I am sure you remember Jimmy.

Well, trouble struck again in the Old Jimmy’s life

This trouble put him in retirement.

We were at a grand opening at a barrel race on Saturday, Jan. 17, It was our 3 day weekend and we were hoping to see the bull riding after the barrel race.

Jimmy ties if there is nothing to scare him. Jimmy is easily spooked due to his past. We did not know that the arena had water trucks and tractors going past the trailers.

We had tied him, so we could see the “Grand Entry.” When we came back he was at the trailer next to us and scared to death. I asked the lady, and she said a man found him wondering around and told us to hold him until they found his owner. I took him and loaded him in the trailer so he would be safe. Then the man who found him told us his side of the story.

“A water truck had gone by and he set back and then he flipped over and ran”

I got my parents and told them, and they came to take a look at him. When I unloaded him he didn’t want to step out of our trailer. When he did he didn’t move he looked like he was in soooooo much pain.

We know he was in pain so we gave him some bute. (pain killers) It was the weekend so no horse vets were open. All we could do was call. Here is what the vet said on Sunday Jan. 18 th one day later.

“If he has broken his withers he will be in pain so give him 2 tablets of bute. Also raise his food and water so he doesn’t have to bend down to drink or eat. We are closed but you will have to come tomorrow Monday Jan. 19 th.”

My owner Maddy was devastated and thought it was all her fault that Jimmy was in pain and injured.

On Monday we when to the vet I was worried sick and restless. I was already holding back tears when I came to see him but once I had heard the news nothing could stop me. I was crying and crying until I couldn’t cry anymore. The news was unbearable and I felt like the world had just collapsed on me and that it was my fault that Jimmy injured himself.

The vets diagnosis The news was that he had 3 broken wither bones and 4 fractured wither bones. Nothing was broken in his neck so he would be ridable again. But there were more bad news. His heart had a leaking valve at least one is bad and we think the other is also bad and it was so terrible that his heart could have stopped in the middle of a run and he would die in the run and possibly seriously injure me. If it had been just his withers it would have been fine but because of his heart he would be to dangerous to race and trail ride on. He can not be blanketed or ridden for a year. He had to be away from other horses for 2 weeks. If healing doesn’t go correctly it could bruise or blister or get an infection; at that point he will need surgery and we might have to put him down.

So when I say

I mean it I mean it Jimmy gave me his life, for me to protect. That is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. He is a very special horse that I will never forget.

Here is pictures of Jimmy’s LAST competitive barrel race. Photo Taken by: Action Plus

We came in 3 rd place in the youth 4D with a

Jimmy healed fast for an elderly horse. We didn’t know what we were going to do with him.

Jimmy wanted so bad to be ridden and we figured if he was going to die might as well let him die happy.

He is ridden at least once a week. He loves when I ride him, he tries to keep up with the youngsters but usually fail. I have to make sure he does stress his heart.

This slide show is copyrighted Made by Madison Hunt- owner of: Jimmy’s StoryRetirement