alex out. Gem and Jul get more to eat, so they get to stay in their stalls until they're finished, and Fiesta stays in too, as he likes to try and get into their feed pans (the stall fronts that I have are easy for a determined pony-sized hinny to get his head through).

Callie had stopped to eat some hay that got pushed out of Gem's stall. I didn't think much of it, just let her eat while I turned everyone out. Tassel decided to come back in as I was walking away (I had the gate open).

This is where I did something completely stupid.

I approached Callie's hip. On her blind side. Without saying anything or patting her rump.

As I tried to walk behind her, she thought I was Tassel and kicked me three times in the thigh. I've never been kicked so hard before, and I can't even blame her as she thought I was someone else.

After sitting for a bit to get the wobbly feeling to subside, I moved to Callie's good side and got her and Tassel out, then let Gem, Jul and Fiesta out, fed hay to Never and Rho and go to the house to check out the damage. Lots of heat and swelling, of course, in a space larger than my hand. I sprayed Arnica on it throughout the day, and by evening it hurt a lot less and the swelling was down.

This morning my leg is stiff, but the swelling is way down and the heat is almost normal. Now is when the colors will come out. I'll probably post a picture to document my moment of stupidity, and to remind me never to be so distracted around horses.