The horses were already saddled when I got there and I worked Tabasco in the round pen for a few minutes. He did great and was nice and calm. We led the horses outside and got on. Christy was going to pony me until I get more comfortable with Tabasco so I handed her the lead rope. I had my new bitless bridle on as well so I still had reins of my own. I climbed on up on Tabasco then he decided he was going to do a little jig. I don't know what we looked like or what all he did, but it felt like he was hopping a bit and walking sideways. Needless to say, Tabasco ended up losing his balance or tripping on a little hill as he was walking sideways and down we went.
At this point everything is in slow motion for me. I see Tabasco getting up and I notice that my foot is still in the stirrup (I forgot to wear my cowboy boots and was wearing my sketchers with great tred/grip on the bottom *insert face palm here*). Then I thought, "Oh great. Now I'm going to get stepped on and drug." Luckily when Tabasco got all the way up my foot came out of the stirrup. Tabasco then trotted over a few paces to another horse and just looked at us like WE were the ones that tried to kill HIM. He let me walk up to him and was fine with that. Just a little wide eyed and breathing hard but not overly freaked out. We have no idea what set him off in the little jig.
All of us are okay. Tabasco hurt his shoulder some from the fall/the stirrup/my foot/who knows, Christy got some rope burn from trying to hang onto the lead rope, and I just have some bruises/a stiff body. I've never been big on helmets until recently, but I was actually wearing my helmet too (go me!).
We went back into the arena and we worked Tabasco for a little bit, trying to undo what had just happened. I got to slap the saddle, jump around, stand in the stirrups then get down (pretty much look like a lunatic) and then sit in the saddle a couple of times.
I'm really glad this happened while we were at Christy's so I know what to do if it happens to me at home.
I'm going back out there Tuesday morning and we're going to try the trail ride again. I'm sure next time I'll have a better story to tell you all. :)
1 comment:
Sorry to read that, but it sounds like you did the right thing afterward. He must have been caught by surprise somehow. I'm sure he'll do better next time.
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