http://forums.barrelhorseworld.com/forum/profile/get-photo.asp?memberid=17036&type=profile&rnd=220
In very poor taste to post photo of the dead horse! I’m sure his owners will have the images of that disaster in their minds forever, and don’t need that photo out there forever!
My prayers to the victims.
Texting is the new Drunk Driving–all the asshats who do it “think they can handle it.” Think they’re special.
I have personally yanked a StupidPhone out of the hands of a good friend who tried to answer a text while driving her horse trailer, with both her and her daughter’s horses in the back, not to mention her daughter and me, in the center lane of I-91 at 60 mph. in heavy traffic.
What I said was unprintable and I’m sure her DD taught it to all the kids at boarding school. I’m sure glad I never put one of my horses in her trailer even for 5 minutes. :eek:
There IS no excuse!
How very tragic; my thoughts and prayers are with those that were hit, their family and friends, and the barrel racing community.
[QUOTE=Sobriska;7608961]
In very poor taste to post photo of the dead horse! [/QUOTE]
Actually, photos like that are invaluable to those who do technical large animal rescue. To have photos that demonstrate how a trailer comes apart (where the stress points are, and where it will give under pressure) is essential for first responders to know going into a scene. Every trailer (much like cars) is different, but the more photos and documentation of trailer accidents there are, the better chance that fire departments and specialty rescue teams across the country will be able to save the horses involved in these wrecks.
For example, in this wreck, a properly trained team would have either cut the trailer and extricated the injured horse through that opening, instead of (according to one account) making him walk over the deceased horse, or removed the deceased horse with a backwards drag and cut the debris so the injured horse could have exited through the existing opening.
On Facebook, the original poster of the photos tagged the driver in his comments. Therefore, I am assuming that he had her knowledge/permission to post the photos. It is incredibly brave to share that tragedy with others, knowing that you could be judged harshly for it.
Friends of mine swerved to avoid a shopping cart purposefully left in the middle of a darkened road, causing the 3 horse trailer to tip over on its side. The last horse loaded didn’t have a scratch on him; the middle horse was touch and go at the scene but made a full recovery. The first horse somehow got his hoof out the window when the trailer tipped, which was removed during the wreck, and he had to be euthanized at the scene.
The owners, drivers and everyone in the caravan was consulted, along with assorted insurance carriers, and the photos were burned to a CD and released (along with a narrative of the accident) to the founder of Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue (www.TLAER.org), with permission to use them in her presentations*.
To allow good (education of responders to minimize or prevent future tragedies) to come from such a terrible situation is brave, graceful and honorable.
*I haven’t seen them in the presentations I’ve attended or watched recordings of yet, but I know it will be a sucker punch when I do.
I was nearly sideswiped on the interstate several years ago by a woman who was texting while hauling her trailer. She was swerving all over the road as she looked up and down between the road and her phone. I think the only reason she hadn’t caused a collision was that it was around 6am and traffic was still sparse. Fortunately I wasn’t pulling a trailer, but I couldn’t believe how stupid she was.
Yes, I had this with a previous trainer. She had me and her daughter in the truck, and 5 horses on the trailer, on the interstate. She laughed at me when I told her what a bad idea I thought it was.
I didn’t much trust her judgement after that.
2 horsey girls :
I am a retired firefighter, who has written articles and taught classes on large animal rescue.
On more than a few occasions, I have been involved in serious accidents involving extrication of horses.
I have had my arm up past my elbow into the chest of a mare impaled by debris in an accident. (Yes, she survived)
Yes, there are photos, even tho it was before the time when EVERYONE had a camera phone.
And I maintain that the photo I commented on is in extremely poor taste.
That photo serves ZERO educational purposes!
If you had been there, done that, I think you would agree that having photos and video of accident scenes can be educational, but showing that poor horse serves no purpose, and is simply a disturbing/horrific photo that will forever be out there for his poor owners. Much like accident scene photos showing deceased people covered with a tarp. Done for dramatic effect, not for any other purpose.
[QUOTE=Sobriska;7610758]
2 horsey girls :
I am a retired firefighter, who has written articles and taught classes on large animal rescue.
