Letter to the Editor: Horse, rider lucky

Dear Editor:
On March 12, 2011, I brought my horse to Meeker to ride with the local riding club at the fairgrounds. After riding for a couple of hours and leaving the arena, when I headed back into the arena something happened (which only my horse knows!), and my horse, Nash, blew. I managed to stay on for a few bucks (which, according to some of the witnesses, rivaled a good rodeo bronc), and probably semi-consciously decided it might be better to voluntarily bail while he was stationary instead of waiting until he blasted into an all-out gallop and buck.
Both of our timing could have been better, since my unceremonious dismount occurred on the concrete pad at the arena entrance, where I landed on my elbow and his back legs landed on my arm and hip.
Luckily for me, I was in Meeker.
Nurse Diane Mobley was on the spot checking me out while Kathleen Kelley was inside the arena gathering up my horse. Nurse Diane suspected a broken arm. Diane Rudy and Linda Primo drove me to the ER, which saved me an ambulance bill. Kathleen and Gayle Crawford tended to my horse and dog and then came to wait for me in the ER.
The ER staff, Dr. Frank Tong, Elizabeth Tharp and John Kapushion were all extremely efficient, caring and expedient. The prognosis was indeed a broken humerus, just below the ball of the shoulder.
Gayle Crawford took my horse to her ranch and then drove me back to Steamboat in a blinding rain/snow storm with Kathleen Kelley following in my truck. They didn’t get back to Meeker until 3 a.m. because of the snow!
Gayle has called every day to check on me and to report on how my horse is getting along. Kathleen, Nurse Diane and Jane Turnburke have either called or done body work on my arm when I managed to make it back over there. Rosemary and Lori are always asking about me, as are all the other riders who were there that day. Ray took care of trimming my horse, Dr. Que returned my call on a Saturday afternoon, Gayle and her husband, Kenny Rogers, have been caring for and feeding my horse and enduring all of my phone calls!
I’m sorry if I have forgotten anyone but the entire riding club and everyone in Meeker have just been awesome!
My neighbors and good friends, Dave and Amy Tweedy, Jase and Bren, here in Steamboat brought me their recliner to sleep in and have carted me around, brought me groceries and helped out in general.  Heather Stirling from Hayden made some calls for me and offered to drive me to the doctor.  Dr. Paul Abbott from Frisco returned my call on a weekend and spent over an hour with me explaining the fracture personally.
Oh, and by the way, I only met all of the folks from Meeker the week before the accident but I was treated like a third generation native.
My deepest thanks to the citizens of Meeker for all of the concern, assistance, suggestions, encouragement, efficiency and just plain old kindness that you have shown me. You should be very proud of your community and medical facility.  I think I’ve made some very good friends.
Liza Jackson
Steamboat Springs