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Ow! That was my freakin knee!
Nov. 4th, 2003 08:44 amRiding was interesting last night. I arrived early and Rick was finishing up a lesson with a woman who, from what I could tell, was having her first lesson. Towards the end, as she was walking the horse, the horse tripped badly and she toppled off. She fell well, that is to say, she didn't injure anything and took the brunt of the fall across her back. She as fine although a bit excited and more worried about the horse.
Kim from King, Chris rode Cedric, I rode Elsie, and a new woman, Jackie, rode a horse who's name I don't remember. But it was a smaller horse and standing next to Elsie, looked like a dog. (Woof, woof. Nice Doggie.)
Elsie was mostly okay but was giving me some trouble so Rick handed me a crop. I don't like using the crop. In particular, I didn't like switching it from my right hand to my right over the horses head. Didn't want to spook her. First time I went to use it, I hit myself in the foot. DOH! Stung like hell, but the horse moved.
Later, Rick decided to let us try to canter. We'd got pretty fast trots going, and I can sit to Elsie's trot. Like riding a couch Rick might say. But I didn't want to canter with the crop in my hand as I felt my control would be off. Rick doubted I could get Elsie trotting without it. He was wrong. What I couldn't do was get her to not cut corners. We had a couple of close calls with the poles that hold the roof up. I had her cut inside one as we got too close. Eventually, my own arrogance got the best of me and I tried to force her to the outside.
Too close.
At a canter, I whacked my knee against one of the poles. I did manage to get the leg out of the stirrup before the collision so I didn't get wrenched around. I stopped Elsie, and dismounted. The class got real quiet as Rick mounted Elsie and rode her around the ring a few times while I walked out my knee. I'm sure this was so Elsie wouldn't think she could get out of working by running me into poles. In fact, she had to work harder. Five minutes later, I was ready to go again and had FULL control of Elsie. I wasn't going to let her bully me anymore. This might have been good for me.
Rick was upset at his injury total for the night, considering it's normally zero I don't blame him. But I learned something important. The horse doesn't care if I get hurt.
A family of raccoons moved into the barn. They'll walk right up to you and let you pet them. They are really funny. A young one was just relaxing, hanging his head over the top of the thing he was sitting on and watching us. I need to bring my camera next week.
Kim from King, Chris rode Cedric, I rode Elsie, and a new woman, Jackie, rode a horse who's name I don't remember. But it was a smaller horse and standing next to Elsie, looked like a dog. (Woof, woof. Nice Doggie.)
Elsie was mostly okay but was giving me some trouble so Rick handed me a crop. I don't like using the crop. In particular, I didn't like switching it from my right hand to my right over the horses head. Didn't want to spook her. First time I went to use it, I hit myself in the foot. DOH! Stung like hell, but the horse moved.
Later, Rick decided to let us try to canter. We'd got pretty fast trots going, and I can sit to Elsie's trot. Like riding a couch Rick might say. But I didn't want to canter with the crop in my hand as I felt my control would be off. Rick doubted I could get Elsie trotting without it. He was wrong. What I couldn't do was get her to not cut corners. We had a couple of close calls with the poles that hold the roof up. I had her cut inside one as we got too close. Eventually, my own arrogance got the best of me and I tried to force her to the outside.
Too close.
At a canter, I whacked my knee against one of the poles. I did manage to get the leg out of the stirrup before the collision so I didn't get wrenched around. I stopped Elsie, and dismounted. The class got real quiet as Rick mounted Elsie and rode her around the ring a few times while I walked out my knee. I'm sure this was so Elsie wouldn't think she could get out of working by running me into poles. In fact, she had to work harder. Five minutes later, I was ready to go again and had FULL control of Elsie. I wasn't going to let her bully me anymore. This might have been good for me.
Rick was upset at his injury total for the night, considering it's normally zero I don't blame him. But I learned something important. The horse doesn't care if I get hurt.
A family of raccoons moved into the barn. They'll walk right up to you and let you pet them. They are really funny. A young one was just relaxing, hanging his head over the top of the thing he was sitting on and watching us. I need to bring my camera next week.
