Homeward Bound Animal Care: Horses and Pain!

Me, helmet, my new saddle, Poco (front) and Sassi

This isn't house sitting related necessarily, but it's about animals so I thought I'd share anyway. Almost 2 weeks ago I went horseback riding with a few friends and had quite an eventful day. I had a riding lesson on a Missouri Fox Trotter, Sassi (picture below), who is just that! She got a little frustrated and impatient with the lesson and decided to rear up! I have yet to experience that on a horse to this point, but figured my time was due. Luckily I did everything right and stayed on, but it was pretty scary and exciting all at once. Little did I know what else would be coming...

We went to Dimple Dell afterward to trail ride and ended up having quite the frightening adventure. I was initially riding Sassi, who I have to briefly describe. She's an English breed so her gait is very unique. Her walk and trot is so smooth you feel like you are gliding; you barely move, which is so different than the typical bounce of the trot on a Quarter Horse. Her gallop is interesting too, also smooth but different. Her breed types are used in endurance racing so she has sooo much energy and can go on forever. As we started our trail ride she would gallop ahead a hundred yards, turn around and run back to the other two riders and then turn around again. She is like an attention deficit child on a walk with elderly adults. It is super fun!

Sassi-Missouri Fox Trotter-and me!

Anyway, back to the frightening adventure...so halfway through our ride I switched horses with someone and ended up riding Riley, the Quarter Horse (pictured in a previous post). Poco (the horse I usually ride) was also there, being ridden by another friend. The ride was beautiful and so fun, but as we were approaching the end of our ride, a dog barked suddenly and spooked the horses. All three of them abruptly turned away from the dog and threw ALL THREE of us riders on the ground. Right before I came off, I realized I might be coming off and kept saying to myself "No, you are NOT falling off this horse!" I tried to fight it as best I could, but before I knew it I was on the ground rolling, having hit my leg against something. Riley was much taller and stalkier than Sassi so the thought of coming off (compared to when Sassi reared up) was a lot more intimidating! I could hear the stomping of his hooves behind me and I prayed he wouldn't accidentally step on me, causing much more severe damage than what I had. Luckily he didn't, but my leg was in intense pain. I couldn't talk or move for a good 5 minutes; I just sat there holding my leg rocking back and forth. I was worried I had broken something and the pain shot up and down my leg. But after I rested, the pain subsided enough that I was able to get up. One of the other riders broke her arm, unfortunately in her fall. After assessing each other's injuries, we ended up all getting back up on our horses and riding back to the trailer, which was only about a 10 or so minute walk back luckily. The friend who broke her arm ended up at the ER that night, sadly. Pictures below!