I love the look on her face in this second picture. Shes like "oh dear what now!?" as I squeezed with my legs it must have felt weird because she went on this really slow wobbly walk.
Indigo's whole outlook on this
"stoopid crazy food mom"I am laughing hysterically because I nearly did a face plant over her butt when she attemped to walk in the direction my uncoordinated backwards rein signals told her to go exactly where I put her.
I love her, she tolerates so much from me. Oh yeah. Don't let your kids do this at home(even though they are probably doing it as you turn your back. So long as they have a good horse and no camera evidence is to be found. Hope mom does not read this but shes used to my crazy ideas.)
Good ol Indigo. I thought she was going to be such a brat today considering shes been all bent out of shape lately about me poking at her now healed up, but still stiff and ouchy scar where she lacerated her shoulder some 7 or 8 weeks ago.I had the best ride today. It was so crappy when I woke up. All raining and stuff. I trudged off to work mad about not having to go to school and it being a crappy day which meant no riding. Everything was so wet and nasty.
Then suddenly around noon the sun came out. Boy was it hot. I had to take my sweatshirt off. The water dried up and I said know what, time to go ride. Not too many days left like this.
My friend Keri came over. She used to ride regularly but hasn't in the last five or so years. I stick her on Sheba. Here she is holding Indigo for me wile I went to get my camera.
Look at that cute furry white butt! Haha sorry ok back to the story.
In case you are new here Sheba is a big clydeXstandardbred (we think) cross that was likely an amish plough horse due to her disposition and work ethic. Oh and some nasty HUGE splints on her front legs. I have never seen splints as big as hers.
Last time Keri rode Sheba she was bareback. She fell off. Fun times. I was driving Indigo. Keri went to canter. Mind you she hasn't ridden in...5ish years. Sheba goes one way, Keri goes the other. Keri goes to grab for Sheba's reins. Sheba actually GALLOPED away!! Woah!! Laziest horse actually gallops!? It was short lived because she stopped at the first patch of grass.Indigo got all bent out of shape and started to act stupid. I calmed her down in time for keri to hop in the carrige with me and drive up to Sheba. She lead her back.
This time we had saddles. I asked Keri if she wanted to canter. She said yes. Away I went with a cluck, I turn around just in time to see keri do the most graceful unplanned dismount and land ON HER FEET!? Say what!? I have only done this once. I was riding bareback on Indigo, one of the 2 times I have parted ways with her. walking up to a balloon in the field that had drifted there. Like those helium party balloons. We get 5 feet from it. The wind catches it, it shakes, Indigo teleports 10 feet away, I land on my feet. Hmmm. Interesting concept. Now if only I can harness this landing on feet energy I will be set for later life in my splattering years. I picked up the balloons, rubbed them on her then put them over her neck and rode home no fuss.
She got back on and we walked/trotted for the rest of the almost 2 hour ride we did.
I got my crappy Kodak camera. Man, I wish my Nikon wasnt as big or bulky or EXPENSIVE to take on rides. The quality is definately not here. Sadly enough as Kodak was the leader in photography way back when. I would not buy another Kodak product, ever. Especially after this camera. It's useless. I did get a shot of Keri's butt though. Shes probably gonna shoot me for that one.
Apparently taking pictures wile walking on a horse is too much to ask of the crappy Kodak point and shoot. Hah.How's everyone elses fall rides/drives going?
8 comments:
I used to do the backwards thing all the time with my horses when I was a kid, and my daughters used to ride double bareback on my QH Noble when they were little - one facing frontwards and the one in back facing backwards.
Glad your friend landed on her feet - when my daughter comes off Dawn she often lands on her feet - I'm not sure how she does it but when I fall - which luckily is very rarely since at my age I don't bounce well anymore - I always land in a heap, usually on my butt or head!
What a landing! I can never seem to land on my feet, but my OH seems to every time he falls off a roof, but I have never witnessed it, so he could just be saying that.
Sheba is a pretty horse! And big!
I have never ridden backwards, or at least not in my older years, I am sure it would feel very awkward!!
No riding here, way too nasty, rain, wind, thunder, lightening. I miss summer!
Kate: hence I said my splattering years. I still bounce.
Paint girl: next time your OH is working on a roof set up some hidden cameras. The workings of painted creek farm, behind the scenes breaking necks lol!
I miss them. I'll stop in one day when I see your car. :)
For sure Jo.
It takes skill to land on you feet... anyone can land on their butt! LOL
Good luck with the logging, if you do get a chance to do it. Best to do it in the winter, when there's lots of snow on the ground, not mud to wreck your horse's traction.
Fall rides are a bit iffy where we are-big blond Belgians look like really big deer, & the woods around our home is stuffed full of hunters this time of year, so we have to stay on the roads. But for the most part, the weather is holding, so what we usually do is log all day, then maybe a short cool off ride in the evening, while the boys are still in harness. Side note: It's kinda weird to ride a horse while he's in harness versus a saddle or bareback!
I hope you enjoy whatever nice fall days the weather lets you have :)
It must feel weird to a horse to suddenly have the rider's knees further back when you turn around and ride backwards. I was watching Downunder Horsemanship and Clinton was saying that he always trains his horses with a back strap around their belly even though he doesn't use one, because he didn't want to sell a horse to someone and have the horse go nuts the first time they saddle it with a back strap. Horses can be very sensitive about having pressure further back beyond their ribcage. You and your friend must be fearless.
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