Very Sad Story

I have been a member of Dave's for years but have never posted on this forum, although I read it often because my daughter has horses. Today my daughter got this email from the husband of a lady that is a member of a couple of riding groups that my daughter belongs to. I am posting this as a reminder to all that no matter what your relationship is with your horse that unfortunate things can happen. I know that all of you are very knowledgeable but so was Stephanie and somehow something went wrong and she was caught off guard.

Here is a copy of the email. I don't think he would mind me posting this because it does not reveal who they are or where they live.


I wanted to write to let you and the group know that Stephanie was killed in a freak accident Saturday night. As hard as this is to write this, I felt that I needed to send this email. As most of the women on her different riding groups know her, they knew her love for her trained filly Spirit. Spirit came to us as a wild and kaotic 5 ½ month old filly. We bought her exclusively from the King Ranch in South Texas. Having never had human interaction, Spirit was full of her name. Within the first 2 months of figuring out we couldn’t handle her on our own, we decided to send her to a trainer in north Texas. The trainer worked miracles on spirit. When she came home after a month of training, she was a different horse. We continued her training with CA methods of Natural Horsemanship that the trainer inscribed in her. We worked her 5-7 days a week (rain or shine). Not hard, but to keep her soft and respectful. Over the next 8 or 9 months, the filly was turning out to be exactly what we wanted. She is so nice, so sweet. Stephanie and Spirit went through many desensetation clinics. They were a true team. At 2, spirit was sent back to the same trainer that gave her first lesson in respect. He could not believe that this was the same Spirit. We assured him that we have worked this little girl for a long time and we knew our work had paid off. We had her knees x’rayed just to make sure she was ready for training, and she was. She spent 2 mos at the trainer and he started her on cows and he told us that Spirit was a true inspiration to ride and handle, and he commended us on her continous work. Spirit came home this past February from the trainer and we couldn’t have been more pleased. She eagerly got back in her routine, would call for us to come see her and spend time with her. Stephanie and Spirit began there true call of riding and those two were endless at riding. Both of them enjoyed it. She had gone on a total of 6 trail rides over the last month and a half, and even rode at brazosbend state park a week ago Sunday. On Saturday the weather was finally calming down, from the rains that we have had up here in Liberty, and we decided to go put the horses up and feed. Spirit and Sampson were waiting at there gates to come in and Stewart and SmartyJo at the other gate. Our horses are rotated every month so they don’t become buddy sour or barn sour. All the horses were ready to be in there dry stall and get there dinner. I was in the barn had just mixed the feed when I heard the house phone ring. I went to answer it and left Stephanie to drop the feed. My mother was on the phone and I didn’t talk to her 20 minutes when I noticed out the window that I have not seen my wife come back. I told my mom I would call her back. when I went into the barn to notice all the horses eating and then noticed Spirits gate partially opened with my wife laying face down. I said Stephanie what are you doing, trying to get Spirit to lay her head in your lap (like the old times). I then realized something was quite wrong, when I went into Spirits stall, I then realized my wife was unconscious. I rolled her over, and she had definitely been kicked in the head. I called 911, but when they got there they told me they have no heartbeat. My heart is broken, I know my wifes love for her horses, and Spirit is still just spirit. It’s been two days and Spirit won’t leave her stall, and hasn’t eaten. Whatever happened I will never know why? But because of Stephanie’s love for her little filly, I will never hurt or sell her. I can’t hate an animal that was once wild and then trained to trust us. I know from now on though, that all horses, even the ones that are worked daily, can strike. I wanted to send this out as a reminder too that never whole heartedly trust a horse. I can’t write no more, I may write more later. I felt I needed to send this to everyone who knew Stephanie and Spirit!

Please be aware at all times no matter how close or safe you feel with your horse.