ruh-roh. had a fall, and it was a doozy

[Serafina]

First, I want to say that this is 100% my personal responsibility and fault. I do know that much. The horse was an Innocent Party in this, and I feel really ************************ that I let the side down in this manner.

Here's what happened...my 2nd lesson. This time on a 17 yo "warmblood" - I think that's what she called him, although things are a bit fuzzy. He had some draft horse in the woodpile, big stocky legs, big stocky hooves. He's a new schooling horse at these stables, and the owner thinks that he was someone's One and Only hunt-jumper for the better part of those 17 years.

Things went really well right up until they didn't. I had him walking exactly where I wanted him to go, we had changes in directions, I got him to go in circles, etc. We stopped on command. He was really sweet and responsive (which just makes me feel that much worse about what happened later). I learned about...I think it was called a half-seat? Where you're up out of the saddle, balanced on the stirrups, weight over the withers (or somewhere around there). Instructor said it was used a lot for jumping. I think she wanted me to get a feel for getting my balance while not sitting in the saddle. Then I posted at a walk. My timing wasn't great, but I was starting to get the general idea. She said that it was a lot, to get the posting, and the rhythm, and the steering all down at once and that next time she might put the horse on a lunge line so at least I wouldn't have to worry about the steering.

Then she asked me to put the horse into a trot. I was feeling pretty good about things, and he just required the tiniest little squeeze to swing into a trot.

And I tried to post. This is when things went downhill. Because, I am pretty sure, when I attempted to shift my weight up out of the saddle on the post, I must have squeezed with my legs.

And this horse being what he was, that squeeze was enough to send him into a canter.

Two things went through my head at this point:

1. Ah! This must be a canter. It is much more comfortable than a trot.

and

2. AAGGGGHHH!!!! We are going way the hell too fast!!! AAAAAGGGHHHH!!!!!

It was point 2 that caused the real problems. Because I found myself physically paralyzed with fear. The instructor and the other woman who was hanging out were giving me the same valuable and correct advice: "PULL BACK ON THE REINS TO STOP HIM!"

And I knew that was the right thing to do. But I had been using my hands on his withers and mane for balance when I squeezed him, and I could. not. let. go. of. the. saddle. Every rational thought in my brain was screaming "LET GO OF THAT THING AND PULL BACK ON THE REINS!" and my monkey brain was just freaking out.

I am mortified about this. To know what to do, and to be so frightened that I can't do it - this is a novel experience for me. Eventually, the rational brain won out, and I let go of the saddle and attempted to pull back on the reins, but the horse's movement was bouncing me a little forward and I couldn't get my balance. Then Thought #3 crossed my mind:

3. I am about to fall off of this horse. They say it happens to everyone. Today is my day.

Right about then, I bounced pretty far forward and wound up holding on to the horse's neck.

I don't know what happened after that, because I found myself lying on the ground, with a WHOLE lot of people around me, asking questions I ought to have been able to answer, like "What month is it?" but couldn't, and really, no idea where the hell I was, what had happened, or how I got there. This would be cops and paramedics, since I was apparently knocked out cold for a minute or so.

Eventually, I realized "Oh, I have been riding, and there has been an accident" but I immediately got distracted because I had no idea how long I had been riding and whether I was any good at it or not. Right around then, they loaded me up into the meat wagon and hauled me off to the cottage hospital. The co-owner of the stable (not the instructor, because I think there were other people she needed to deal with) came to the hospital. By this time, I remembered more or less what happened, and had the pressing question of whether the horse was OK or not. She said he was fine, and that I'd be riding him no problem again.

Fortunately, one of the ER nurses I had is a horse person (she has a Lippizaner! and rides dressage! although, if you're going to have a Lippi, you pretty much ride dressage, it seems to me). She was very understanding.

Everyone assured me that These Things Do Happen, and I didn't do anything worse than rattle my brain - no bleeding or anything on the cat scan, nothing broken anywhere. I do have some absolutely prize bruises on my fingers where I had a death grip on the saddle and they were getting crunched between that and the horse's withers - he's a bony guy. But that's it.

