Last = Hunt

We had = Arabian Horses in=20 Minnesota since 1965, when our half-Arabian gelding out of = National=20 Champion Raffon chased sheep around my wife=92s girlhood = farm. We=20 raised and showed a variety of Arabians over the years, but = when we=20 moved to Arizona in 1990 we were down to two purebred = geldings who=20 made the trip in a late fall dash for Arizona to beat the = fast=20 approaching Minnesota winter. We raised both of their dams = and grand=20 dams. They were both quite beautiful sorrels, but their = habits and=20 personalities were quite different. Phar Fire was two years = older=20 than Amadeus. I rode Phar Fire and my wife rode Amadeus. = Phar Fire=20 went anywhere with class, was skittish almost anywhere and = in a=20 panic, Phar Fire loved walking through pools of water, = Amadeus could=20 hardly bring himself to drink it. Phar Fire collected white = plastic=20 bags on barbed wire, while Amadeus sprouted wings a = half-mile away=20 from a waving sheet of paper.

After some exciting = tries, we=20 finally got Phar Fire and Amadeus to pack into Colorado and = Arizona=20 wilderness areas and I could always count on them to keep me = safe=20 and get me through any tough terrain with flying colors. The = photo=20 below was taken as we came out of the Davenport Wash trail = from Club=20 Cabin in the Matzatal Wilderness.

Phar Fire had a = heart that=20 just wouldn=92t quit, and a quiet spirit, even when bees = were swirling=20 around and on him on a steep switchback trail. Phar Fire was = a=20 grandson on both the stallion and dam=92s side to Bask, who = was owned=20 by the famous Lasma operation in Scottsdale.

I took = Phar Fire=20 to Utah, for a Mule Deer hunt in the Dixie National Forest = in 1996,=20 about 45 minutes North of St. George. We arranged to stay in = one of=20 the small cabins in Pine Valley, run by Dave and Donna = DeSpain. I=20 had planned to hunt with two of my Minnesota buddies there. = They=20 were due to arrive in Las Vegas the night before the season = opened,=20 where I had promised to pick them up. I decided to scout the = 8,000=20 to 9,000 foot altitude trails and valleys a couple of days = early.=20 Phar Fire and I had a short ride the first day up to a pass = area=20 where a number of trails intersected. The second day I = decided to=20 take a 13 mile loop ride that would take me by a number of = water=20 tanks that may have been good watering holes for deer. =

My=20 goal was to investigate a tank area called "White Tanks" at = about=20 the 8-mile marker. I had a fairly good map and a good = compass (Pre=20 GPS days for me) which had always served me well in the = past, and I=20 had a very good sense of direction, which always kept me out = of=20 trouble in the past. On the way to "White Tanks" I saw a few = deer=20 that seemed surprised to see a horse enter their hiding = places, and=20 when I found the tank area I spent a lot of time looking for = sign=20 and spots for deer stands around the tank.

The sun = was=20 starting to make a beeline towards the West as I finished my = assessment of the tank and checking my watch, I figured I = had better=20 get started down the rest of the trail, if I was going to = get Phar=20 Fire to his feed and me to Las Vegas by the time my friends = arrived.=20 The trail I took from the tank headed down the center of a = small=20 valley that headed southwest, right towards my truck and = trailer.=20 After about an hour of keeping to the valley, the trail = seemed to=20 disappear, and I found myself facing a 30 foot drop off = ledge with=20 no way to get around it. I probably should have backtracked = to the=20 tank and looked again for a better trail heading southwest, = but I=20 was certain that I had seen a trail going over a ridge on = the North=20 side of my dead-end valley. It was definitely getting darker = now as=20 I dismounted and started to lead my friend up the steep = hill. At=20 times it was so steep, that I had to put the reins in my = teeth and=20 hold on to the small chaparral with both hands to keep on = climbing.=20 Phar Fire was puffing and I was wringing wet when our climb = was=20 stopped by another cliff as we neared the top of the North = ridge. I=20 was starting to get a little frantic by then. I didn=92t = mind sleeping=20 out there if I had to, but I needed some reassurance that I = could=20 find the trail in this tortuously rough terrain.

