I’m A Loser, Baby
Let’s talk about your horse’s biggest fail. What did Thunderhooves do that embarrassed you, scared you, shocked you or just annoyed the hell out of you?
To all those brave souls out there working their way through young/green horse crap, I commend your efforts. Take comfort in knowing you are not alone in that feeling when your horse leaves you lying in the dirt, sand up your nose, wrist may be broken, wondering why is my horse running around, jumping all the jumps now when I am here and NOT when I was up in the saddle. We have all at one point or another been through humiliating/terrifying moments with our horses and we all pray that the fewer people around to witness it the better.
I was not so lucky on the witness count a few years ago at Miss Tea's first horse show. It was early June and one of the first shows in our area. She was five years old but not totally broke...I knew she needed to get out and see the world before she became a yard ornament but I was certainly worried we were not ready for public scrutiny.
Our one and only class was walk/trot and yes, I was the oldest competitor. The class was scheduled for after lunch so I had tons of time to warm up and settle in. It was an outdoor show and had a great turn out. I realized quickly that walking around other horses that were trotting, cantering and coming too close was a problem - we did not have much experience with that. I survived the morning ride in the warm up area and after lunch, saddled up again for another go before my class.
Miss Tea had not settled one bit by then though. I was out in the field planning to mount. I tried to mount but the saddle slipped a little, perhaps a bit further than she was used to. She was just so clean for the show, it must have added to saddle movement. No problem, I thought. Just slip the saddle back up a bit and tighten the girth.
Everything here on in went in slow motion. I attempted to straighten the saddle. Miss Tea panicked at the feeling of it. She bolted backwards and sideways and I felt the reins slip through my fingers one millimeter at a time - and she was gone.
She first bolted towards the crowd of people, bucking and then the saddle was completely under her. She spun and ran the other way towards the open field. OH-MY-GOD the OPEN field flanked by NO fence beside a busy highway. In the middle of this open field was the warm up arena - fenced with a gate. It is quite possible she ran into the arena instead of off into the sunset because that is where we had been earlier that day to ride. I ran and closed the gate behind her and a couple people helped me retrieve her.
With the moment of terror over came the embarrassment, #Many onlookers, #Someone just kill me.
She fortunately had no injuries to her legs despite all the stirrup flopping/galloping/bucking.
And, I went in my walk/trot class. #Badass!