I just feel terrible about this. It was totally my fault. If I hadn't squeezed when I wanted to post, he wouldn't have burst into a canter. He was just doing what I (inadvertently) asked him to. If I hadn't lost my mind with fear, I would have been able to bring him to a stop.

I am so embarrassed. ER doc made me swear off riding this week, and said I should buzz by my PCP to get cleared for riding week after this. And I know that you're supposed to get back up right away and all. And my husband is being really supportive. But I'm worried that maybe I just suck at this, and maybe it's bad for the horses if I try to learn to ride on them. I figure, when you're on horseback, you're basically the captain of that little ship, and I feel like I ran my ship right into the rocks.

 

[mtngirl]

I am going to disagree with you here... It wasn't your fault at ALL.

People learning to post, steer, trot, and balance all at once should absolutely NOT be on a horse that only takes a small squeeze to canter.

Beginners should be on horses that default to walk or stop. A good rank beginner horse would have stopped... good horses for people learning to trot are horses that will not canter unless you REALLY mean it... Most good beginner horses will stop as soon as they feel their rider out of balance, and you have to work a little to even keep them trotting when you are all funky just learning... That is a safety feature, as well as a muscle builder feature.

Don't be down on yourself at all... It wasn't your fault, at all, and it wasn't the horse's fault either... I would ask for a mellower mount for your next ride. This guy sounds like he will be really fun, once you get a little more stable.. Beginners give muddled cues, cue to strongly, or not strong enough, and accidentally bump the bit, bump the horses sides... it happens.. thats why beginners are put on horses that have the disposition to ignore that stuff...

 

[perma-grin]

Everybody falls, and everyone has at some point in their riding ended up on their horses neck instead of their saddle. Lol! If they haven't then they haven't ridden very much, and most horses will move out when a forward aid is given they are trained to do that. Next lesson ask for the lounge line it will rattle your nerves less until you get you confidence back. Besides it is easier to learn to post on the correct diagonal on the lounge line vs trying to control rein length leg and seat all at the same time for a novice rider. The good news is you're alright no broken bones just severely bruised selfconfidence. See if you can spend some time with your schooling horse just grooming and getting to know him there is something intrinsically soothing about grooming a horse that relaxes a person.

 

[B.E.G.]

OMG Serafina, I'm glad you're ok!

I agree with Mtngirl - the horse was super responsive, which is great for showing, jumping, etc. I bet... but perhaps not for a beginner on their second lesson. And I've cantered on trail rides - it is not easy to keep your balance (it is more comfortable though!).

Again I'm glad you're ok, and it sounds like you're handling it like a champ. "Knowing" you from skiing, I have no doubt you'll be fine getting right back up there next week and giving it another go. But in the meantime, rest up and take care of yourself first!

 

[litterbug]

Oh my dear, I'm so glad you're OK! But what a great story! It will remain a classic 'learning moment' for you for a long time.
Perhaps the trainer thought that the horse's 17 years were more significant than its athletic background, but it sounds like the latter won out.

My riding experience is limited to a few hours playing bareback with a dressage horse who needed a firmer hand (or leg) than I had, and then, when I was a kid, a trail ride in the mountains in Jamaica (an excursion on a family resort vacation), where I rode at the back of the group on a little horse that kept going fast--I have no idea whether it was cantering or galloping, but it was smooth and he kept dodging under low branches. I'm sure he was trying to get rid of me!!

 

[Serafina]

I am going to disagree with you here... It wasn't your fault at ALL.

People learning to post, steer, trot, and balance all at once should absolutely NOT be on a horse that only takes a small squeeze to canter.

Beginners should be on horses that default to walk or stop. A good rank beginner horse would have stopped... good horses for people learning to trot are horses that will not canter unless you REALLY mean it... Most good beginner horses will stop as soon as they feel their rider out of balance, and you have to work a little to even keep them trotting when you are all funky just learning... That is a safety feature, as well as a muscle builder feature.

