Oh my achin' back...yeah. So today you get to find out how I managed to fall off the horse. Don't everyone applaud at once, now...
I had intended to ride Colletta when I first went outside yesterday, but lo and behold her bridle is broken (missing a screw on the headstall), so I thought 'well, Violet could use a little riding time'. So I caught Violet, brushed her and put the bridle on; at the last minute I put my riding helmet on just because she's young and it's a good precaution. I decided not to put the saddle on, just because I like riding bareback sometimes.
So I led Violet over to the horse trough (facing east) and hopped on. She jumped forward a couple of steps, making me lose my seat, then bounced in front of the fence for a moment before spinning to the right and taking off with many a hop and a jump. During this whole time I still hadn't regained my seat and when she started bucking I went right over her shoulder. I landed on my right shoulder and head (thank goodness for helmets!!!) square in a patch of mud. That was fun...I was covered in mud, front, back, and sides. It really did hurt though, so after giving a weak gasp/cough/whatever I more or less burst into tears. But you'll be proud of me: I got up, caught Violet (she was standing calmly about 10 feet away), and tried to get on again. When she bolted the second time I was expecting it and jumped off. So we did bridlework for a few minutes (to end the 'lesson' on a good note, I guess) and then I went on inside.
Today I woke up with a nice knot on my head right above the hairline where the helmet band had shoved into my scalp (it still hurts a bit), a very stiff shoulder, a stiff achy neck, and what feels like a few pulled muscles in my back and sides. So no riding for me today...but I have a plan of action involving lots of desensitizing for Violet since she's such a fraidy-cat. I've also made an agreement with Mom that I won't ride Violet unless someone's out there--Mom hadn't been watching at all because she thought I was riding Colletta (the latter being quite trustworthy as far as horses go) and had I been knocked unconscious I would have lain there for a while until someone noticed.
So, mistake #1: not telling Mom who I was going to ride
Mistake #2: deciding to ride Violet bareback even though she's green and has been displaying a reluctance to let me on her lately
Mistake #3: not having a clear plan of action BEFORE riding
Even though I made mistakes there could have been a very bad mistake had I not worn my helmet. I've only really started wearing one lately, and I am SO glad that I wore one yesterday. Hopefully someone can take something away from this post...I'm certainly going to wear a helmet whenever I ride; even if it is Colletta or some other 'trustworthy' horse, because accidents do happen.
1 Comment
Bargon
3/7/2009 08:34:43 am
Ouch! Well, glad to hear that you are safe and sound.
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Molly Rose
Multifacted obsessionist and all-around randomosity generator Journal
March 2011
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