The weather finally broke (a little. It was still 85) and I decided to take one of my pretty ponies out for a ride. It has been long enough since I have been on that I decided I needed a saddle which kind of ruined the spontaneous feel but that was the sacrifice I made.
I let the loose horse follow us and we went for a sweet stroll out into the back pasture. Loose rein, easy going, absolutely wonderful. I was having so much fun that I decided I would pen the other mare and Daydream and I would do an additional stroll up the neighbor's hill.
She got halfway up the hill and decided she was done going in that direction. I decided she wasn't. She charged up a slate cliff face. I did get her stopped but that meant we also had to get back down. Once we had (and that was pretty doggone hair raising), she became pretty insistent we were going down the rest of the way. Again I disagreed.
We were facing downhill on gravel and she went up into the air. Now you know I am over 50, I know I am over 50, but the wee little horsey didn't seem to give a darn about that at all. Her goal was to get rid of me.
By sheer luck she didn't. But she did succeed in making me mad. We went up the rest of that hill at a trot. I figured if she was going fast enough she wouldn't have enough brain power left to think about tossing me.
When we reached the top, we were both panting. As if our struggle hadn't been enough we discovered a group of possible horse eating chickens waiting for us. Scary stuff for an exhausted little horse.
I got off and showed her that the chickens weren't too dangerous after all (I could do this because they were behind 2 fences. Hey, I'm not especially brave around them either). I even took the bridle off and let her graze a bit.
To save us both any more stress, I walked her back down the hill. Piece of cake. A stop at the house to pick up a few carrots for good behavior and then down to the barn. Some brushing, some carrot munching and then back to her well earned freedom.
Pretty exciting stuff, huh? Yeah. I have decided it was just too hard on the horse and I am going to give her a few days off. That sounds way better (and braver!) than admitting to any cowardice or soreness on my part.
8 comments:
Well, I would have given up the first time the horse wanted to do something else... And of course it isn't soreness or cowardice, horses need their rest as well! Even I know that!
You crack me up!
Seriously, I am so relieved to hear you didn't get injured. That is some scary stuff...
I seem to remember from my riding days that one thing you can try when they buck and run is to pull their head sharply towards your knee? Because they can't buck or run with their head turned like that.. Though, they might have been a bit difficult on the sharp incline like that..
Hooray for rewards for good behavior! Good thing those horse-eating chickens were not too hungry!
I use the lightest bit I can and sometimes the little bugger takes advantage of that.
And I like the idea of giving the little horsey her rest.
And here I was going to suggest that I saddle up my Lucy so we could join you for a ride! A different hill to climb. And no chickens.
Hahaha! It must have been very scary, but you managed to make it funny, too! I think I agree, after you insisting that she go your way after all, that pretty pony deserves her days off while you get over your soreness - I mean, let her think it all over. ;)
Aaaaah! Scary just reading about it! (Maybe I'm NOT quite ready to head out on the trail with Bug after an entire summer off.)
It keeps you young!
What a story! I love the horse eating chickens...horses are great, but not always reasonable...
Thanks for coming by!
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