Don't be down on yourself at all... It wasn't your fault, at all, and it wasn't the horse's fault either... I would ask for a mellower mount for your next ride. This guy sounds like he will be really fun, once you get a little more stable.. Beginners give muddled cues, cue to strongly, or not strong enough, and accidentally bump the bit, bump the horses sides... it happens.. thats why beginners are put on horses that have the disposition to ignore that stuff...

Thanks! This makes me feel better about things! I have to focus on the fact that things with the lesson were going REALLY well right up until they weren't. Horse and I had good communication, in that he was doing exactly what I signaled him to, and doing it quickly.

The horse I had last week was a little toooo mellow - I had to keep giving that guy the squeeze just to keep him at a walk.

It's like Goldilocks and the three Bears - I am thinking that on the next ride, I will find the one that is Just Right.

 

[Serafina]

Everybody falls, and everyone has at some point in their riding ended up on their horses neck instead of their saddle. Lol! If they haven't then they haven't ridden very much, and most horses will move out when a forward aid is given they are trained to do that. Next lesson ask for the lounge line it will rattle your nerves less until you get you confidence back. Besides it is easier to learn to post on the correct diagonal on the lounge line vs trying to control rein length leg and seat all at the same time for a novice rider. The good news is you're alright no broken bones just severely bruised selfconfidence. See if you can spend some time with your schooling horse just grooming and getting to know him there is something intrinsically soothing about grooming a horse that relaxes a person.

The instructor (stable owner) called last night. I told her how embarrassed I was about this, and that I understood very well that this was not in any way the horse's fault and that he didn't do anything wrong. I knew she already knew this, but I wanted to make sure she knew *I* understood it. I told her what I thought had gone wrong, and we agreed that next time we should go with a longe line. And a little more mellow horse.

One thing I like about these stables is that I do groom and set up my ride. I love grooming the horses before and after the lesson. And this guy, he was SO obliging when I groomed him (and during the lesson, too). When it came time for the hoof picking, I showed him the hoof pick, and he just picked his forefoot right up from the ground for me. I picked L front, L rear, and then I thought I should pick R front, but as I was passing up his right side, he picked up his R rear - looks like he was used to a particular rhythm. He really was a SUPER horse. A good size for me, a good temperament, and when I get better, I look forward to riding him again.

The instructor also, in the midst of a landslide of "I'm so mortified, etc etc etc" from me, pointed out that I had gone almost three times around the ring at the canter, and had looked reasonably OK doing it.

Which also makes me feel a little better. I needed to learn to trot, things happened and I got in over my head...it was really a little like getting decent at the bunny hill and getting on the wrong lift, the one that goes only to blues. Getting on that lift is the point of no return, and there's probably going to be some kind of falling after.

I can't believe I didn't break or sprain anything. I can't believe that however I fell - I don't remember anything between the horse's neck and being surrounded by cops and EMTs, so I must have lost a good 10 minutes there - I can't believe that the horse didn't step on me. I can't believe the horse didn't get injured. I'm so happy about all of that.

And I do appreciate everyone's kind words here - it's going to make it a lot easier to get back up and at it after I get cleared (hopefully next week) by my doc. I didn't let the instructor go last night until we'd scheduled a time for 2 weeks from yesterday for another lesson. Felt it was important.

 

[contesstant]

I am going to disagree with you here... It wasn't your fault at ALL.

People learning to post, steer, trot, and balance all at once should absolutely NOT be on a horse that only takes a small squeeze to canter.

Beginners should be on horses that default to walk or stop. A good rank beginner horse would have stopped... good horses for people learning to trot are horses that will not canter unless you REALLY mean it... Most good beginner horses will stop as soon as they feel their rider out of balance, and you have to work a little to even keep them trotting when you are all funky just learning... That is a safety feature, as well as a muscle builder feature.

