What HAPPENED????

[Unbridled]

Last Wednesday the stablemaster at my barn and I decided to go out for a hack. There are tons of trails in the area and we did some roadwork as well, staying out a total of about 3 hours. We rode through streams, up and down a mountain, on gravel and paved roads, in fields--and everything went perfectly. During a canter he (the stable owner) even urged his horse into a gallop and Sugar followed suit. Didn't much care for that as I'd never galloped and wasn't really ready for it, but we did well and she slowed when I told her to. Anyway, everything went perfectly. Well...until the last 40 seconds.

We cantered down the gravel road and up the drive to the barn, but as we were turning the corner of the arena I suddenly felt myself come unbalanced. I'm not sure why I became unbalanced but doing so made Sugar break canter and being trotting and before I could stop myself I slipped off the side of the saddle and landed on my butt in the gravel. Didn't get hurt or anything--was only a bit sore in the bum on Thursday. But it made me so angry at myself! We had done perfectly all morning long, even during the never-before-tried gallop. Why did I lose my balance at the top of the driveway? And having lost my balance why couldn't I recover it? This is the second time I've fallen but the first where it was entirely my own fault. What was I doing wrong at that moment??? :(

WE WERE 50 FEET FROM THE BARN!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

It's so embarrassing to screw up like that in front of another rider--especially the guy who owns the place. :o

[shirley]

3 Hours !!! Do you not think you may have been tired, perhaps lost a bit of concentration for a moment.
I found myself loosing concentration after an hours lesson the other week and nearly came off!!!

[Unbridled]

3 Hours !!! Do you not think you may have been tired, perhaps lost a bit of concentration for a moment.
I found myself loosing concentration after an hours lesson the other week and nearly came off!!!

I hadn't thought of that. I didn't feel tired--unless I'm in lessons I rarely ride Sugar for less than two hours because I hack out most of the time, unless there is something specific we need to work on in the school. And I like to ride several times a week. So it's not like I went from light arena work to a three hour hack and exhausted myself. But maybe so close to the barn my concentration wavered. :confused:

[Colorado Sunset]

Ah dont worry about it! At least you didnt hurt yourself or anything. Could have been dehydration, as you were out for a long time. Just out of interest why on earth were you cantering on gravel? It cant be good for the horses feet.

[Unbridled]

Just out of interest why on earth were you cantering on gravel? It cant be good for the horses feet.

Okay, now you've got me worried.

Everyone at my barn always canters up the drive, not sure why it's just whenever I ride out with anyone we end up "racing" home. I did ask my farrier about cantering on gravel (and on the trails as they can be pretty stony). But he said Sugar's got good, hard Appaloosa hooves (at last! When I first got her they were a mess!) and that it won't hurt her. She isn't shod on the rear but she's never hesitated to canter on the gravel, nor has she ever come up lame or bruised or had her hooves chip.

Why would gravel be hard on their feet if the horse has good feet? All the ground around here (Georgia, USA) is very rocky, so it's not like I can canter her on the trails and fields and have it be easier on her feet. But I definitely don't want to hurt her, either. :(

[Colorado Sunset]

No, its just not something ive had any experience of doing! I make an effort not to canter on stony ground but gravel is different i guess, as the stones are small and smooth. Im sure, if your horse and farrier are happy with it there shouldnt be any problem. Sorry to worry you.

Jo

[Unbridled]

No, its just not something ive had any experience of doing! I make an effort not to canter on stony ground but gravel is different i guess, as the stones are small and smooth. Im sure, if your horse and farrier are happy with it there shouldnt be any problem. Sorry to worry you.

Jo

No problem. This is my first horse and I'm prone to worrying about her, anyway. :p

[jUmPingIsLifE]

cantering up gravle wouldn't be a big deal if the horse was used to it.

perhaps like others said, concentration laps, i wouldn't feel embarrased at all falling off happens to the best of it. the best thing to do is make a joke out of since noone got seriously hurt. that is what i do, i just laugh about it...even when im hurt i try and joke about it.

another question though, you wouldn't happen to be on another message board called equichat are you?

[Unbridled]

cantering up gravle wouldn't be a big deal if the horse was used to it.

perhaps like others said, concentration laps, i wouldn't feel embarrased at all falling off happens to the best of it. the best thing to do is make a joke out of since noone got seriously hurt. that is what i do, i just laugh about it...even when im hurt i try and joke about it.

another question though, you wouldn't happen to be on another message board called equichat are you?

LOL. That was actually how I first dealt with the fall. I wasn't hurt, just kind of surprised. The YO jumped off his horse and came running over, certain I had broken some part of myself, but by the time he got to me I was already on my feet. I didn't even have a bruise, although my rear end was a little sore the next day. But when I walked up to Sugar (who had continued on her merry way to the barn and was standing in front of her stall) I just laughed it off by saying, "There's loyalty for you!" The YO laughed, but really I think he was a little disappointed I wasn't being more dramatic about it. He's one of those macho, slightly sexist type of men. I like him a lot, but I think he was looking forward to taking care of the "poor little woman rider" who fell. In the end he started teasing me about "at least knowing how to fall the right way" because I didn't skin my hands or elbows or hurt myself. And the fall was pretty funny, since I had made all the way to the barn and then decided to fall off. But still...I'd much rather not have fallen in front of the YO, of all people. :rolleyes: :D

About your other question, no. Sorry, but this is the only horse chat room I'm registered on. I wish I had chosen a different name on here, though. I wanted to be "Unbridled Brunette" since that's my name in every other message board, but this place had a letter limit so I had to choose something else. Now I wish I'd thought it out more carefully. :(