NEVER
- ride a horse in an English Hackamore that just might, even if it is unlikely, buck.
- assume that you don't need personal accident insurance just because in 20+ years you never have - when you need it, you'll regret not having it.
- let yourself run out of deep heat/ralgex or painkillers. When you really need them, there won't be any there!
So, what happened? I rode little miss donkey around the field. Fine. She's been out loads of times round that field led, and has been out ridden quite happily, in a halter and the hackamore - not a sign of a buck, beautiful behaviour. So there was me pootling along. We opened the gate, wandered through, negotiated the second gate, and wandered around the field. It was a little windy but nothing too alarming.
As we headed for home, she bunched up a little, so I loosened the rein and asked her to walk on. She walked on nicely, and I relaxed just a little. Suddenly, whoosh, head on floor, proper bronco bucks - her head was nowhere in sight, all feet together. I think I stayed on for four, and remember being quite impressed at that, before losing my balance and bailing out over her right shoulder. I shot off slightly in front of her with the force of the buck, and she cantered past me, kicking me in the mouth as she went.
So I am now minus half a front tooth, my hip is absolutely killing me, and one little madam went to bed without her tea. I was not inclined to make it after that!
Tomorrow, the little **** can have the pelham in if that's how she's going to behave, and I'll be off to the tack shop to discuss other options (am wondering about a 3 ring gag to get that head up). I know she is prone to occasionally bucking when over excited (cross country, sponsored rides, jumping in the school) but not out on a hack, walking!
It was probably at least partly because she's desperate to be cantering about the place again, and I have not let her go faster than a walk. She quite blatantly wanted mummy off so she could have a good canter and she knew I wouldn't let her. For a little while, 'till she's fit enough again to be able to let off that energy in a controlled manner, methinks we'll up the bit just a little for safety's sake!
ETA: The damage, which will cost me ££££!!
- ride a horse in an English Hackamore that just might, even if it is unlikely, buck.
- assume that you don't need personal accident insurance just because in 20+ years you never have - when you need it, you'll regret not having it.
- let yourself run out of deep heat/ralgex or painkillers. When you really need them, there won't be any there!
So, what happened? I rode little miss donkey around the field. Fine. She's been out loads of times round that field led, and has been out ridden quite happily, in a halter and the hackamore - not a sign of a buck, beautiful behaviour. So there was me pootling along. We opened the gate, wandered through, negotiated the second gate, and wandered around the field. It was a little windy but nothing too alarming.
As we headed for home, she bunched up a little, so I loosened the rein and asked her to walk on. She walked on nicely, and I relaxed just a little. Suddenly, whoosh, head on floor, proper bronco bucks - her head was nowhere in sight, all feet together. I think I stayed on for four, and remember being quite impressed at that, before losing my balance and bailing out over her right shoulder. I shot off slightly in front of her with the force of the buck, and she cantered past me, kicking me in the mouth as she went.
So I am now minus half a front tooth, my hip is absolutely killing me, and one little madam went to bed without her tea. I was not inclined to make it after that!
Tomorrow, the little **** can have the pelham in if that's how she's going to behave, and I'll be off to the tack shop to discuss other options (am wondering about a 3 ring gag to get that head up). I know she is prone to occasionally bucking when over excited (cross country, sponsored rides, jumping in the school) but not out on a hack, walking!
It was probably at least partly because she's desperate to be cantering about the place again, and I have not let her go faster than a walk. She quite blatantly wanted mummy off so she could have a good canter and she knew I wouldn't let her. For a little while, 'till she's fit enough again to be able to let off that energy in a controlled manner, methinks we'll up the bit just a little for safety's sake!
ETA: The damage, which will cost me ££££!!
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