Don't be down on yourself at all... It wasn't your fault, at all, and it wasn't the horse's fault either... I would ask for a mellower mount for your next ride. This guy sounds like he will be really fun, once you get a little more stable.. Beginners give muddled cues, cue to strongly, or not strong enough, and accidentally bump the bit, bump the horses sides... it happens.. thats why beginners are put on horses that have the disposition to ignore that stuff...

I agree 100%. I am so sorry this happened to you! One valuable command that ANY horse should have ingrained in it's brain is WOAH! And one thing a newbie rider needs to learn day one is a one-rein stop. A runaway horse (which I realize this guy wasn't doing) will run right through a two-reined pull to stop.

Anyway, your humor will help you get back out there, as will your humility. Anyone who can recognize that it wasn't the horse's "fault" has lots of humility! And thank GOD you had that helmet, eh?!

Hang in there!

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

Sorry to hear this happened to you!
I agree with Mtngirl--most horses that are best suited for beginners will take a lot more leg to get them to do anything-- even maintain a good working walk.
It's so hard when you're just starting out to coordinate your body to do everything you need to do that you can't help but give mixed signals to the horse at that stage. Totally not your fault or the horse's fault--it's just how it is when you're starting out.
The lunge line sounds like a great idea for the next lesson, that way you can focus on what your body is doing and the instructor can control the horse.
Glad to hear you are ok.

 

[Serafina]

I agree 100%. I am so sorry this happened to you! One valuable command that ANY horse should have ingrained in it's brain is WOAH!

There was a lot of WHOA! going on. My throat is sore today, and I'm thinking that was probably from all the "WHOA!".

Some of this was a timing thing, too. This was not the horse the instructor originally intended to mount me on yesterday, but they had school-break horse camp, and apparently the little girls wore the horses she'd planned to send me out into little rags. I did notice that the Plan A horses were quite thoroughly braided.

Little dribs and drabs of this are sort of seeping back in. I do remember that while I was not pleased about cantering and *definitely* wished to stop (but couldn't) I also wasn't in any real danger of coming off the horse.

It was when I realized that the ring had lots of little jumps in the middle and remembered that this horse had a jumping career that I thought there might be a risk - since I did not much control over the reins - that I might accidentally cue him towards a jump. I don't remember being particularly worried about *me* falling off him, but I do remember being worried about the possibility of putting him in danger, and that's when I decided that I needed to bail out. A valuable lesson learned from skiing, of course - sometimes the safest thing to do is to fall down. It might be the concussion still working on me - lord knows if I move my head quickly in any direction it makes the room spin for a moment - but I'm thinking this decision was actually not a bad one even though the execution leaves something to be desired.

I'm also kind of hoping that it works with falls from horses the same as it works with scratches on a new car...the first one is the worst, and after that, they don't matter quite as much?

Going back to bed for a bit. ER doc said to take things *seriously* easy for the next week. I find I am inclined to cooperate with that.

Thanks again for the support, gals! I'm really feeling less awful about this. It helps that everything after the middle of the lesson yesterday is kind of foggy, like it happened in a not-so-nice dream. I think I'm going to leave it like that and not pick over it. If my brain socked away the memory of the actual fall so that I can't find it on demand, there's probably a good reason for that. No sense undoing it.

At the moment, my only bummer is that I can't ride again for another 2 weeks. I know this is the smart thing, but I am going to miss the horses! I had forgotten just how much I enjoy them.

 

[Anna]

Ah, Serafina, you write so well!
Even though it's not a good story it's still a great story

Mtngrl is right and here's my story to also reinforce that:

Was about 13. Riding in the sand dunes near our beach house. Good mate, Cathy, 17, had a horse, 1/4 Arab, 3/4 Thoroughbred - ANY ALARM BELLS RINGING GUYS?!!?
His name was Sir Sharimar, Shar for short. Shar was HUGE and magnificent.
Bay? What's it with a blonde tail/mane and beautiful brown coat... Flaxen Chestnut? I can't recall - either way he was MAGNIFICENT.....

