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Dell Hendricks, NRHA 1998 Leading Money Earner & Hangten Peppy
Hangten
Peppy ( Peppy Badger Chex x Ten Chex), a six year-old Quarter Horse stallion
owned by Dell Hendricks and Belle Carpenter won the fifth leg of the 1999
Cosequin / USET Reining Qualifying Series with an amazing score of 232,
the highest scoring qualifier in the series. With Hendricks in the saddle
this dynamic stallion dazzled the crowd with an incredibly powerful display
of athletic talent. Although the crowd responded with thunderous applause,
only a few knew what this horse had recently experienced.
On November 10, 1998, Hangten Peppy had colic surgery to repair a 360-degree
colon torsion. "It was just four days before we left for the AQHA World
Show," remembers Dell. "He had a few complications, so he was still at
the hospital when we left.."
Less than two days earlier, Hendricks had discovered the horse in distress.
"We knew he was experiencing colic, but because his heart rate was not
elevated, the vet did not feel it was quite severe. We laid him down and
rolled him a few times hoping the colon was only flipped up and it would
flop back down. But he didn't seem to get any relief. The vet and I discussed
things and I told her that surgery was a last resort."
Thirty-six hours later, his heart rate had began to rise and the decision
was made to operate. Once Hangten Peppy was on the table, the degree of
the colic was discovered. "The vet couldn't believe the amount of pain
this horse tolerated." noted Hendricks. "She said that this was the toughest
horse she knew." Hangten Peppy moved forward on the road to recovery over
the winter months with Dell hoping to have time to qualify for the USET
Semi-finals.
Hendricks began to leg up the Reserve NRHA Derby Champion toward the end
of February and focused on the NRBC event three weeks away at the Lazy
E Arena in mid April. "I was a little worried that he wouldn't be legged
up enough by then, but I took a wait and see attitude."
Just two days before the USET event in Guthrie, Hendricks had another
scare. "Since his surgery, I've made a habit of running my hand over the
incision as I saddle him each day. On this day I found an abscess along
the incision. I immediately got my vet on the phone and she reassured
me that it was nothing to worry about. She felt it was probably a suture
that had not been pulled out, but it sure made me nervous."
However, Hendricks and Hangten Peppy left all those worries at the barn
and dominated the USET reining that evening with remarkable score of 232.
"We were just talking about this the other day," said Hendricks. "The
older he gets; the better he seems to get."
Dell & Terri Hendricks
14974 E. FM 922 Tioga, TX 76271
940-437-5157 - Barn | 940-437-5167 - Fax | 940-372-0259 - Dell's cell
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