First Fall
It was bound to happen sooner or later.
The unseasonably warm weather meant that today we rode outside for the first time since..Like.. November? And Leo was very, very excited.
The outside jumps are much "scarier" than the inside ones. Trainer K had a 2'-2'6 course set up. Everything was going swimmingly, if the swimmer was a dolphin on crack attempting to hit warp speed. But the jumps were pretty solid. I got lost coming off a line, made an awkward turn into a bending line at the last second, and Leo noped out of the second jump pretty hard. I, on the other hand, jumped it. Like, full cartwheel hit the jump with my torso then hit the ground jumped it.
Unfortunately, there is no media of this. I am told that it was pretty spectacular.
My poor horse was so confused - no one has ever fallen off of him during jumping before, and he was staring at me like wtf is wrong with you, person?!
I'm fine, just bruised ribs and a small bump on my forehead from my head apparently colliding with something at some point in this process. Leo has been so solid in the indoor, bravely jumping everything he's pointed at - I forgot that he used to dive sideways multiple times during lessons, and that blue barrels are his arch nemesis (the jump in question was, in fact, blue barrels). These days he typically he locks onto whatever jump is in front of him and will swerve back in to a line if it's crooked in order to make the jumps work, so I was completely unprepared for his sideways teleportation manuver. The rest of the lesson was rough - my confidence was shot, and so was Leo's, and jumps that were easy before were suddenly terrifying. We got over everything in the end, but it wasn't pretty.
The unseasonably warm weather meant that today we rode outside for the first time since..Like.. November? And Leo was very, very excited.
The outside jumps are much "scarier" than the inside ones. Trainer K had a 2'-2'6 course set up. Everything was going swimmingly, if the swimmer was a dolphin on crack attempting to hit warp speed. But the jumps were pretty solid. I got lost coming off a line, made an awkward turn into a bending line at the last second, and Leo noped out of the second jump pretty hard. I, on the other hand, jumped it. Like, full cartwheel hit the jump with my torso then hit the ground jumped it.
Unfortunately, there is no media of this. I am told that it was pretty spectacular.
My poor horse was so confused - no one has ever fallen off of him during jumping before, and he was staring at me like wtf is wrong with you, person?!
I'm fine, just bruised ribs and a small bump on my forehead from my head apparently colliding with something at some point in this process. Leo has been so solid in the indoor, bravely jumping everything he's pointed at - I forgot that he used to dive sideways multiple times during lessons, and that blue barrels are his arch nemesis (the jump in question was, in fact, blue barrels). These days he typically he locks onto whatever jump is in front of him and will swerve back in to a line if it's crooked in order to make the jumps work, so I was completely unprepared for his sideways teleportation manuver. The rest of the lesson was rough - my confidence was shot, and so was Leo's, and jumps that were easy before were suddenly terrifying. We got over everything in the end, but it wasn't pretty.
So, important question - would you replace your helmet after a fall like this?
Ouch! Glad you are ok! I would be tempted to replace the helmet because you obviously hit your head if your forehead is bruised. :(
ReplyDeleteThat's kind of what I'm thinking /:
DeleteAbsolutely replace the helmet. Sorry to hear about your crash 😔
ReplyDeleteIt was not a fun time.
DeleteReplace the helmet. You only get one brain. I'm sorry you had a fall :(
ReplyDeleteHappens to everyone sooner or later ;P at least it wasn't at a show...
DeleteGah - sorry you had a fall. Glad you both are mostly ok!
ReplyDeleteIt's going to take a few more lessons to build our confidence back up, I think, but we'll get there!
DeleteThat sucks. But you do need to replace your helmet.
ReplyDeleteUgh I know.
DeleteI haven't yet unwillingly fallen off Bailey yet... but her reaction to my singular emergency dismount was very similar to Leo's, it sounds like XD.
ReplyDeleteI'd replace the helmet... which totally sucks, and I'm sorry.
I'm holding out until Presidents' Day in hopes of getting a sale price. Because poor. Sigh. Horses.
DeleteAh well, it was bound to happen! It's nice that Leo was so sensible about it. I've developed an unhealthy grip on my reins when I fall because SOMEONE uses it as an opportunity to RUN RUN AWAAAAAAAAAAAY.
ReplyDeleteHaha he was definitely way more surprised than I was - it was one of the falls where you see it coming .04 seconds before it happens, but I think it caught him completely off guard!
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