I'd been on horses on and off since I can recall - comfy, yet wary around them but still a true beginner, mind you, I always handled them well enough according to everyone else (prolly like my skiing) and people have always put me on horses for intermediate-advanced riders - they believe that I am much better than I believe I am - mind you I think I would be bored on a standard Trail Horse!
.... ANYWAY .....
Cathy was quite a bit taller than I was at this stage. We were barefoot. I could not quite reach the stirrup ....
Riding along the dune tracks by myself and I lost a stirrup ... (And I still recall this mind-play even now and I am 37):
"Oh no, I've now lost both stirrups...... they are banging against the poor horse - oh no, he thinks I want him to go faster! OH MY GOD! I am galloping... there's a turn in the track.. OMG the ROAD is coming up - OMG - i HAVE TO STOP THIS HORSE INCASE A CAR DOES! OMG! ... OO there's a little track there - to my right - YANK THE REIN! phew! he turned .. and then ........ OMG I JUMPED A BUSH! oh .... that hurt - on the hard ground... BUT I JUMPED A BUSH! OW OW OW OW!"
.... poor Shar was just standing around snorting at me.....
Poor horse! I knew it was my fault cos I had made him go that way at a speed too fast ...... I now know i needed to get Cathy to adjust the stirrups .. ok.. But now I have to get back to Cathy and that's a LONG way ...well ... and you have to get right back on once you fall off.... so I managed that and was walking him back, felt confident, urged him into a trot and it all came undone again - lost a stirrup.... OH CRAP! We're galloping AGAIN!

OMG!! THERE"S a LITTLE WHITE YAPPER DOG! AAARRGGGHHH!!!!!

THUMP!..... Luckily we had made it back to Cathy just as Shar shied away from the little yapper dog! I landed fair and square on the "flat" of my right hip - the bruising! I couldn't walk properly for about a week!

I can't recall if I ever got back up on Shar after that. I think Cathy got in trouble from her parents about the stirrups being too long, but really, I KNEW and I should also have said something

...aaahhhh - Being young and "carefree", Summer down the surf beach - sun, sand, surf, horses, bikes ...... It was a wonderful life down the beach every summer.......


The End

(last time i went riding was along another surf beach down at Gunnamatta, and before that was through the mountains around where "The Man From Snowy River" was filmed, Mt Buller area - that time I had a toey Roan Australian Pony - oh he was GOOD - a bit cheeky and loved to run with the lead horses but also loved to stop and graze ... He had brumby in him (our wild horses, your mustangs) - that was great - Will try to get back up there after snow season BRING IT THE SNOW!)

 

[LilaBear]

You had a bad fall. I've been riding for years on and off since I was a wee kid, and fallen off plenty of times - but I have never knocked myself out. Most falls you will get up and walk away from, some you will be winded and want to take a little longer before you stand up, often you will land on your feet, few will result in concussion. My point - you will rarely fall like this again - don't anticipate that every one will be this severe. A very bad first experience of an unintentional dismount.

Also, all riders fall. Horses are sensitive creatures and can make unpredictable moves, with experience will come balance, strength and the ability to understand what the horse is signalling.

Luckily I do not fall from horses as often as I do from skiing. I found that horseriding improved my bike riding and my skiing, in both these areas I am in charge and don't push it, but the new horse I was riding was an ex Polo pony and pushed the envelope with quick direction changes. You will find your core gets strong - particularly once you learn to post without stirrups!

The expression "get back on the horse" means to put it behind you, it's history. If you keep this in your mind it will hold you back, fear translates to tension the same as in skiing. So get back out there, it's a new day, and enjoy it.

I have ridden a Paso Fino horse twice and it was amazing. I have never experienced a canter so smooth.

 

[mtngirl]

yes. this ^

I rode from the time I was 8 until I was 18, and on and off in adult hood, having owned a few horses for a few years as an adult, but not as consistently as when I was growing up...

