Any injuries incurred from riding:
First and most major injury was when I was a teen. My friend Sharon was gone on vacation with her family to Hawaii and I was taking care of her horses. It was the least I could do since she let me ride when ever I wanted. I was on her big mare Lady and we were just cantering around a little dirt lot. There was a little berm and she jumped over it. I was not ready for it, and I was bareback. I fell off over her shoulder but still had a hold of the reins. When I fell she backed up so as to not step on me (she was a good mare) but it pulled my arm and all the muscles in my neck and shoulder. It was bad enough I ended up going to the doctor and was not able to ride for quite some time.
Next fall was on Danny. We had just moved into the house where we live now. It was in December or Jan, cold but not freezing. We weren't even very far from the house and I heard a noise that sounded like a snake. (it was not a snake but it sure sounded like one) Danny heard it also and did a hard zig to the right, while I zagged to the left. It left me pretty bruised up one whole side and darn sure knocked all the wind out of me. Danny, being the good old boy that he is, moved to the other side of our little dirt road and stood calmly and waited. He seriously had a look on his face like, "Hey lady, what are you doing on the ground?" So although it wasn't really an injury, I was sure sore for a good week or so.
My last injury was on Revlon, the crazy paint mare I ended up giving away. I knew not to get on her with out lots of ground work. I worked her for minute and she did so well I went ahead and got on her. That was the wrong thing to do. She promptly starting bucking and face planted me. I got back on, same thing. I got back on again and rode the hair off of her. (not literally) By time we were done I had huge welts on my legs from where I had hit the saddle horn several times. It took about five trips to the chiropractor to get my neck back in line again, and truthfully it never really has been the same since.
Interestingly enough, the gal I gave her too rides her all the time and uses her for lessons. She had a lot more time to put into her than I did. She has started her on barrels and says she is wicked fast. It really is all about putting the right person with the right horse.
So I have never broken any bones that I know of, but have had a few good falls. I wish I had some real wood to knock on!
Thats honestly sooooooo true. Its all about finding a good match between horse and rider. It has nothing to do with riding ability! Its about what personalities work well together. There are horses that I wouldn't dare get on, but they have people that ride them with ease, when there are people that look at pony move, and are scared of her! I think people are a lot happier when they figure that out...if they aren't working well with a horse, it could have nothing to do with their riding abilities.
ReplyDeleteIt is true with Trax too. He came to me with the story of being a bad horse, lots of bucking and jumping out from under people. We clicked from day one and I (as my trainers tells me often) would ride him up a tree and down a fox hole and never even give it a second thought. I don't think I have ever been afraid of him, yet most people are. The only people that have ridden him since I got him are me, my trainer, and my friend Jamie.
DeleteI cannot remember my first injury form riding, just my worst but it cant have been that bad since I am still at it
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