If you recall, Stewart did a fantastic job of planning out my birthday this past October (post here). He really set the bar high so I've been trying to make sure that he has a fantastic birthday as well. I will admit that I am somewhat happy that I am planning a birthday in the states and not trying to figure out birthday surprises in India!
Disclaimer: There's a reason why I am not a veterinarian. Animals in any situation that is not happy make me cry. Animals dying make me cry harder. And it's just animals. Because of my job, I have been surrounded by death on a regular basis ranging from still in the womb deaths to very old age. I handle all of these fine. I do not break down and cry like a baby. However, if I'm at the vet's office and someone brings in their dog to be euthanized, I'm sobbing like a baby. The movie Marley & Me? I totally cried. The Fox & The Hound? Cried harder even though it's animated! So there's something about animals that sucker punches me every time and reduces me to tears.
Over Christmas, Stewart's brother revealed that he wanted to see the movie War Horse. Stewart also wanted to see it. I didn't think anything of this until this past Saturday when Stewart found out that the older movie theater in town was playing the movie. Stewart then asked if we could go see it. I told him that I would rather not because I didn't want to cry. That night, I talked to one of our friends and he offered to go to the movie with Stewart so the men set off and I got a brilliant idea. Stewart was going to have a horse themed birthday!
Fast forward to yesterday. The San Angelo Rodeo is in town. It's supposedly one of the biggest in the nation. Stewart had said that he wanted to go so I bought tickets to take him. We left early so that we could walk around the carnival beforehand and eat an amazingly "healthy" carnival dinner consisting of deep fried cheese, cheese pizza, and a cup of corn (me) and a hand dipped corn dog and smoked turkey leg (Stewart). We then split cotton candy for dessert (note to self: pass on the cotton candy next time). There was excitement in the air, the weather was beautiful, and the smell of livestock was faint. We headed in to the arena to take our seats.
The very beginning was really cool. It was the 80th anniversary for the rodeo so there was the number 80 burning in the arena dirt. They announced the bigger name cowboys who would be competing, had fireworks, and we sang the National Anthem. Then we took our seats for what would turn out to be the WORST start to a rodeo. EVER.
The first event was bull riding. The VERY first rider was barely out of the gate when the bull collapsed. It was obvious his back legs didn't work anymore and he was trying to drag himself across the dirt on his elbows. The arena was silent as we watched in horror as the rodeo veterinarian ran across the arena floor to tend to the bull. I was on the verge of tears questioning why I even came to the rodeo. And since when does this happen? Rodeos are supposed to be fun, aren't they? Stewart tried to keep me from watching the bull but I had to watch. I wanted to make sure the bull was okay (as if my watching was going to miraculously cure him!). They had to drag the bull out of the arena so he could be examined.
About halfway through the rodeo, the announcer let us know that the bull had experienced a lumbar hyper-extension and would be able to be rehabbed.
Not even 15 minutes later, we're watching the saddle bronc event which was fun. These horses could really buck. We're cheering on the horses and their riders. A horse named 552 gets out of the gate, is bucking like crazy, the rider's holding on, and, almost simultaneously, the rider jumps onto the arena wall at the same time the horse runs head first into it and collapses. Sooo many people went running to the horse, ripping off the saddle, and trying to examine the extent of the injury. The horse isn't moving or even attempting to move. The veterinarian is out there examining 552. They bring a tractor out to cart him away. The whole time the announcer is equating the horse to our dogs and cats and saying how we would feel about our pets is how the rodeo feels about its animals. Of course, this doesn't help me because I then start thinking about our own dogs getting injured.
The rest of the rodeo went by injury free thank goodness. As we were leaving the arena, I wanted to find someone to ask about 552. It was very upsetting. Stewart promised to find out for me.
Sadly, 552 had a cervical fracture that would not have been able to be fixed and was euthanized. Hearing that news this morning pretty much ruined my morning.
Stewart and I talked and while we enjoyed the rodeo (well not the parts that involved the animals getting injured), we're not really rodeo people and probably won't return.
Here's to hoping the rest of Stewart's birthday goes off without a hitch!
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