Life, the Devil and Crashing Dreams - Part 2

Part 1

After Rich hung up, I didn't even know what to say. I was on the road taking Rachel to Angie's but my mind was lost in this latest situation with the Arabian horse, Scandalous Rhythm. Torn between worrying about Brittany and Rich and now what this might mean for my baby, I didn't really know what to think. I let Rachel know the details of the phone call hoping in the process I could sort something out.

There had been so much information and Rich was so scattered I was having trouble putting it all into perspective. There were so many questions and not nearly enough answers. I wanted to know but wanted to respect they had issues more important than me to deal with at the moment. Rich had said they would call back so I would wait for that call.

The day seemed to drag as I worried about all the possibilities. Rich had said the doctors believed that there was damage to the cartilage and probably the ACL tendon but to know for sure they would need an MRI. They also said the trip taking Brittany to Massachusetts might be dangerous and cause more damage.

Then there were the other bits of information that Rich had shared. Like they were going to take pictures of Brittany riding in the hunt saddle as well. Since the BNT had said the horse was a hunter not a western horse. That suggested they were looking to market him as such. I don't know if those pictures got taken or not.

The other piece of information had to do with me. At my suggestion Rich had sent the video taken at the BNT's in March on to another big name trainer for a second opinion. The trainer was one of those I had suggested in a frantic message pleading Rhythm's case. Rich was thinking there might even be a response waiting for him when he returned home.

The only thing I was worried about was that this new BNT might not take the time to respond. It was clear to me how important this was to Brittany and Rich. Their belief in the horse had been shaken. They needed something to hang onto and now more than ever. But getting one of the Big Boys to just step up and be helpful, how likely was that? I was thinking I might give this process a little nudge. I hoped because I had a friend who has horses in training with this particular, I might get her to plead Rich's case and at least get an truthful evaluation about this horse.

Later that day Brittany called me from Natasha's apartment after they had finished at the emergency room. Rich and Brittany would be spending the night there. Then in the morning they would go back to the farm, pick up the horse and then make their way home to Massachusetts.

Brittany explained to me pretty much the same that Rich had done. Except she had first ridden the horse in the arena since he hadn't been worked in a while (although Rich was still paying for training) and the horse had been naughty there. Despite that behavior the BNT had them go ahead outside to take pictures.

When Brittany shanked the horse as instructed by the assistant trainer, the horse spun (as only Rhythm can do in a move I have experienced more than once) around causing Brittany to fall to the ground. She landed on both feet with the reins still in her hands. The horse bolted. When he hit the end of those reins, the force caused Brittany's leg to snap like a twig.

I asked her if she was on drugs and she said "No......they'd given her pain killers." That answer told me a bit about the condition Brittany was in. The doctors had advised her to take more pills at the first sign of pain. Waiting until the pain was unbearable would make the painkillers ineffective.

I assured her that it was important to listen to these instructions. Having been there myself several years ago, I know about this kind of injury and the accompanying pain. We talked about her treatment, physical therapy and such.

Then she told me that it was an accident and it was no one's fault. She said it wasn't Rhythm's because he hadn't been worked and the "correction" was not right for him. She sure couldn't blame him for that. Then she began to tell me how it wasn't ANYONEs fault. I'm afraid I didn't agree with her. Wouldn't you know right when I began to give her my point of view on the subject, she got another call. She told me she would call me back but I never heard from her.

To be continued................

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