Veterinarians in Lexington

[Shammy Davis]

prfsue wrote:

But Shammy...the Vet volunteered to lend a hand, which means he was probably already there for an unrelated matter.

Ok! You are not helping. I was sniping at Barcaldine. Satisfied! So, the vet volunteered. That's a minor issue. Goody for Barky. You and Mood Swings have weeded me out. So there. Bet both of you are happy now!

I was enjoying this thread so much and now you've ruined it for me. Now I've got nothing to do and the "Inbreeding and Unsoundness" thread is not fun anymore. BenB, Bast, Parlo, El Prado, DDT, Sailor Kenshin, etc have taken over and I can't get any attention. Now, I'll have to go back outside and find something constructive to do. Maybe I'll stay indoors today and clean out the toilets. I know something about that.

In my defense, if you think about it, between snipes I did provide some good advice for horsemen working alone with horses. Always wear protective clothing and keep the cellphone speed dial on 911. So! My post wasn't a complete waste of time. And just so you know, I'd have left the unruly colt out until the Vet left. A bucket of pellets is great motivator to get young horses to move. Besides, Vet gossip can be malicious. Can you imagine the field day they would have with a "nasty chap" like me who couldn't handle an unruly colt?

[pfrsue]

...In my defense, if you think about it, between snipes I did provide some good advice for horsemen working alone with horses. Always wear protective clothing and keep the cellphone speed dial on 911. So! My post wasn't a complete waste of time. And just so you know, I'd have left the unruly colt out until the Vet left. A bucket of pellets is great motivator to get young horses to move...

All very good points indeed! I've handled young stock, and I spent some time as a 911 operator, so I especially applaud the cell phone idea! Things can happen so quickly, and the ability to call for help can save your life.

In the event that you're alone, down and hurt, but can't speak, I recommend leaving the line open once you've connected with the 911 operator. Groan if you can, because the operator will be listening to try and figure out if it's an accidental "pocket dial," a kid messing around, or someone in real distress.

Also, the first technical information the operator gets (in my experience) will be the location of the cell phone tower your signal is bouncing from. That can be an area of a mile or more. Sometimes that's the best they'll get, but often the operator can 'rebid' the call multiple times as long as the line is open and get a more accurate location, which will help rescue personnel find you more quickly. (Rebidding also tells the operator if you're in a moving vehicle or not, since the towers will change.)

Lastly, If you think that your cell phone company will run a quick trace and get help on the way lickety-split, that isn't how it works. It takes precious time, paperwork, and often a warrant to convince a cell phone company to cooperate in tracing a specific phone.

So help yourself by keeping the line open and trying to give whatever clues you can to the person on the other end of the line.

(Just my two cents.)

[Bast]

...In my defense, if you think about it, between snipes I did provide some good advice for horsemen working alone with horses. Always wear protective clothing and keep the cellphone speed dial on 911. So! My post wasn't a complete waste of time. And just so you know, I'd have left the unruly colt out until the Vet left. A bucket of pellets is great motivator to get young horses to move...

All very good points indeed! I've handled young stock, and I spent some time as a 911 operator, so I especially applaud the cell phone idea! Things can happen so quickly, and the ability to call for help can save your life.

In the event that you're alone, down and hurt, but can't speak, I recommend leaving the line open once you've connected with the 911 operator. Groan if you can, because the operator will be listening to try and figure out if it's an accidental "pocket dial," a kid messing around, or someone in real distress.

Also, the first technical information the operator gets (in my experience) will be the location of the cell phone tower your signal is bouncing from. That can be an area of a mile or more. Sometimes that's the best they'll get, but often the operator can 'rebid' the call multiple times as long as the line is open and get a more accurate location, which will help rescue personnel find you more quickly. (Rebidding also tells the operator if you're in a moving vehicle or not, since the towers will change.)

Lastly, If you think that your cell phone company will run a quick trace and get help on the way lickety-split, that isn't how it works. It takes precious time, paperwork, and often a warrant to convince a cell phone company to cooperate in tracing a specific phone.

So help yourself by keeping the line open and trying to give whatever clues you can to the person on the other end of the line.

(Just my two cents.)

Interesting and useful information for anyone who might ever dial 911 from a cell phone. Who knew a warrant might be required?

I have kept my land line for 911 and power failure reasons. In 2008, the remnants of Hurricane Ike blasted through Ohio, and I was without household power for days, but the land line kept working.

[pfrsue]

Interesting and useful information for anyone who might ever dial 911 from a cell phone. Who knew a warrant might be required?

Don't get me wrong, cell phone companies will cooperate with law enforcement, but they're justifiably leery about giving out coordinates without having all the legal ducks in a row. It's not just a matter of customer privacy, it's also a safety and liability issue. Bob the Stalker calling them and pretending to be Officer Bob, for instance.

Traces through the company are usually only done if there's probable cause to believe that someone is in real imminent danger. (Such as a suicidal person, or a missing child.)