I have fallen more times that I can count, and some of them really hurt, and some of them didn't at all, but I have never been more than sore for a few days, and never had to see a dr or go to the hospital as a result of a fall...

Most of my riding was done sans helmet, also...

Not to downplay the potential danger, or to suggest ignoring safety measures, but you probably wont have another bad fall, at least not for a while...

 

[Serafina]

I am feeling a lot better now - I spent most of the last 48 hours sleeping it off. I wouldn't say I'm 100%, probably not close, but definitely improved.

The instructor (she is also the stable owner) told me that this was the first time in her 20 years of running a stable that she's had someone carted off in the ambulance from a fall. So I gathered this wasn't a typical sort of fall.

I was poking around on YouTube looking at "how to post" videos, so I could at least get a good look at what I'm doing...but YouTube being what it is, I soon found myself in a thicket of "Video Of My Nasty Fall" postings. Most of which were accompanied by streams of invective posted by other people, usually teenagers, about how "your fall wasn't nearly as bad as *my* fall", etc. Clearly the back-handed prestige attached to a truly impressive fall is similar among both skiers and horseback riders. Too bad I wasn't having my lesson filmed. I could be the temporary queen of horrible falls on YouTube this week.

The irony for me is that I hardly ever fall when I ski, and I certainly haven't fallen bad enough to require the Ski Patrol. Since I'm not a badly-behaved rider (I'm patient, calm, cautious, etc) and the stable horses are all sweet-tempered, I'm moving forward under the assumption that this was a real fluke, and that it's not likely to be repeated. At least, I really hope not...

When I can drive, probably Tuesday, I'm back to the tack shop to pick up a new helmet. I didn't see the old one ("old"... :ROTF: that was its maiden voyage) but I'm going to assume that it's been trashed regardless of visible damage.

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

Good call on replacing the helmet. I was actually going to come back and post that I'd think about doing that if I was you-- but you already did!
Even if there's no visible damage--if your head hit hard enough to give you a concussion, then the styrofoam inside the helmet has likely been compressed and it won't be effective again if you were to fall and hit your head esp in the same place (which probably won't happen but still).
Not sure if this is still the case, but I think some helmet companies used to give you a discounted rate on a replacement helmet if you were replacing due to fall.

 

[contesstant]

I'm glad you're getting some great advice here, as I have to admit I have been riding for SO many years that I don't particularly know what to say! I got dumped a TON as a kid but hadn't fallen off for almost 20 years until a few years ago when my mare spooked on the trail and let out a rodeo buck. I landed on the ground in front of her and she came up to me and sniffed me like, "what are you doing down there?" :D I think all those dumpings as a kid really taught me how to stick to them like glue. Doesn't mean one can't get me off, I just learned to stay off those horses in my aging state!

On that note, a funny was posted on a horse board I frequent. Thought I'd share it:

The Seven Stages of Aging on Horseback
Stage I: Fall off pony. Bounce. Laugh. Climb back on. Repeat.
Stage 2: Fall off horse. Run after horse, cussing. Climb back on by shimmying up horse’s neck. Ride until sundown.
Stage3: Fall off horse. Use sleeve of shirt to stanch bleeding. Have friend help you get back on horse. Take two Advil and apply ice packs when you get home. Ride next day.
Stage 4: Fall off horse. Refuse advice to call ambulance; drive self to urgent care clinic. Entertain nursing staff with tales of previous daredevil stunts on horseback. Back to riding before cast comes off.
Stage 5: Fall off horse. Temporarily forget name of horse and name of spouse. Flirt shamelessly with paramedics when they arrive. Spend week in hospital while titanium pins are screwed in place. Start riding again before doctor gives official okay.
Stage 6: Fall off horse. Fail to see any humor when paramedic says, “You again?” Gain firsthand knowledge of advances in medical technology thanks to stint in ICU. Convince self that permanent limp isn’t that noticeable. Promise spouse you’ll give up riding. One week later purchase older, slower, shorter horse.
Stage 7: Slip off horse. Relieved when artificial joints and implanted medical devices seem unaffected. Tell spouse that scrapes and bruises are due to gardening accident. Pretend you don’t see spouse roll their eyes and mutter as they walk away. Give apple to horse.

