#52 Horns, Horses, & Hangups

#52  Horns, Horses, & Hangups

Well, I am still trying to settle down.  A very exciting, nerve wracking ride I had today - to be sure !!!


I have thousands of hours under my butt when it comes to riding the darlings.  I've been snagged on horns and my girlfriend has been snagged on horns from her hood on branches. No huge deals but enough to be conscious of the danger of getting hung up.


But, never have I had such a terrifying experience as I did today.


I know all about horns - I know when I am training an unbroke horse, riding a horse I don't know well, or working with an outlaw horse, to always keep my jacket open - never, ever closed - and I follow this rule of mine religiously with no exceptions whatever.


But, on my own guys, I just don't think about it.  Duh, duh and duh !!!


I rode Dusty today, my tall Tennesee Walker, and decided to switch saddles.  After riding for about 15 minutes, I went to get off him to adjust my stirrups.  And I got hung up.  My jacket caught on the horn, he is tall, and apparently I was on a bit of a decline, and I am very  short.


I am on tiptoes.  There is so much tension on my jacket that there is no way in heck I can unzip it.  So I tried to pull it over my head.  No go.  Thank the Lord Dusty just stood there


I carry an army utility knife but I was hanging so much that I couldn't even get the knife out.  So, then I thought I'd better give my husband a call because there didn't seem to be anything else left to do and I was afraid Dusty would be getting restless.  I'd been hanging there for quite spell by then.


 I don't really know if I could have even reached my phone, but nonetheless I didn't even try, since, though Dusty was superb I wasn't sure if a 4 wheeler would have disturbed him and  if he even simply started to walk, I was going to be dragged.


Since I couldn't undo myself, I finally asked Dusty to move down the tiny incline just one step - I was scared to death because if he took two steps I was in even more trouble than I already was.  Well, great fella that he is, he did just as I had asked.  Then I asked him for one more step - he did it , and bit by bit by bit, I was able to pull the zipper down an inch at a time and finally was able to fully open the jacket.


Thank heavens, Dusty knows that whoa means whoa with no if's, and's or but's.


And, would you believe, only about 1 month ago I had my husband saw off the horn on my beautiful Circle Y saddle.


So, as aware as I am about horns - things still got screwed up.  I wrote this just to let you know.

This  is Dusty - I owe this boy forever for being so good during the hangup !!!



Adventure Horse Riding in NYS            Smilla13@gmail.com  (Mary Dixon)                                       www.RideNYS.com

#50 Meanies and Fools

#50  Meanies and Fools

I was reading about Linda Parelli's accident, and then about the death of one of her horses Westie. I could not believe the mean comments I read throughout various forums. They acted as though a Parelli horse should never spook or trip. Are you kidding me?

Which then reminded me of a friend of mine, Jerry, a very experienced rider, who was racing with some others and he crashed into a tree and knocked himself out - well, the consensus seemed to be that he had it coming because he was racing and because he wasn't wearing a helmet.

Which then reminded me of a woman that was lunging her horse, and as she lunged, she let the lunge rope wend its way around her legs. Well, the horse spooked and dragged the woman and I think she died - can't remember - but the response was she shouldn't have been so stupid.

And, 2 years ago, I read about a barn owner that walked into a stall to remove a blanket from a horse, the horse spooked and pretty well smashed up her face with some well placed kicks.

And, my friend who was readying her cow for the county fair, had the lead rope around her wrist as she was whitening her, the heifer got scared and dragged Lori across the railroad tracks and down a dirt road..

And, me, who had spurs on the first time but forgot I had them on and nudged Smokin' Joe over a jump - well, we sure did get over that jump.

And me, again, standing across a creek & holding the lead line to encourage my horse to cross the creek - well, she did cross the creek right on top of me.

And me - lots of other stupid stuff - and, lo and behold - I still catch myself being really foolish.

Stuff happens -  it simply means we were  stupid, ignorant, immature, or simply unaware.  What it does NOT MEAN is that "we had it coming to us."

It doesn't mean we deserved, or our horses deserved, getting hurt. Horse people need to be kinder in their hearts.

Adventure Horse Riding in NYS            Smilla13@gmail.com  (Mary Dixon)         www.RideNYS.com