[Tappiano]

Do not be so sure that if you call 911 from a cell phone that they will find you quickly. I can tell you with 100% certainty that despite my living in the most densely populated state in the US that it can still take upwards of close to an hour to be located.

One thing you CAN do to help things is to make sure your phone has your home address as the "default" so if you call them in an emergency they will be able to check there first. When I called TM they told me they had no default for my number.

[Diane]

Barcaldine it appears this thread has been hijacked. If you have further compliments to pay your vet as the season wears on I'd advise starting a new thread.

[pfrsue]

Do not be so sure that if you call 911 from a cell phone that they will find you quickly. I can tell you with 100% certainty that despite my living in the most densely populated state in the US that it can still take upwards of close to an hour to be located.

That was my original point. Keeping an open line can help, but the worst case scenario (which does happen) is still that it will only indicate the cell phone tower's address, not the phone's current location.

And sorry for the hijack, but it's a dangerous industry, as Barc illustrated with his story of the colt.

[Jessi P]

Wasn't it trainer Donny Rice who was kicked in the head and killed while turning horses out first thing in the morning 4-5 years ago? Obviously in his case he wasn't able to dial 911, but had the injury been less severe this would have been a good scenario for having 911 on speed dial. Or for wearing a protective helmet, as he died of a severe head injury.

[Shammy Davis]

You know a lot of injuries around horses occur because of inattentiveness. The other problem is overconfidence on the part of the handler.

Horsemanship 101 training (handling horses) is the key to safety. Knowing what is going on with the horse and where you are in relationship to it is vital. Lose track of those two things when handling a horse and it is a recipe for disaster. You can wear all the safety gear you want, but if a 1000 pounds of horse decides to move in your direction or throw a solid kick, there is little a helmet, vest, or protective shoe (dually halter or lip chain) is going to do to protect you from serious injury if you are standing in the wrong place.

I'm normally alone with our horses now and with old age I'm even more alert and attentive particularly in paddocks with multiple horses. When I was working I was often alone with horses that I was unfamiliar with, but not always. I always wear protective boots, but I don't wear a vest or helmet. So I guess I shouldn't be preaching. The vest I have is really not practical for ground work. I think the jockey vest would work great and be more comfortable for ground work like farriery or grooming. My youngest daughter has one, but I've been too cheap to get one. Helmets are awkward when dealing with hooves. I do have a cellphone set with 911 speed dial. I still ride some and, of course, I wear all the protective gear and carry a cell and before we had cell we'd carry mobile radios.

The issue of the unruly horse is worth discussing because each event has a different set of circumstances. If I were alone and a horse was really giving me difficulty, I give it a break (if possible) and return later. I've learned that sometimes there are distractions that can cause the horse to act out. Removing other horses from the area is a good idea. Horses emotionally feed of each other even across fencelines and stall doors so a solitary horse I've found is more likely to be receptive to handling.

The comments concerning 911 are interesting. We've got a problem with 911 because we live in a very rural area where four county lines meet. When I dial 911, I normally get another county's E-911. Fortunately, once your location is identified by the dispatcher, you are switched to the correct county. Haven't tried this unconscious though. I need to think about this.

I don't think we've hijacked this thread. It has just taken another positive direction.

[Tappiano]

Shammy, call your cell provider to give them your default location so if you do have to call 911 they should be able to route the call properly.

I would never let my guard down around horses, even on the outside of a fence or a stall door. I learned as a small child how to tell which horses I could pet and which one's I couldn't and that's what I use if there's one I want to give a quick pat to (I had a need to give Artie a quick pat to thank him for impregnating my mare in one shot), but I'd never stand there and just dote all over them.

[Shammy Davis]

Great advice. I'm going to call them tommorrow. Thank you.

[Barcaldine]

Afraid I have to rescind much of what I thought was truth about Lexington Equine and Dr. Joe Lyman.

As it turns out there's a good reason why their prices are cut-rate.

Without going into details I can only report that, in addition to their being textbook "Prima Donnas," I have concluded that they are, in a word, unprofessional.

So, I will keep looking for reliable, mature and expert vets in the Lexington area.

Any ideas?

[Barcaldine]

After my poor results with Lexington Equine it took me several other experiments before I found my answer. And it was worth the wait.

Dr. Hernando Plata of Woodford Equine is a marvel. Not only is he the nicest guy--egoless, funny, happy and attentive--his record with my band of 22 mares this year is almost flawless. Dr. Plata has been practicing reproduction medicine for many years and this experience trumps all others I've used in Kentucky. And, as an ex-California breeder, I can say that he is in a completely different stratosphere than even the best vets there.

As a small breeder I am always concerned with controlling vet bills, and Dr. Plata is sensitive to my needs. Unlike Lex Equine, which bills for every minor shot or exam, Dr. Plata minimizes these charges without compromising care. He constantly suggests ways to cut costs, which i greatly appreciate. And my horses have never been healthier, or breeding any better.

I strongly recommend Dr. Plata to my fellow Lexington breeders. He's extremely competent and a delight to work with. No question is too unimportant for him, either.

His cell is 859-509-2211. What a difference a professional makes!