After reading this, I remembered my own surgical story from when I was 20. I had an appendectomy which in 1989 was major surgery--3 days in hospital. It was spring break when I got out, so I went home and by golly, I rode my horse! 3 days post-op and I couldn't resist. I wasn't able to ride much while in college so I HAD to take advantage, right?!

 

[Serafina]

Contesstant, I'm dyin' laughing at this! If I had hit anything but my head, I'd be at Stage 4. As it was, Stage 5. And I am going to my PCP on Friday to get checked out, but I've already made a date with the riding instructor for the following Friday (and will be keeping that!).

I am soooo busted!

 

[contesstant]

I'm so glad you're getting back on :D Just ask for the pokey horse again for awhile. ;) Once you get better balance, you can graduate to sensitive guy!

 

[perma-grin]

I'm glad you're getting some great advice here, as I have to admit I have been riding for SO many years that I don't particularly know what to say! I got dumped a TON as a kid but hadn't fallen off for almost 20 years until a few years ago when my mare spooked on the trail and let out a rodeo buck. I landed on the ground in front of her and she came up to me and sniffed me like, "what are you doing down there?" :D I think all those dumpings as a kid really taught me how to stick to them like glue. Doesn't mean one can't get me off, I just learned to stay off those horses in my aging state!

On that note, a funny was posted on a horse board I frequent. Thought I'd share it:

The Seven Stages of Aging on Horseback
Stage I: Fall off pony. Bounce. Laugh. Climb back on. Repeat.
Stage 2: Fall off horse. Run after horse, cussing. Climb back on by shimmying up horse’s neck. Ride until sundown.
Stage3: Fall off horse. Use sleeve of shirt to stanch bleeding. Have friend help you get back on horse. Take two Advil and apply ice packs when you get home. Ride next day.
Stage 4: Fall off horse. Refuse advice to call ambulance; drive self to urgent care clinic. Entertain nursing staff with tales of previous daredevil stunts on horseback. Back to riding before cast comes off.
Stage 5: Fall off horse. Temporarily forget name of horse and name of spouse. Flirt shamelessly with paramedics when they arrive. Spend week in hospital while titanium pins are screwed in place. Start riding again before doctor gives official okay.
Stage 6: Fall off horse. Fail to see any humor when paramedic says, “You again?” Gain firsthand knowledge of advances in medical technology thanks to stint in ICU. Convince self that permanent limp isn’t that noticeable. Promise spouse you’ll give up riding. One week later purchase older, slower, shorter horse.
Stage 7: Slip off horse. Relieved when artificial joints and implanted medical devices seem unaffected. Tell spouse that scrapes and bruises are due to gardening accident. Pretend you don’t see spouse roll their eyes and mutter as they walk away. Give apple to horse.

After reading this, I remembered my own surgical story from when I was 20. I had an appendectomy which in 1989 was major surgery--3 days in hospital. It was spring break when I got out, so I went home and by golly, I rode my horse! 3 days post-op and I couldn't resist. I wasn't able to ride much while in college so I HAD to take advantage, right?!

:ROTF: So funny and sadly sooooo true!!!!! I had a fun ride this Easter Sunday when a wild turkey came up in Chromes chest! Good times Yee-haw! LOL!

 

[contesstant]

:ROTF: So funny and sadly sooooo true!!!!! I had a fun ride this Easter Sunday when a wild turkey came up in Chromes chest! Good times Yee-haw! LOL!

My horse would probably go into heart failure if that happened to him. He is terrified of stuff in his blind spot, and a turkey would qualify as seriously SCARY stuff!