Steady Smiler it is and I think he just didn't want me to feel alone in my pain.

If it is not something it is another or then again in my case BOTH!  So I finally let the cat out of the bag that I broke my ribs.  Well I am thinking Steady must have felt sorry for me and figured he may as well injure himself to keep me company.  Or something like that.  I trailered to a lesson today with the Pony Club DC.  It was great!  He loaded great, he was his amazing self in our lesson.  I got some really good, solid points to work on and then he loaded into the trailer like a saint for the trip home (NEVER happens)  all was right and perfect in my world.  It started to go wrong when once in the trailer he peed, weird for him to pee anywhere but the pasture or stall so he must have really had to go.  Then as soon as I hoped into my truck to pull off I hear, see and feel the trailer banging and thrashing.  I quickly pulled away and it stopped soon after.  I am sure it only lasted about 5 seconds but it feels like eternity when your heart is in your throat wondering what damage he is doing to himself and WHY?!

We drove the 10 miles home uneventfully.  I unloaded him and started to check him over.  The first thing I noticed was the peice of U shaped hide missing on his hindend.  Checked his legs, PHEW good there but I did notice both of his fetlocks were wet (remember the trailer was wet with pee).  I felt relieved that the worst he lost was a patch of fur.  I then look at his face and see blood :( of course I did.  He had 1/2 inch wide and 1/2 inch deep puncture wound just above his cheek bone with another patch of hide missing next to it...sigh...  Well I guess it could be way worse but still I hate seeing stuff like this happen.  Especially since he already hates that trailer and he had loaded so nicely.  We will see if it negatively effects loading next time.

Update: Today I found under his over grown tail about an 8 in long scrape down is arse, ugh, oh Steady why must you torcher me so???  It is just hair scraped off but still.  I will spare you the picture since the only way to get a photo of it is to have a close up of his anus which I am sure no one wants to see over their morning coffee.

Update: After letting it sit over night I did not like the way it was healing.  So I washed and scraped off the dried blood and put a bandage over it.  I will look at it today and see how it did.  I am debating whether or not stitches are neccessary.  Unfortunately by the looks of it yesterday it is a strong possibility.  Worst part is I don't want to load him in the trailer to take him to the vet.  That damn trailer gives me anxiety fits.
My assessment of how it happened is that the ding dong slipped slightly with his right hind on his own pee then in Steady fashion got in his claustraphobia panic mode and wrestled himself a bit in the trailer to get his feet back.

Best comment of the day from a lady that in our 4-H club, "well at least he is not really a show horse anymore so it doesn't really matter if he gets scars".  HUH????  I don't even understand that statement on so many levels. 

I feel like my posts lately have been total downers and I do appologize for that but that is reality and that is horses.  Not all is bad so continue reading about my awesome lesson.  I have a positive post in the works I promise.
Ok back to my lesson real quick so we can focus on the good stuff and end on a good note.  Instructor took some time getting me to really use my body for downward transitions instead of my old 'go to' my hands.  Steady and I both really had a light bulb moment and we were getting it and have lots to work on with it too.  Then she helped me figure out my aides a bit better.  She was very discriptive on what exact part of my body I should be using at each moment.  It was very clear that she is very good at dressage up to very high levels and that she knew how to communicate how to do it.  And when I did what she said Steady was quick to respond.  She quickly picked up on my issue with hanging on the inside rein but I must say I am light years beyond where I used to be with it.  Now it is just something that pops up here and there.  She helped me get a feel of when to use a half halt and when to leave him be.  All super things that we really need work on.  We as in me!  I am pretty excited to have a good trainer within 10 minutes of my house!