Took my first ride on Monte today. Also had my first fall.
E discovered a few days ago that Monte is not a fan of water. I learned today that this also extends to muddy spots. He placed one foot into the mud, and shied to the right while I flew to the left. I am happy to say that I have enough padding on my backside that, although I hurt, I am doing fine. Just pretty stiff and sore now. After I first fell I had trouble standing up - kept blacking out - but within a few minutes I climbed back up into the saddle and had him walk around the arena partway. I quickly discovered that I wasn't able to lift my right leg over the cantle, so I had to perform a rather inelegant dismount from the off-side.
E, who is also afraid of mud (that's how Curly slipped when she broke her ankle), led a very nervous Monte through the mud. Friend T also helped him get over this fear by riding him through it.
While I was on Monte, it was the strangest sensation to feel his entire body bend under me. He is nothing like the stiff barge named Curly! I also learned that I haven't got a clue on how to make him go or turn. Everything is so different on him.
It is abundantly clear that I do not know how to ride a horse. Yet.
3 comments:
Oh no! I hope you are okay. Did you hit your head? Blacking out does not sound good...keep an eye on yourself. It's easy to lose balance when a horse unexpectedly shies. Do you have a muddy paddock to put him in for a few days? Needless to say, my horse having to trek through the mud in his pasture to get to his grain bucket or water trough has sure helped him worry a lot less about water or mud in general. He hates it and used to try to go around it on the trail, even if it meant taking the rider through the brush! He's so much better now, will tromp right on through! :)
I was indeed wearing a helmet, PG. I recently decided that since I insist that the girls wear one, I should too. I haven't purchased my own, so I've been borrowing a hot pink one from my youngest. Very striking! :)
Feeling better and better, BTW. Just pretty stiff, plus going up stairs isn't the easiest.
Some of our horses are afraid of the horse-eating puddles as well.
Of course, that usually means the puddles end up eating the riders . . . not the horses.
Hmmm.
DERBY DAY 2009
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