I = stopped=20 for a moment to look back down into the valley I had just = exited and=20 I glassed the ridge across to the South. I had not looked = that=20 direction at all, because I was sure that the trail was = North of me.=20 For a brief instant, no more than two or three seconds, I = saw=20 another hunter riding a white mule heading in to the tank = area I had=20 just came from. I just caught a glimpse as he passed in a = opening=20 between a few trees. I never saw him or the mule again, but = during=20 that brief moment, I was rewarded with the knowledge of = where the=20 real trail was. Phar Fire and I started down the steep slope = that we=20 had just walked up, only going down was a lot harder. Phar = Fire=20 stumbled on the large hidden boulders a few times but = finally we=20 were down and I started to lead him up the South slope. It = was still=20 much too steep to ride safely so I led him, even though my = legs were=20 starting to protest violently. About a third of the way up = the=20 slope, Phar Fire fell, rolled over once, and then caught = himself and=20 was upright in a moment. The saddle horn looked a little = worst for=20 the wear, but outside of that and a few scratches on my = horse,=20 things looked ok.

What really happened during that = tumble was=20 that Phar Fire dislodged an entrolith rock that had been = hiding and=20 growing in his intestine, and that factor was destined to = determine=20 95% of my waking hours over the next five days. I finally = found the=20 trail, said a prayer of thanks for the mysterious white = mule, and=20 headed down the well-used trail for my Pine Valley = home.

It=20 was well after midnight when we rolled into Pine Valley = after=20 retrieving my friends from Las Vegas. I went out to Phar = Fire=92s pen=20 to see how he was and was shocked to see him going down over = and=20 over, and trying to roll. I walked him a while, he seemed to = get a=20 little better, so I went to a very late bed worried. The = next=20 morning he looked much worse. I apologized to my friends and = sort of=20 pointed them towards the hills as I loaded Phar Fire into = the=20 trailer for a trip to the vet in St. George.

Dr Lewis = at the=20 Dixie Clinic palpitated his intestines and infused him with = a couple=20 of gallons of mineral oil and fluids. He told me to keep him = moving=20 and bring him back if he did not improve. That same routine = went on=20 for five days. Dave DeSpain and I walked Phar Fire until we = had worn=20 a trail in his lodge yard, and I had memorized all of the = ranch=20 houses on the round trip way to the vet clinic in St.=20 George.

After the fifth day, Phar Fire had lost the = luster in=20 his eye, and Dr. Lewis suggested we take the trip to Salt = Lake City=20 where a large animal hospital could perform an operation to = see if=20 it was a twisted gut or an entrolith rock that was blocking = the=20 intestine. He wasn=92t very encouraging about the outcome = and he said=20 the operation would cost $5000. I was really starting to = feel guilty=20 now. If only I hadn=92t missed the trail, if only he = hadn=92t fell, if=20 only I would have stayed in Arizona, if only I had = $5000.

Dr.=20 Lewis broke the other option to me gently; he mentioned the = landfill=20 on the East side of I-25=85 He could make the call for the = dozer to=20 make a large depression, he would administer the phenol = solution,=20 and I could stay away if I wanted to. He had done all he = could for=20 my friend and there were few options left, and Phar Fire was = fading=20 fast with pain.

