As most horse trainers can attest, their profession can be a physically demanding one. NRHA Professional and Two Million Dollar Rider Casey Deary of Weatherford, Texas, can certainly validate that fact. Having recently fractured the wing of his C7 vertebra in a horse-related accident, Deary is showing here in Oklahoma City outfitted in a neck brace to stabilize his injury. Upon returning to his stalls after showing, Deary says he spends time icing his neck but adds that tolerating the pain is just part of his job.
Although he says it’s tough to get used to not being able to turn his head to see the arena markers, Deary remains good-natured and determined despite the setback.
“I think this horse show’s challenging for all of us and as bad as I ride, I’ve always had to overcome a lot of different obstacles. This is just another hurdle that we get to jump. [I’ll just] do the best I can. It’s been great to have customers that believe in me that I can do this even when I’m not 100 percent.”
Deary sustained the injury in a freak accident but says it’s just a matter of time before he’s healed up.
“I had a horse that was in a horse walker accident and I jumped in to try and save it. I just put myself in a bad spot, it wasn’t his fault. If I’d have gone about it a different way, I’d have been just fine. The good news is my horse is fine and I’ll be fine.”
In his quest for the Level 4 Open Futurity Champion’s paycheck of $250,000, Deary will no doubt be bucking the pain and riding with an injury that would sideline professional athletes in any other sport.
“So far I’ve shown Down Right Amazing for Debbie Good. He’s by Gunner out of Shesouttayourleague. He was a [2]21 yesterday morning in the second bunch. He was very good for me and he took care of me as best he could. Then I showed Starfire Sixtysix today for Kevin and Marty Corcoran and she was good for me. I had a little trouble getting her to run, but she’s such a pretty stoppin’ thing, and she’s great with her frontend. She was a 220 today.”
Deary shows his third and final Futurity entry on Saturday, November 28, and we should be seeing him again come the L4 Open Semi-Finals sponsored by Not Ruf At All & Tamarack Ranch Wednesday, December 2, when no doubt he will have many in the reining community rooting for him.
