RC: My weekend ride

[DESERTRYDR1@aol.com]

I have to tell a story on myself.  My friend Barb and I went riding at one of 
our favorite spots last Sunday.  We usually go about 10 miles, about half 
trot and a quarter gallop and some walk.  We decided to go a little farther.  
On the way up, theres a pretty good downhill a couple hundred yards long.  We 
were walking down and I decided to have a drink.  I had my waterbottle up to 
my mouth, I'm leaning back a bit, and all of a sudden my mare TAKES OFF!  No 
particular reason, and I'm kind of flapping in the wind because I was already 
out of balance from leaning back to drink.  I yelled WHOA and she slowed down 
then finally stopped.  I got myself reseated and we continued on our way.  
Then later I got off to open a gate.  When I go to mount, my mare ALWAYS 
takes a step or two before I get totally seated.  I know, I know--poor 
training, but it never really bothers me.  This time she didn't take a step, 
and I about went over the other side.  Barb is sitting back there just 
breaking up!  Now I know what that step is for, it's to keep Mom on top!  So 
we continued up a couple big hills to an old homestead.  I had to pee, so I 
went over in some tall grass.  Did my thing, then moved a bit to get 
everything back where it belonged and heard THAT SOUND.  You know the one 
like a fast baby rattle.  About two feet from me.  I couldn't see him, and I 
just real slow stood up and backed out the way I came in.  I told Barb "You 
probably don't want to go over in the tall grass, there's a rattlesnake."  
She figured she'd stay in the open by the old shed.  

We rode on home with no more incidents.  That night I was laying in bed, and 
thought back on that damn snake.  The more I thought about it, the more shook 
up I got!  Damn near had a heart attack lying in bed thinking about it, 
wondering if it had bit my how the heck would I have got down to the 
hospital!  We were 7 miles back in, and Barb would have had to ride back then 
drive up to get me.  This morning in the newspaper was an article about a kid 
who picked up 10" long baby rattler thinking it was a bullsnake.  It bit him 
on the end of the finger, and he spent three days in intensive care!    Do I 
have great luck or what!   jeri