Texas tales
Front page news yesterday? That we had mud rains. I have never heard of - or even imagined - such a thing, but apparently it's not unknown. There was a fire in Mexico and the ashes travelled northward to be brought down during a small rainstrom we had Tuesday. Utterly bizarre, and all the carwashes are making bank, as everyone looks like they drove through 1000 miles of desert.
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Do you ever have days where you just cannot give a rat's ass, no matter what? Well, the horse I was riding yesterday was having one of those days. It started when we interrupted his dinner to root him out of the pasture and get him ready to ride. Then he was forced to trot, which apparently he is not fond of doing. It culminated with The Texan (who'd finished his lesson before mine) and me getting him ready to go back to the pasture.
He was tied off to a sturdy metal railing - how sturdy it was, we found out pretty quickly - and despite the horse's reluctance to be there (he kept shuffling back), started undoing the saddle. We got everything off him and commenced brushing when he apparently decided enough was enough. He backed up and continued to back up until he was rearing up on his back legs. I screamed and ran around the other side of the railing. The Texan was between this horse and another one, so just had to stand there. My horse kept on pulling until - snap! - the thick, corded rope, not unlike something you'd use to tie a sailboat to the pier, had snapped. The metal railing, however, held.
I had visions of the horse cantering off onto the freeway, which is ridiculous as the stables are completely fenced in, but let's face it, you're not thinking that clearly when 1000 pounds of horse is rearing above your head. Anyways, the horse got his temper tantrum out of his system and walked two steps away, where he quietly waited for The Texan to gather him up (I was too shaken to be much use). Let me tell you, no one has ever brushed a horse more quickly - we still had to get him ready for pasture - than we did after that.
My scream and the resounding crack! as the rope broke attracted everyone's attention in the adjoining padlock. My instructor was there and called over to see if we were okay. She also added that if the horse did that again, not to try to stop him from rearing up. NOT A PROBLEM. While I pride myself for being pretty strong - thank you, peasant heritage! - I don't kid myself that I could take on a horse in those kinds of circumstances.
Thus far, I have had four horse-riding lessons and have screamed during two of them. This is not the track record I'd hoped for.
********
Do you ever have days where you just cannot give a rat's ass, no matter what? Well, the horse I was riding yesterday was having one of those days. It started when we interrupted his dinner to root him out of the pasture and get him ready to ride. Then he was forced to trot, which apparently he is not fond of doing. It culminated with The Texan (who'd finished his lesson before mine) and me getting him ready to go back to the pasture.
He was tied off to a sturdy metal railing - how sturdy it was, we found out pretty quickly - and despite the horse's reluctance to be there (he kept shuffling back), started undoing the saddle. We got everything off him and commenced brushing when he apparently decided enough was enough. He backed up and continued to back up until he was rearing up on his back legs. I screamed and ran around the other side of the railing. The Texan was between this horse and another one, so just had to stand there. My horse kept on pulling until - snap! - the thick, corded rope, not unlike something you'd use to tie a sailboat to the pier, had snapped. The metal railing, however, held.
I had visions of the horse cantering off onto the freeway, which is ridiculous as the stables are completely fenced in, but let's face it, you're not thinking that clearly when 1000 pounds of horse is rearing above your head. Anyways, the horse got his temper tantrum out of his system and walked two steps away, where he quietly waited for The Texan to gather him up (I was too shaken to be much use). Let me tell you, no one has ever brushed a horse more quickly - we still had to get him ready for pasture - than we did after that.
My scream and the resounding crack! as the rope broke attracted everyone's attention in the adjoining padlock. My instructor was there and called over to see if we were okay. She also added that if the horse did that again, not to try to stop him from rearing up. NOT A PROBLEM. While I pride myself for being pretty strong - thank you, peasant heritage! - I don't kid myself that I could take on a horse in those kinds of circumstances.
Thus far, I have had four horse-riding lessons and have screamed during two of them. This is not the track record I'd hoped for.
posted by Her Ladyship @ 1:25 PM
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