This catchy infovideo makes me want to go riding. It's a great feeling, running out under the big Texan sky and not bad by moonlight either. But you think twice after 3 screws in the upper femur, and when all the ready to hand horses are half-broke to ride.
OK, you can always go slow and safe and walk your ill-trained equine pal around a round pen for as long as you like until you get bored. Alright, nothing wrong with that, but I like to go fast, as fast as you like and then some.
That in mind, Wisdom says "don't get on the horse or you'll break another bone, you old fool." Adventure says "don't be a pathetic wimp, ride on and devil take the hindmost."
I'm inclined towards Adventure, with this caveat. Do some boring round pen work first, get the horse worked out and riding skills dusted off. Then go for the run. Does that make sense?
Ride on,
LSP
If your mount gets frisky, haul in on the reins and pull her chin into her chest, keep her head up. That helps keep the back end down. Ask me how I know this. When I was 11 or so, my horse stumbled in a squirrel hole at the gallop and went down. I was riding bare back. Horse was fine, but I regained consciousness in the hospital with a broken left arm.
ReplyDeleteI claim no lasting effects, but there a some who would argue that.
My father was the best rider I've ever seen. He didn't become part of the horse, the horse became an extension of him. Second best? My sister. Me? Like a sack of potatoes tied to the saddle horn. That said, I could, and did, ride everything. Was riding solo by age 4.
ReplyDeleteWhen riding horses stopped being part of my work, I stopped riding them. Several years ago some friends had been in a bad accident and I was visiting when they got the dreaded call, "Your cows are out". Eventually saddled one of their nags and played cowboy. Back in the house the question was how long since I had been on a horse and the answer was around 20 years ago. Then came some snide remarks about my horsemanship. My response was, "Are your *((&^) cows in?" Crickets.
If you enjoy it why not?
Has your Doctor cleared you?
ReplyDeleteAnd should you be thrown again, and should the screws break loose... your mother would claim that her son had a screw loose or some other homey Texas saying...
ReplyDeleteIt's not worth the risk. From someone with two hip replacements. You have to care for your body.
ReplyDeleteI'd say get back on, by all means! But, first heed RHT's advice. It's a physics thing. Like a teeter totter. It seems to me that you and the horse weren't acquainted enough. He/she wanted to get out there and run, cooped up too long? Slowly at first, get that worked out and let the horse know you're in charge. Have fun, no regrets.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the riding.
ReplyDeleteRHT, thanks for the advice and that, pretty much, was what I was doing. She went full rodeo crazy and I wasn't ready for it. My fault, not the horse's. Oh well, no one died, thank God.
ReplyDeleteWSF, I'd imagine you've forgotten more about horsemanship than I'll ever know, but I do enjoy it. That in mind, when/if I get back in the saddle I'll be... sensible. OK, I find that difficult, but still.
ReplyDeleteThe last doc I spoke to, drjim, said I could but if he was me, he wouldn't!
ReplyDeleteThat, LL, is an excellent point. You'll notice I'm not arguing.
ReplyDeleteJulie, two hips! That's not a laughing matter, at all. Sound advice.
ReplyDeleteGood call, kathomp. I'd ridden the horse a fair amount over a couple of years but... not recently. She'd regressed through lack of being ridden and I asked her to do too much (spin her 'round in a tight circle) when she'd decided to to head back to the barn. Horse panicked/freaked out and BOOM -- 1 operation later, there I was. Damn good thing my eldest boy was there, he rode up, got me in a truck and off to the doc.
ReplyDeleteAnd there it is. "Have fun. No regrets." I like that.
Kid, ride on.
ReplyDelete