Re: Trees and limbs overhanging

[owens <owensall@sierranet.net>]

spencer wrote:
> 
> A few years ago, at the beginning of a ride in east Texas, a guy
> riding a big horse was hit in eye with overhanging tree limb.  He got
> a laceration thru his eyelid and had to go back to camp and town to
> get it repaired.  Noone else had not problem as they were riding
> 'little arabs'.  That day I continued with his junior so she could
> still ride.  It was interesting riding with a youngster you hadn't
> known before, but we had a good time.  Other rides I have been on, I
> was cantering with my head on my horses neck to keep under the limbs.
>  But the limbs just hit my hard hat and were no problem.  In those
> days, not many wore hard hats, but it turned out to be good for branch
> safety too.  I have heard of riders getting cracked ribs from doing
> that using a western saddle (that is leaning along the horse's neck).
>  But I don't rope bovine so have had not use for the 'sissy stick'.
>  When I first came to Tx, there weren't many using english saddles and
> cars would slow down and make disparaging remarks about the saddle and
> hard hat.  Usually, I could shut them up when I told them I also rode
> my stallion with that postage stamp saddle.  Now I am glad to see most
> adults wearing hard hats.
> Mary Ann
> Zavalla, Tx
> + Muscatatique
>   fire red Muscat grandson
> & Baskhana
>   Bask grandaughter
Dear Mary Ann:
When I first came to live in my little cattle and goldmining town,
EVERYONE said the same thing when they saw me out riding my feisty,
young arab in my little dressage saddle.  The funniest time this
happened was when I was trying to get the horse to cross a creek, which
had more water in it than the last time we were there, and he was busy
trying to climb the banks so he didn't have to actually get in it.  An
older cattle man, with a thick Scottish brogue, was coming in to feed
his cattle, stopped his little pickup and watched the show.  Finally,
when I got across, he said thoughtfully,  "Think you need a bigger
saddle!".  I always wanted to reply,  "So, if I got a really, really BIG
saddle, you mean he won't DO THIS?"  
Katee