It seemed as if there was a heavy = haze in the=20 air as I led Phar Fire out of the trailer into the freshly = turned=20 moist dirt of the landfill. I could hardly see, with the = tears=20 running down my face. What a terrible thing to do to your = best=20 friend=85I hugged him and patted his neck, as Dr. Lewis = administered=20 the 200 cc of phenol into Phar Fire=92s jugular vein. His = eyelashes=20 fluttered just a bit as he collapsed to his knees and then = to his=20 side. His beautiful red coat shined in the late afternoon = sun. Dr=20 Lewis checked for a heart beat and then asked me if I wanted = an=20 autopsy. I said yes. It seemed like just a few moments and = Dr.=20 Lewis=92 hand lifted a rock the size of a softball to the = light of=20 day. "This is the culprit", he said softly. It was just a = matter of=20 time. It didn=92t make me feel any better. I still blamed = myself. This=20 horse had been the best horse I could have imagined. I = thought about=20 the first time we saw him as a foal when his grey mother, a=20 granddaughter of Aramus, wouldn=92t let us get near him to = disinfect=20 his navel cord. I thought about the time he shocked a mule = skinner=20 in the Lizard Head wilderness as he packed out a load of = heavy stuff=20 that would have buckled two mules. I thought about the time = when our=20 kids showed him in a 4H halter class at the county fair. The = Lord=20 had given me a marvelous gift in this horse whose life ended = too=20 soon at 11 years.

A little over a year later, his=20 stable-mate Amadeus, died of the same ailment with a rock = even=20 larger. Our Scottsdale vet Dr. Taylor, gave us a research = paper from=20 California Polytechnic University that detailed all the = possible=20 causes of the entrolith rock, foremost of which, was the=20 preponderance of that ailment with Arabian geldings, high = calcium=20 feed and most strangely, the fact that bran was a catalyst = causation=20 agent that helped start the precipitation of the minerals = into a=20 rock. We no longer feed bran, and we faithfully treat our = animals=20 with psyllium every month.

We owe our faithful animal = friends=20 the best care we can give them and they return that favor = many times=20 over. My prayer is that the Lord will continue to bless us = all with=20 the loyal and rewarding companionship of our horse friends.=20

Top=20 of Page

Latest=20 Headlines

National

To= nto=20 Front Property

TH= E=20 MARK OF A CHAMPION

CA= VE=20 CREEK GETS ITS FIRST PILATES STUDIO!

Sp= ring=20 Fling at Rockin7B will Help Horses in Need

Th= e=20 Kentucky Horse Park 2005 Event Calendar Packed with New=20 Shows

World

Cr= oss=20 Country International=92s Equestrian Honeymoon = Getaways:

Ki= ds=20 Ride and Stay for Free on Select Cross Country International = Vacations

Ex= perts=20 Lend Their Support and Expertise to the Tribal Trust = Foundation=20

Quarter Horse

AQ= HA=20 TEST RIDES

LE= ST=20 YE BE JUDGED

2005=20 A.B.R.A. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW

Le= ading=20 Spirit SETS NEW TRACK RECORD IN West Texas = Futurity

A = LONG GOODBYE SETS 440 WORLD RECORD IN MBNA NEW MEXICO=20 CHALLENGE

Arabian

Tu= rn=20 Up the Fun, Get an AHYA Youth Membership

Ea= rn=20 a $2,500 Scholarship for Riding an Arabian = Horse

Wi= n=20 Cash and Model Horses in AHA's Creative Contest =

20= 04=20 Top Arabian Breeders Sweepstakes Horses

Ov= er=20 $4 Million Available in Annual Sweepstakes Prize Money =

Reining

AP= HA=20 Rewards Excellence...A New Partnership With APHA Could Pay = Off Big=20 At the NRHA Derby

RH= SF=20 President Travels Road To Aachen With AQHA

NO= N-PRO=20 CHALLENGE - OPEN TO COLORADO RESIDENTS ONLY!

