When I rode horses there was the odd day I would be pitched off. An element of riding is that a horseman or horsewoman always gets back on, no matter how afraid you might be. Even if it's only for a few minutes, then you can get off and go do something else for awhile. It's important to get back on to quell any fears before they take hold after the shock of hitting the ground in an unflattering position.
When the rider returns to riding the horse they had the spill on, it is important to be firm but fair, while working on the area that caused the pitching. If the horse was being willfully disobedient, then perhaps the trainer asked too much of the horse. It is then necessary to go back to the beginning and work through the steps again to offset any future mishaps.
Photo Credit: Isulde Mulder.
19 comments:
Metaphorically, getting back on the horse is important in life too. I am upset about a couple of glaze failures today, but must carefully get back on the horse and do it right once again....
So true!!!
Very interesting post, Barbara. My eldest daughter loves to ride, but I never got good at it.
Carumba! That dude is taking one helluva spill and is going to smart for days. Barbara, do you have any pics of you riding to post?
Oops! That is a great shot, but hope the guy wasn't too terribly hurt from the fall. I've always been fascinated by horses, but sadly never had the opportunity to ride.
Gary, I posted this as it also deals with an incident that happened to me earlier in the week that came as a bit of shock.
HBFG, at least the horse was trying to avoid stepping on the guy. I wonder how the bridle broke.
Teresa, if you do go riding just keep your heels down. That helps with balance and redistributing your weight on the horse's back. Heels down can prevent this from happening, though it depends on the horse.
David, I do have some photos but no scanner. There are a couple of photos with me on a Welsh-cross pony that ran away with me when I was 6. It was the best time of my life. I loved it as I was free galloping across the field just like the cowboys did on TV. And more photos of when I was 12, the episode which was partially related in a post called "Free Spirits" in 2007.
There are a few others, but the majority were lost in a cross-country move.
The embarrassing ones I'm not posting: like the time I was showing an Arabian gelding in an English class, the horse had not been lunged before hand because the show management decided to move his stall and I had only 5 minutes to warm him up before class. When I asked him to canter he let loose with his hind legs at every stride; he was so bad that I had to ask to be excused. Later I longed him so a student of mine could ride him in her junior equitation class and the toadie was good as gold. She got a ribbon. He was a little horse, 14.2hh; though I often rode him western rather than english because of my long legs would hang down past his belly. In one of the very old Arabian Horse World magazines is a photo of us in one of the ring classes.
Willow, this is one of those shots that looks worse than it is. I don't know what happened to the rider, though I think he may have been giving a demonstration. As I mentioned above, the horse is trying very hard not to stomp his rider into the ground.
Not just life, but writing as well. A few rejections are no reason to give up. One just as to figure out what caused the rejection... and improve it. =)
Same thing is true of motorcycles. YOu've gotta get back on.
Wow. Now that's what I call a dramatic photo!
Really enjoyed your blog.
My only experience on the back of a horse ended up on the ground.
Sound advice, for many areas of life. :)
My oldest daughter had a horse names Pete. He was a retired race horse that we bought for $1 (so we could have a bill of sale). Pete was wonderful; and the 2 of them were made for each other. Nothing like the 2 of them, both chestnut haired, racing in the wind, hair and mane flying. Sadly, Pete had colic about 1.5 years ago and my daughter had to make the painful but necessary decision to have him put down.
Thanks for a wonderful post--and comments.
This is undoubtedly true in many instances in life - but I don't think you would have got me onto a horse in the first place!
Oh yes, I have "slipped off" on occasion!
thankfully, i was never thrown, but one gelding had the habit of ramming its riders leg into a fence or tree, according to the owner... so i was not surprised when it tried that with me a few times... i figured it was time to get back to the stables, and it went... happily
Wonderful photo - the horse looks like he is as surprised as the rider.
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