On more than a few occasions, I have been involved in serious accidents involving extrication of horses.
I have had my arm up past my elbow into the chest of a mare impaled by debris in an accident. (Yes, she survived)
Yes, there are photos, even tho it was before the time when EVERYONE had a camera phone.
And I maintain that the photo I commented on is in extremely poor taste.
That photo serves ZERO educational purposes!
If you had been there, done that, I think you would agree that having photos and video of accident scenes can be educational, but showing that poor horse serves no purpose, and is simply a disturbing/horrific photo that will forever be out there for his poor owners. Much like accident scene photos showing deceased people covered with a tarp. Done for dramatic effect, not for any other purpose.[/QUOTE]
In poor taste maybe but it does have shock value and maybe someone who sees the results of texting and driving will think twice before they do it themselves. Kind of like putting pictures of diseased organs on cigarette packs.
What PRS said.
No, a dead horse isn’t a pretty sight. In this case the horse is a symbol of he selfishness and negligence of drivers today; it is an ugly thing. If you drive carefully and respect those around you, priority going to those towing rigs of any sort (who will have a much tougher time avoiding your stupid little car that can zip in and out of traffic and stop on a dime), you likely won’t have to see a sight so unpleasant.
Inconsiderate driving is one of the ugliest things out there today. Let people see just how gruesome it really is.
It’s so sad. I am so sorry for the loss of the horse 
Honestly, it’s just not people texting. I was driving home from a trail ride on Sunday and I lost count of the times people almost caused an accident. We ended up in the lane with the merging traffic at one point and I had a lady who was on the on ramp of the highway and didn’t yield and kept coming over, nearly side swipe my truck. I had been watching her and was slowing down but I had no where to go and yet she could have hit her brakes but chose not to.
I seriously hate hauling because of the idiots out on the road.
My sincere apologies to anyone who was offended by my statement.
An update (June 8) from a barrel racing forum regarding everyone’s condition after the accident:
My friend is doing well and just has a huge bruise on her arm. Her daughter got out of the hospital a day or two after the accident but ended up going right back in for a shoulder dislocation. The horse that was injured is stitched up and is getting hydrotherapy and lots of rest. He is doing well for how many stitches he has along his shoulder. The daughter is doing well after being in the hospital and is just taking it easy for a while.
Glad everyone appears to be recovering well!
[QUOTE=Brooke;7608916]
My son’s GF said that the guy feels horrible about it all, and has taken full responsibility, [/QUOTE]
That’s mighty big of him.
Does the driver who hit this trailer face any charges?
[QUOTE=SillyHorse;7629035]
That’s mighty big of him.[/QUOTE]
I am not sure I get this comment.
Yes, this guy messed up and is wrong. He is admitting that and apologizing. He can not bring the horse back and he can not make it un-happen. Why is taking responsibility getting him a dig?
[QUOTE=trubandloki;7629120]
I am not sure I get this comment.
Yes, this guy messed up and is wrong. He is admitting that and apologizing. He can not bring the horse back and he can not make it un-happen. Why is taking responsibility getting him a dig?[/QUOTE]
Not my dig but I would guess it’s cause any 8 year old can tell you that texting while driving is A) illegal in most places and B)not smart and C) likely to get someone hurt… such that post incident responsibility taking doesn’t bring back the horse or make the accident un-happen… you know, like had he not been texting and driving to begin with.
Being responsible and not texting while driving trumps taking responsibility for the accident caused by texting while driving.
Of course, what he did was wrong and it caused a whole crap ton of issues.
That can not be undone.
What is he supposed to do now? Is apologizing and admitting he was wrong somehow bad that deserves ridicule? It is over.
Hate he was stupid and his stupidity lead to this horrible accident. Why dig him for admitting it?
Would you rather he did nothing?
I didn’t read the ‘dig’ as ridicule, just an acknowledgment that OF COURSE he feels bad now. When the merde hits the fan we all feel awful, whether what we did and the horrible outcome was predictable or not.
If there had been no accident, would he still be texting and driving?
We’ll never know.
It’s a terrible price to pay to have proof that the dangers of this practice are in fact real… that texting and driving is dangerous.
Alas the ones paying dearest are the ones who were not texting.
