Day 5 - Your first fall.
Honestly, I don't exactly remember my first fall. I may have taken a tumble off the white pony I first rode when I took lunge line lessons in the very beginning as a 6 year old, but I can't describe it and I'm almost unsure it happened.
The next incidence where I hit the dirt is clearer, it happened in a riding lesson when I was about 8 years old. I was riding a big, draft cross leopard appy named "Dalmatian". He was being a pig and not wanting to go forward (as was usual). My trainer was telling me to tap him with my crop and squeeze him forward with my legs. So I was working on that when he trotted off, then pulled his big ugly head down at the bit, pulled me forward out of the tack and I slid right off down his shoulder. Thud! Right in the dirt.
I wasn't much hurt, but humiliated (it was a group lesson) and filthy. I did get back on. He did trot. And that was the last time I fell off of Dalmatian.
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4 comments:
I dont remember my first fall either! I remember my most memorable one though...I was 14 and riding my trainers 17.2 hand off the track TB monster appropriately named Thor. He spooked and took off at a FULL GALLOP heading straight for the narrowly opened gate at the end of the ring that lead out to the XC course. Two choices...try to stay on and fall off outside the ring, or put my pony club learned emergency dismount training to good use and bail. I did the latter and somehow by the grace of God lived to tell the tale. Insane!
I can just see you being pulled over Dalmation's head and sliding down into the dirt. That's classic!
I can't remember my first fall, either. It may have been an over-the-head and down the neck thing on my aunt's pony - only in this case, when the pony abruptly stopped the saddle slid part way down his neck - hmmm, cinch seemed to have been a bit loose!
I also had a BIG horse who delighted in dropping his shoulder while making a sharp turn (refusal) at a fence. I bit the dust a number of times from that maneuver - once in my B test for Pony Club!
I don't remember my first fall, but when I started riding, I surely had a lot. I used to fall off every week in lessons. Then, one week, I stayed on and that became more the rule than the exception. Been off since, but not quite so often--thank goodness. *G*
Seems as if most horsemen share some of the same memories.
I do remember my first fall, but my most memorable fall was the time I attempted to mount my pony bareback with snow pants on. I had the snow pants on over my breeches, as it was the middle of winter, and we didn't have an indoor. The plan was to remove them before getting on, but I sort of forgot they were there, so when I attempted to slide on I ended up sliding right off the other side! Hilarious for all those watching, but my poor pony was terrified! Lol.
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