- by owner, Dani Hughes
- I purchased Alert in April 2003 as his previous owner, Lisa was
having a family and she felt he was going to waste in the paddock. I
had known Lisa and Alert for quite a few years and we'd been on many a
trail ride together and occasional competition in the same company
sharing a float. I'd never owned an Arabian before but had ridden a
couple over the years. I admired and loved Alert so when Lisa announced
her news it didn't take me long to make an offer. My steed had been
diagnosed with arthritis at 16 years old and I was in the market for
another honest mount. Lisa accepted and was rather happy as she knew
Alert was going to a good home.
My partner Ian and I purchased 60 acres in Little River and we were to
move there after we'd done some fencing for our horses. We moved in
April 2003 and in this time Alert and I had gone to our Adult Riding
Club each month, we were learning the art of dressage and having
fortnightly lessons with some excellent instructors and also learning a
bit about showjumping, not to mention some trails up at the You Yangs
with friends. You know, all that getting to know each other stuff!
At the start of spring, September 2003, on the very day I looked at
Alert and I thought how magnificent he seemed, glowing inside and out,
not even 30 minutes later I witnessed the most heart wrenching thing I'd
seen. My beautiful boy Alert, whom was always quite sensible in the
paddock, galloped straight into a fencing stay, tried to jump it at the
last minute and toppled over it landing on his shoulder. He could not
get up. We called the Vet who drugged him up and we got him on his
feet. The next 24 hours was the crucial time. Alert could not walk, he
could hardly stand teetering on his feet. He'd sustained a fracture to
his shoulder and quite substantial nerve damage. His limbs could not
receive the messages from his brain to move where he wanted. I had to
nurse him and walk him daily for along time. The Vet believed that he
was lucky to live. Each week turned into a different negative or
positive, like that six month mark when he had his first trot in front
of I and Kay Dunn. That was an amazing day!! The most negative days
were when he used to lie down on his side all day only getting up to
have a drink, not interested in food, just wanted to lie down as he was
in pain. I discovered homeopathic pain relief for these days which
really helped. I have had many people from bowen therapists,
acupuncturists, massage, herbalists, chiropractors and various others at
different stages of Alerts recovery process. I had professionals make
promises of attending and have been let down a lot by them not turning
up, you name it we've probably been there, Alert and I. I've been told
that he has healed but he's not quite convinced yet due to the horrific
internal injuries and with Alert not being able to move properly it has
left a legacy of incorrect movement, a bit of a lazy side if you like
which only happens intermittently.
The good news is, I stepped aboard this February 2005 for the first time
and we have been able to do some rehabilitation work on the ground and
in the saddle. Alert is turned out during this winter to further
recover and the next phase will resume in spring. We'll see what
happens but I am still positive.
You know, the thing I think of most is the mental picture I get of Alert
before his accident. He used to trot over to me in the paddock whenever
he saw me and if I had the halter he would push his nose into it, toss
his head and begin to jog on the spot as if to say, come on what are we
doing today? If I could ask for anything at all, just to have that back
regardless of whether we were going for a walk on the lead or to go for
a ride with me aboard, that would make me very happy indeed.
