Re: weird things can happen when the sun shines!

["superpat" <superpat@gateway.net>]

 

Poor you, Laney,

After a ride like that, it's got to be uphill from here. Glad you ended up in pretty good shape. Our horses are so wonderful. I am convinced that they would do anything to avoid stepping on us. Once about four years ago, I was riding my NSH who was a bit brain crazed, though very sweet. We were on a very narrow trail and something really spooked her and she took off like a shot. I lost my balance and was still leaning to one side when I saw a tree coming up and my head was aimed right at it. I bailed and somehow managed to pull my horse up as I had held onto the reins. I landed under her belly, on the trail looking up at her as she came down with both feet. I swear (and it was confirmed by my friend who was on the trail just below us) that as soon as her hoof touched my chest, she went into the air again and "danced" a bit till she could come down with one hoof on either side of me. That is as close to what I am certain would have been the end, that I have ever been. Missy continued to be a bit of a spaz but I found a wonderful young woman who fell in love with her and Missy seemed to sigh and melt as soon as Martina got on her. I ended up giving Missy to her for $1 and they are still in love to this day. Be happy that you have a horse who will take care of you if you only let him.

Pat

----- Original Message -----

From: Laney Humphrey

To: Ridecamp

Sent: Sunday, March 12, 2000 9:31 PM

Subject: RC: weird things can happen when the sun shines!

Hi All, I just had to share this in good fun - now that I can type again!
    I should know better than to ride on the first sunny day in March!  Every year something unexpected happens and last Friday was true to form.  After 6 weeks of almost constant rain, we had 2 sunny days in a row and who could resist!!!
    Patty and I set out for Ft. Ord, our local flattish training area.  We decided to go in the entrance I always use because it goes to a lot of lovely single track trails.  Patty goes in another entrance that leads directly to the big 2 lane loop road.  Now, Ft. Ord is reknowned for it's "bogs" - the soil is sandy since it is nothing but ancient sand dunes and water often runs under the surface without showing on top.  I had no intention of getting anywhere near the boggy trails but I also wanted to avoid a particularly muddy, slippery hill, so we set off in the opposite direction on a trail that has always been reliable.  Well... the trail IS reliable, but the ground off to the side isn't!  Blaze didn't like walking in the water running down the trail so he swerved off to the side and ended up in...yup!  Patty says his whole hind leg went in.  All of a sudden we were leaping and bouncing and heading for a very large (and very juicy) poison oak bush and visions of total disaster were flashing before my eyes.  Landing in a poison oak bush really seemed as bad as sinking into a bog.  At the last moment though, Blaze managed to get all 4 legs on solid ground, and avoid the PO bush too!
    I decided that trail was not such a good idea and that the muddy hill had to be better so we turned around and went the other way.  The muddy section of the hill isn't really terribly long or terribly steep but the mud is the really mucky, clingy kind that's guaranteed to pull shoes off.  The left side of the trail is obviously muddy and I've never known a horse to choose to go there.  The right side looks ok until you get onto it.  Then you realize that it is undercut by run-off into a series of parallel crevices about 3 feet deep by 6-9inches wide.  In between them is solid footing about 18 inches wide.  The horses started up one of these solid strips but Patty and I both realized that the crevices were really dangerous.  Just as Patty said, "let's get off and lead them," her horse got his hind foot into a crevice which only caused him to scoot forward and over to the muddy area on the left.  Blaze was following right behind and, in trying to keep up, stepped right where Zen had - and got his left front foot into the crevice.  As Patty described it, I was on the ground before I left the saddle because all of a sudden, his front sank 3 feet!  Blaze may not always put his feet in the best places but he sure is good at getting them out!  Somehow, he lunged up and forward and got himself out also avoiding me - except for one hind foot which landed squarely on my hand!
    I always wear my helmet and from now on I'm always wearing my gloves!!!  If I hadn't had good strong leather gloves on, I wouldn't be writing this 2 days later!  There is a perfect hoofprint on my glove but xrays Sat. morning showed that nothing was broken and the swelling has already started to go down - I'm typing with both hands!  So, my thanks to my gloves, to the local fire station where they were able to cut my ring off and to Blaze for redeeming his blunder as well as he did.  Oh, and thank you sun for finally shining!
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