MD= =20 BARNS OF COLORADO OPEN CHALLENGE

RM= RHA=20 Summer Slide Select Sale

Cutting

20= 05=20 NCHA Super Stakes Open Round 1 Results

20= 05=20 NCHA Super Stakes Classic Amateur FINALS

NC= HA=20 Super Stakes Amateur Finals

NC= HA=20 Super Stakes Open Round 1

Cu= tting=20 Horse Clinics 2005 Schedule

Rodeos

Ki= ck=20 N Up Kindness

20= 05=20 Cowboys for Kids Rodeo

Tu= rquoise=20 Circuit Rodeo Queen News

20= 05=20 Cowboys for Kids Rodeo

Speaking=20 of ProRodeo =85

Dressage

Dr= .=20 Cesar Parra Earns a Ride in the World Cup Finals in Las=20 Vegas

Dr= essage=20 in 2030

AD= A=20 Junior Clinic - May 14th and 15th, 2005

AD= A=20 - Manure

AD= A=20 - Sovereign Farms

Jumping

Aa= ron=20 Vale and Sea Cloud Dash to Victory in $30,000 Charlotte = Welcome=20 Stake at 2005 Charlotte Jumper Classic

Ma= dden=20 Overtakes Kraut for American Grand Prix Association (AGA) = Rider of=20 the Year Lead

El= len=20 Whitaker of Great Britain Continues Her Winning = Streak

Fo= ur=20 Time Winner Laura Chapot Leads List of Winter Equestrian = Festival=20 Circuit Champions

Sh= owNet=20 to Provide Orders of Go and Live Scoring at the 2005 = Charlotte=20 Jumper Classic

Paint

AP= HA=20 Kicks Off Second Year of Exciting Ranch Horse = Competition

Ri= de=20 America Participant Logs 10,000 Hours

Ba= rn=20 News

Th= e=20 Painted Pony Express - A.k.a. the Youth Advisor's = Letter

Th= e=20 New Year

Who's Who!

Mi= dnight=20 Rider

CA= CHET=20 HOMES RANKS IN TOP FIVE IN RANKING ARIZONA, BEST OF ARIZONA = BUSINESS=20 2005

Ce= rtified=20 Sports Hypnotist Laura King to Speak at Two High-Profile = Events in=20 Palm Beach County

20= 05=20 HORSE HERO AWARD WINNERS TO BE FETED DURING FIESTA DAYS IN = CAVE=20 CREEK

1,= 001=20 Reasons to Love Horses - by Sheri Seggerman and Mary=20 Tiegreen

Color Breed

Pi= nto=20 Patter

Texas=20 Pinto Horse Assoc. Awards Super Horse Award

Gaited Horse

U.= S.=20 Mangalarga Marchador Association

Ea= sy-Gaited=20 Horses

Ne= ws=20 for the Arizona Peruvian Paso Club Ltd.

Co= nquistador=20 to show in Carousel Charity Horse Show This Weekend at=20 WestWorld

Am= erican=20 Saddlebred Association of Arizona, Inc

Mini & Pony

A = MINI MEMO April 2005

Ar= izona=20 P.O.A. News April 2005

A = MINI MEMO

Po= ny=20 Power! Over the Hill Farm Dominates at HITS Ocala = Circuit

Ar= izona=20 P.O.A. News

Barrel Racing

Ar= izona=20 Saddle Club's March News

NC= BRA=20 NEWS

NE= W=20 - New River Saddle Club!

Summer=20 Gymkhanas

Eq= uine=20 Eden Spring Events

Horse Shows

20= 05=20 Winter Equestrian Festival Circuit Champions

Sh= owNet=20 to Provide Live Scoring for the $200,000 Budweiser American=20 Invitational on April 2, 2005

Le= arning=20 Made Fun on Ariat Kids=92 Day at 2005 Lake Placid Horse=20 Shows

So= uthern=20 Arizona Appaloosa Promoters (SAAP) - 2004 Open Mini-Circuit=20 Awards

Wi= nter=20 Equestrian Festival Departure From Tampa Could Cost Fair = Board, City=20 of Tampa Millions in Lost Revenue

Eventing

FE= I=20 Eventing World Cup Qualifiers for the 2005 = Final

20= 05=20 USEA Gold Cup Series Events Announced

TH= E=20 2005 EVENT AT REBECCA FARM, Kalispell, Montana

We= st=20 Coast Active Riders Begin Prix de Nations Team Trials and = Have=20 Important Riders' Meeting

