Bedford Heights, Ohio Temp. 52 OvercastSince I last wrote I finally found a trainer to train the first of our 2 babies who are not babies anymore. We sent Foxy our 5 year old out first. Three long months of western disipline training. While she was there we went to see her about midway through. Our trainer said she was qualified at that point for us to give her a trial ride around the corral so we decided that would be great. Since the horses were my idea CJ said it would only be fitting for me to take the first ride. I was happy to oblige.
My knees are bad now so I was not sure I was going to be able to push myself up to the saddle with my 1 leg so I told CJ that I would put my left foot in the stirrup and when I said so I would push up to get on and at that time he should just give me a hand on the ass up and I'd be on. Well the best laid plans of mice and men..........it did not go that way.
Our trainer held Foxy, I put my foot into the stirrup and gave a bounce and lifted off BUT instead of CJ pushing UP to lift me, he pushes OUT and half way up I crash into poor Foxy's side, she gets scared, side steps to the right...away from me, and I come back down. Now this would have been OK had she stopped but she was nervous and side stepped to the right again and now my left foot is still in the stirrup and my right foot is on the ground. I am doing splits and can't get hold of the saddle for balance. I silently freak out as I just know any minute Foxy is going to side step again and it will be all over for that right hip I had replaced. (splits are a bad thing) I struggled to get my foot out of the stirrup but it was sticking as I had on tennis shoes (big no no). FINALLY, I got my foot loose and lost my balance and went down face first in the sandy dirt.
Now you have to understand that all of this is taking place in a matter of seconds, although it seemed like minutes. The trainer was holding Foxy so she wouldn't get away and drag me and CJ was standing there bewildered not knowing what to do.
I just laid there for a few seconds as both men came hurrying over wanting to know if I was OK. I just said "Don't touch me till I make sure all parts are still intact." After a minute I slowly started moving and they each grabbed an arm and helped me up. I was, for the most part no worse for the wear. Just a bruised ego (and a very painful groin).
At any rate, I was not going to let that episode keep me from my first ride so we marched Foxy over to the fence and I got up on the fence and onto my horse! SUCCESS! After all this commotion I then find out that I can't ride her as we couldn't get the stirrups on that saddle to shorten enough for me to have good control and their insurance policy is that you must have good control of your horse before you can ride. In the end I got to SIT on my horse. Oh well, that was better then nothing at all.
This was not the end of the story however. When I got off, CJ promptly steps up, puts his foot in the stirrup, gets on, stirrups are correct length for him, and just starts riding Foxy around the corral. I was not a happy camper!
I am a firm believer in things happening as they are meant to and I guess this too was as it should have been. The horses were my dream but with CJ and Foxy, it was love at first sight. These two have been closes pals since she arrived. As a matter of fact, it was CJ who seen her in the pasture the day I showed him the one I was going to get...her half brother. We ended up getting them all.
I have since come to realize my time is coming and it will be soon.
Foot note; After that episode, our trainer taught Foxy how to load at a loading block so all I have to do is lead her next to the block, step up 2 stairs and get on. She never moves. Thank you Ryan!
Happy Trails!
