It was a beautiful spring day in east Tennessee so Mikki and I decided to do our chores early while the sun was up and the air was warm. Our horses heard us up at the barn and decided to see if we were offering treats. After forking manure, I headed outside the gate to great our horses and offer up a small treat. Moonshine is a sweety and enjoys a good rub and hug. She’s also bossy. Valentine was standing nearby as I was rubbing Moonshine’s back. And in the blink of an eye, Valentine bolted as Moonshine nipped at him, turned her back and went to kick him. Where was I, you ask? At this point RIGHT BEHIND HER! Fortunately, I had quickly jumped back and was only hit on my hand. I had a leather glove on and it startled me more than it hurt but the thought of what could have happened made me thankful I received only a tap on the hand. I’ve seen what a horse kick can do and know how powerful these beasts can be. When Moonshine’s hoof hit my hand, it was in the air right in front of my heart. I’m not trying to be overly dramatic but I could have easily broken a few ribs.

Moral of the story? Well, I’m not sure. I guess it’s to always pay attention, especially when there are two horses near each other. At the time my position didn’t seem particularly vulnerable but with an almost 10:1 weight ratio, standing anywhere near a horse can be dangerous.