I have ridden that a couple times- about 20 years ago or so. I didn’t have problems- but I went by myself and pretty much stayed to myself the whole time. The worst ones I’ve gone were the ones that combined some of the local clubs- Circle T (specifically a group that called themselves the Yahoos- should’ve been a dead give away right?), Tri-State, Valley Lea and some other one I’ve forgotten the name of. My friend and I made a pact- if either one of us is like “oh I’d like to do such and such a ride with whatever club” the one of us has to immediately bring up the horror stories lol.
I’ll be there in October. Feel free to come find me! I’m confident you’ll have a better experience than your last time!
We are headed to Bear Creek in Kentucky next month. There ARE nice riding folks around, just less of them than you wish there were.
We are also going to see the cutting horses at Roane State tomorrow -
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I noticed you mentioned “medical training.” Then you mentioned an EMT course-- and I wanted to suggest looking into a Wilderness First Responder course instead, or Wilderness EMT. I was told basic EMT trainings really focus on the tools you have in your kit/the ambulance, which you will NOT have on the trail. You might not retain everything from your WilFir class-- I certainly didn’t-- but I retained certain skills that I rehearse regularly, because of the likelihood they will happen on the trail. The most important skill I believe I learned was how to “clear” a spine in the backcountry, when it’s simply not feasible to carry someone or airlift them out. Obviously, this skill must be used with caution, only under certain circumstances when you weigh the risks, and there are so many variables, etc. But it’s one I rehearse regularly, because it can be really difficult to tell the difference between broken ribs (a mobile patient) and a spine fracture (an immobile patient), and in the deep backcountry, getting them out tonight and getting them out tomorrow might be the difference between life and death, due to extreme weather/wildlife.
I think you did awesome, considering the circumstances, and you sound like you calculated the risk, based on your existing knowledge, and made a decision that seemed best under the circumstances.
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The one thing I’ll add, re emergency vehicle access and locked gaits, any fire truck/first responder around here will have keys to fire department lock, and barring a fire lock on the gate, will have bolt cutters. If you are the sort of person that shows up when there are emergencies, and I am one, have a pair of bolt cutters under the seat of your truck. Takes the locked gate problem right out of the equation 
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Didn’t finish reading all the responses, but I think you did a really standup job in a really stressful situation. Great job, OP! In hindsight, moving someone with multiple cracked ribs is not ideal, and I probably would have chosen to make her comfortable there and ride out quickly for help. However, I don’t think you were wrong in your decision. It was a judgement call, and you thought through it well. That’s the best you can do.
Do take a Wilderness First Aid course. It’s less about “this is right way to do things” and more about how to do an assessment and help with the decision making process. They also make quick resource books that could easily fit in a pack. Or they have stickers with the basic assessment on it to put on your water bottle, etc. and have easily accessible.
I’m glad your friend will be ok. And I’m glad you were there to help her.
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Thank you all so much for all your opinions, recommendations, advice and most of all, encouragement. This is exactly what I needed. On this long rainy weekend I’ve had time to discuss this with my DD and her best friend from her Rodeo days, and one of the two riding buddies.
I have never even heard of a Wilderness First Aid Course, thank you so much to the multiple people who mentioned this. It looks like I can take one online, or go to VA to do one more hands on. I will probably do online first, then try to make one in person.
Quelah That is a good point about the Emergency Responders. There are thousands of acres of State Forests, Parks and Gamelands in this area, and I am sure they know just how to deal with things like this. I will contact my local FD to see if they have any insights to share with me.
We do have ID bands of the horses legs so if they get loose they can be ID’d IF anyone finds them. The chances are they will get caught up in something, making it difficult to be found, but we do what we can there too.
M has been talking with friends who ride, and every single one of them has advised her to get a different horse. (We have many mutual friends, and all have called me for updates, and mention that conversation with her). I hope she takes that advice. She is an intelligent woman, but we all know how sometimes the heart can rule the head.
I feel sick thinking how badly it could have turned out. Luck was on our side that day, and she will mend fine. She is already toddling out to the barn, and feels better for it.
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I think you handled it very well. I do all of my conditioning rides at our local regional parks so I make sure I let someone know where I’m going, especially if it’s a trail that isn’t highly used. I’ll either let me parents know or my barn owner know which park and what trails I plan on doing and give them a ETA of when I’ll be back. Out here in the southwest, most equestrians use designated trails within our park systems but I know back east it’s a little bit different as there is so much more land right off properties to use. If I were in a situation like that I’d definitely use the “Share my Location” feature on my iPhone to let someone know. Even if you lose cell service it will show the last location I was at.
If I am going to a bigger park where I plan on doing an all day outing, I will write my information on a piece of paper and put it on the dashboard of my truck and to report to someone if I am not back by a certain time.
I think it’s really about planning what to do in an emergency before it happens. Always make sure you know what trail you are on. I did a hiking program for my 4th and 5th grade students where they had to call out where they were at every time they passed a trail marker.
Once on an Endurance ride, we were about 10 miles into a ride there were three of us trotting along. There was a cattle guard on the track that came up out of nowhere (had bushes on it), ribbons weren’t properly placed. My horse slammed on the brakes, her horse ran into mine, and the horse behind us crushed her ankle and broke it. She had to ride 5 more miles in agony unit the vet hold and then she had to sit there and wait until the end of the day to get taken to the hospital. Equestrians definitely have to have a lot of grit, it’s so nice that football players can get on a backboard and carried away while we tough it out lol.
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