Another 'fell off' - but it was amusing

[immi]

Hi - I am a bit of lurker here but had to share my hack yesterday. I have had my mare nearly 5 years and am only just now feeling more confident on her - we have been through loads of ups and downs which are too numerous to go into as I think you would be bored rigid! Needless to say even 6 months ago it would all have been different!

I went for a lovely hack with a good friend through our local woods (which are magnificent at the moment) and as all was going so well I took the lead in a trot along one the paths. My mare 'looks' at everything and can put in a mean stop! Whilst shouting over my shoulder as to how well we were doing Willow did the famous stop and I ended up on her neck for what felt like ages - but I was laughing sooo much at my false modesty that I could not get back in the saddle and fell off (not a pretty sight!). Previously, my mare would either have had a go at me or buggered off but she just looked at me. Then I tried to get on but couldn't haul myself up (always use mounting block/am too old now/too fat/unfit etc) so my friend tried to give me a leg up but both of us were giggling so much we were ineffectual. Finally found a bench to get on and then we had to detour off the paths because of felling and I got ravished by brambles and ended up with blood allover my face. So mudded and blooded the icing on the cake was being passed by another immaculately turned out horse and rider who took one look at me and smiling said 'lovely day for a hack eh'. - well that was it - giggled all the way home.

But more than that, I was so pleased with how my mare coped with the situation - in the past she would have lost the plot, she can be quite aggressive when she is anxious. I know being a nervous nelly is a horrible experience and wholly personal but on the occaisions when you overcome it (it took 4 years, and I am sure it will rear its ugly head again) the world seems a happier place.

Thanks for letting me share.

[a+e]

Great story! Made me giggle too:D
Glad you could see the funny side of it.

[Troi]

Glad you didn't hurt yourself:):)
Great thet horse is so trusting now

[Rebecca1969]

Classic with the other rider passing by!:D:D:D:D:D:D

[Trewsers]

Hey good for you! Sounds like my kinda hack - who needs to look pristine anyways!! hehehehe, sounds like you have come a long way - like your mare is now trusting you. Its lovely when it goes well isn't it?

[Cobgirl]

Glad you are ok and at least you had a laugh when you gracefully slipped around her neck! At least you never hit the ground and caused an earthquake...plus you never had an audience as well!

hacking is great isn't it this time of the year. Down here in the SE, the trees are amazing colours but it is cold. I left Mollie this afternoon around 3.45 and by the time I walked from her stable to the car, about a 10 minute walk, I was frozen! Set to be around -5 tonight in some places.

Tell us all about your girlie and how much she has progressed. Gives us all hope!!

[Whinneyha]

How lovely that you were relaxed enough to have the giggles!:D;)
My RI often tells me that it is good to be laughing whilst coping with spooks, stops or unscheduled sideways stuff. It makes you "breathe", something which you can forget to do when nervous.

Reading your experience gave me a right ole' chuckle I must admit, as it reminded me of my own "falling off" experience whilst out hacking last year.

My hacking buddy and I were both quite hesitant about going on bridleways where there were gates as our horses were not particularly good at letting us close them.
On this one occaision we had both tried on horseback to close this gate which had a huge muddy puddle/deeply rutted track on both sides.
Neither of our mounts wanted to step into the claggy slurpy mud to allow us to push the gate onto it's latch. We were trying in turns to acheive this small task for about 5 mins. My horse Bracken then decided he was going one way, whilst I was still holding the gate latch and pushing the other.
Result....we parted company with me ending sat upright in the middle of the puddle, mud up to my ****, giggling myself silly, whilst Bracken stood nose to my face, as if saying "What're you doin' down there Mum".

My hacking companion often says she wishes she had remembered to use her camera phone to record the image....she reckons it would have been a real "you've been framed" moment!

Thanks for sharing your happy experience, sometimes it just makes you realise that for all the difficult times, it has all been worth it.

[Trixie]

Love the bit about the passing hacker. Also my eyes were out on stalks imagining you being "ravished" by brambles. Glad you're having a ball and I wish I could be more like that.

[fairlady]

Ha, I have had a few hacks like that myself over the years:D:D

All a good 'learning' experience, and the truth is if you can manage to keep a sense of humour about it all its not that bad:D:D

Quick tip; You NEVER say how well you are doing on a hack, OH NO NEVER.

What you say is 'up to this particular point in time......' before you say anything else....... :D:D

I have also learnt that with experience over the years:D:D;)

Happy Hacking....

[cazrider]

Lovely post immi. :DReally opleased to hear you're a long way towards conquering your confidence demons. Giggling is one of the best ways I know or achieving that.:D

[ANN H]

Well done - its good to laugh about this sort of thing if you can, rather than letting it get you down/knock your confidence. I've had my mare for 5 years now, and although we've been hacking with somebody for the last four I've only lately been going out on my own. A lively hack would probably be an understatement, but I think we understand each other now, and she trusts me enough to guide her!!

[immi]

Thanks for the kind responses. I am still giggling about it although the shine is a bit tarnished by the fact that my once tricolored mare is now looking like a rasta bay with mud dreadlocks the works (the natural look is all very well, but I can see the attraction in hogging) - still, we like to turn heads when we hack out! Oh and yes, I now have learn't not to jink outings with commenting on how well she is going!

Take care

[cazrider]

Don't knock the rasta bay, I've got one of those.;):rolleyes:

[coverblown]

I got ravished by brambles !!!!!!

Great story, sounds like you had a lovely time. I love it when you can have a laugh out riding. And your horse is doing just great too.