Late=20 Fees Applied to USEA Clinics/Educational = Activities/Schooling=20 Shows

Horse Racing

LA= RIAT=20 MISSES DEADLINE; COUNTY VOWS LEGAL ACTION

NE= W=20 MEXICO TRACKS GET LONGER CASINO HOURS

SE= NATE=20 REPUBLICANS REJECT PLAN FOR INDIANA TRACK = SLOTS

HO= RSeNEWS=20 of the KENTUCKY HORSE PARK April 2005

Ro= lex=20 Kentucky Three-Day Event is One of Kentucky=92s Greatest = Sporting=20 Events

Therapuetic Riding

AR= CH's=20 LUCKY - Rest In Peace

Ri= der=20 Profile: Cindy Ritter

Ri= der=20 Profile - Emma Loranger

Ca= melot=20 - Where Heroes Are Born - "Hooves and Heroes"

Eq= uine=20 Sanctuary and Therapeutic Riding Program Seeks Emergency=20 Donations

Showgrounds

Co= lorado=20 Horse Park Founder Honored with Award

Co= lorado=20 Horse Park Offers More than $700,000 in Prize Money and=20 Awards

Ma= ricopa=20 County Fair

Mu= rieta=20 Equine Complex

WE= STWORLD=20 March 2005

Horse Health

E.= R.=20 FOR HORSES

AA= EP=92s=20 myHorseMatters E-News, Volume 5, Issue 7

Ar= tistic=20 Horses Get Ready to Paint the Town

A = Horse, Of Course

"H= ORSES=20 HELPING HORSES" PROGRAM TO AID HORSE RESCUE OF NORTH=20 SCOTTSDALE

Tax & Legal

Ma= ke=20 Money With Horses

Products

NE= W=20 SOFTWARE COMPLEMENTS EVOLVING APPROACH TO = PRACTICE

Wi= ld=20 Heart Ranch Introduces, the "No More Night Mares=85 A Dream = of=20 Freedom" Children=92s Book

Me= rial=20 Launches New Web Site for Equine West Nile Virus Vaccine - = Research=20 and Animation Offer Insight on Vaccine = Technology

Ne= w=20 Corporate Logo Introduced by HOOF-it=AE = Technologies

Po= rtable=20 Agroscan Ultrasound Device Detect Pregnancy In Large=20 Animals

Training Tips

Did=20 You Know..

Da= vid=20 Lichman=92s 2 Day Gaited Clinic & One day Levels = Workshop=20

Ne= w=20 Fast Trac Course

Ti= ps=20 for Improving Your Show Performance

Mi= ke=20 Bridges March 2005 Clinics - Peoria AZ

Classifieds News

No articles available.

Mounted Shooting

No articles available.

Trail Riding

59= th=20 Annual Desert Caballeros Horse Ride April 18th - = 22nd

Ri= ders=20 For Christ Holds it=92s 2005 Annual Meeting

Gl= endale=20 Equestrian Club

Sa= ddle=20 Bag Necessities

Ma= rana=20 Trails Update

POLO

Le= chuza=20 Caracas Plays Loro Piana in Key Stanford Financial Group = U.S. Open=20 Game Sunday

Sk= eeterville=20 Earns Spot in Quarterfinals with 10-9 Win Over Lechuza=20 Caracas;

Wh= ite=20 Birch Continues Dominance with 18-10 Victory Over=20 Catamount

Be= ndabout,=20 Las Monjitas Post Wins in U.S. Open = Championship

Me= mo=20 Gracida Begins Quest for 17th Title as Airstream Edges Pony = Express=20 9-8

Agriculture

Vo= luntary,=20 Incentive-based Approaches Work for = Conservation

Fl= y=20 with Hydrogen

Wh= at=92s=20 the WTO Good For?

Ma= ke=20 Mine Ethanol!

Ar= e=20 We Willing to Outsource Food Production?