February 2, 2010

and so it goes...

...when I least expect it, I fall off a horse.

Well, I can't say I didn't expect it, I was, after all riding bareback, a tricky proposition in it's self, but furthermore I'm out of  shape. 

I almost didn't wear my helmet.
The trainer said I'd better wear it if I'm going to ride bareback, especially because the weather is cold and dark when horses feel a little frisky.
Good thing I listened.

This is how it played out:
First of all I'm bareback...i.e. no stirrups for boots to hang on to.
Secondly, I haven't ridden in weeks due to the rain Thirdly my balance isn't that great anyway because I'm almost 60!
phooey!

Now when you're riding a horse and the horse's back goes this way and your back goes that way, an off balance thing happens. Kind of a bump, bump rather than a smooth rocking.

So there I am bumping, a little off balance and I sense danger. I try to correct my body, but no, not going to happen. In slow motion I try to rebalance, see the hopelessness of it, instinctively pull the reins. No effect because they were uneven because I was uneven, they offered no quarter so over I went.

As I'm going down, my trainer yells "Whoa!" from the center of the arena. I yell, "WHOA!" but he steps sideways so down I go. The the horse takes a springy step before he stops (bad horse, whoa means WHOA!). His hoof clips my helmet on the way. Just a tiny tap; you can see it on my helmet. It's infinitesimal.

As I slip to my fate, I know I needed to fall correctly. "Don't slip under the horse. DON'T slip UNDER the horse! Push away PUSH AWAY from the horse so you don't slip under the horse!"

And so I slipped under the horse and he didn't step on me.

I've learned that horses are quite aware where their feet are and well trained horses will step carefully. Thank goodness for that.

The trainer calmly asked if I was ok, and I was! Just a little dizzy from twisting from a sitting position to a flat-on-my back position and then getting up fast to a standing position. She asked firmly was I ready to get back up. I was very willing, I don't want this or ANY experience keep me from riding!

My trainer didn't want Alan to to think he could get out of working when a student falls.

And so it goes...If you fall, get back up on the horse.
I did and I finished the lesson, a little nervous to trot, to go past the spot where I fell. I went 'round to prove to horse and me we could do it.


Alan pulled ahead when I led him back to the barn.
He got whacked in the chest.
"Don't mess with me, horse, I'M the boss!"



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