Well, I think my equines got together today and decided they are tired of me breaking them, so they made a plan between them that whoever I got on next was to break me for a change......
I saddled up Louie today and put my little S hackamore on him. I've only put this on him once about a week ago when just riding him in my front paddock which is only about 70' x 80'. He is a quiet mule and has never offered to pull or be a problem so I didn't think riding him in this hackamore would be a problem though it doesn't have much whoa. And it wasn't a problem that day, he responded nicely.
Today, I got on, did one lap around the front paddock just fine then headed out into the field. Now mind you my "field" is not really so big, 1/2 acre or so BUT........... Louie started to perk up and broke into a trot. I pulled back on that S hackamore and he quickly realized that it just didn't have much bite or power to it and he said YEEEEHAAAAAAA and took off. He went straight to the fence line and took a sharp left which I tettered but stayed on. He took the next sharp left at the corner and I was actually doing a bit better and realizing that pulling was uselss and I'd just have to ride it out. We were racing along with the fence on our right side and coming to the next corner where he'd have to turn left again. We came into the corner at full speed, I braced for the left turn........and the little bugger turned himself inside out to make a right hand turn INTO the fence. He didn't hit the fence thanks to his unique mule ability to make a turn no horse could have ever done. Needless to say, I still went left and took a pretty hard pile drive into the ground. Landed on my left side hard on my hip and shoulder. And I think I may have broken a rib or two. Once the initial pain wears off, I'll be better able to access the damage. I may be in much better shape then I feel like right now. Sigh......
Update: Bruised hip and some broken ribs. Fun, fun......Guess LBM gets a little more time off.....
I am just now reading this, Cindy! OW! Especially the ribs. I cracked mine really hard last year and it takes weeks before the pain goes away. owie owie owie Guess Louie just wanted to play...
ReplyDeleteI'm just reading your comment now Jaci! LOL. And yes, broken ribs are very painful. First time I've ever broken any. I'm good now but it took a good six weeks. Trying to sleep was the worst. There was no position that didn't hurt either the ribs or the bruised hip.
ReplyDeleteAnd it wasn't Louie's fault, he was just playing and is young and green enough that he didn't know that was a bad thing to do.