Number Eight

I rode a whole lot this weekend. We went to Miss Janet's again so that we could have another jumping lesson. Stella did choose to go over the poles for the most part, though she ran out a few times and I hurt my back quite badly. We popped over a few crossrails in a combination, and Mindy also took her through once or twice. We also worked on leg yielding. Stella did a nice job at the walk, trot, and one direction at the canter, but she absolutely refused to do it in the opposite direction. That was the direction where I had to use my "bad" leg, the one that hurts the most when I try to use it. We had a great lesson, though, and it was a lot of fun. I don't know when we'll go back, but Larry might take us again next weekend. 

Today I rode again. Larry told me not to longe Stella since I'd worked her pretty hard yesterday. I just got on her and started walking her around. Larry was working Tatiana in the ring, and he was trying to get her to go over some poles. He asked me to take Stella over the poles to "show Tatiana how it's done." 

I'm a sucker for irony, so I find the next bit hilarious. I walked Stella up to the poles, and she planted herself to the ground. Larry urged me to get her over, and I kept asking her to step over the poles. I don't know whether she jumped the poles or suddenly leaped into the trot, but I got knocked off balance. I held on just long enough for her to carry me past the gigantic mud puddle and more toward the center of the ring, and then PLOP I went. 

It was a really cool fall. I felt like I was defying gravity for quite a few seconds. My left wrist absorbed a lot of the impact, even though I tried not to land on it. I also hit my chin and almost broke off the visor of my helmet--a lovely faceplant. Larry had just disked up the ring the evening before and everything was still soft and damp from the precipitation a few nights before, so it wasn't too bad. To be honest, I think the feeling of cool, damp dirt against my skin is pleasant. I thought it was funny when I was lying there, because one of my first thoughts was, "Oooh, this actually feels kinda nice..." 

Larry asked me if I was okay, and then he started laughing at me and telling me that I wouldn't have fallen off if I'd been using a "good saddle" (a Western one, of course...sigh... :) ) like he'd suggested. Then he said that he always gets me into trouble. Ah, it's okay. It happens. 

The ride itself wasn't too bad. Stella was a little jittery after I got back on. She's really scared of people falling off of her or people falling off of other horses nearby, and I could tell she was still a little nervous for most of the rest of the ride. I also started stiffening up shortly after the fall, which didn't help me ride well or calm the horse down at all. My hip also kept catching when I cantered, and I kept on having to stop, dismount halfway, and wait for the little pop. 

I get to ride tomorrow too, which is exciting. Hopefully I'll get one of the horses that I really like, and hopefully I won't be too sore. (I'm not counting on it, haha. My shoulder is already touchy.)