Let me start, by describing the incident. Suffice to say, we shouldn’t do the beginning at the beginning, we should do it later. When we are more ready for it! I had no idea what to expect, as no one provided any kind of over view. The weekend cowboy friend who had inspired the confidence in me to go on such trek, as unfit as I am, and as unfamiliar as I am with the discipline — you know because if he can do it I can do it — fell off in the first 3 min of the first day, right in front me. Just as all the whole herd was taking off in too many directions, with many galloping past us. It was so dramatic! These horses went running every where and anywhere, into the trees, over dangerous rocks, all over the place! It was insane!
My friend who, who after many valiant saves in keeping his balance, was now on the ground, was holding on to his horse by the rein. And the pony was running and dragging him. “Let go!” I shouted while actually managing to stop my incredibly bouncy chestnut. I hadn’t figured out how to get the tolt yet, and had been basically trotting out of control with no stirrups.
I had no idea what the protocol was when there was a rider down.
Have I mentioned we were riding with running loose horses?
My story is that I managed to stop Dude, and was “emergency-dismounting,” so as to make sure the person on the ground in front of us was okay. When my mount would not stand, even for a split second, with the herd galloping past him, so next thing you know my face was in the dirt.
The little chestnut began to run. Why would I hold on? I had just yelled at the rider in front of me to let go! After wrenching my shoulder significantly, I released the rein, and also let go of the idea of getting back on if my friend was ok, and then catching up with the other riders.
And, so we sat in the grass and waited for what would happen next. When the guides finally arrived, ponying our horses back to us, my dude had lost my brand new Tapestry Equine neck strap that I had looked forward to using to help me stay in the saddle in any difficult times, while saving my horses mouth. Alas.
“How Ironic!” Jill lamented, clearly getting it.
AJ said that the one upside of new guide to guest ratio, as they travelled to rejoin the others, was that she finally got a bit of instruction on how to activate and package at the same time to get the tolt, the smooth gait she was going to need to survive the journey. In catching up with the other riders, she had also had her first experience of looking across the rocky ditch and asking her mount to carry on, expecting him to jump it, and having him run right through.
Finally connected again with the others, who were resting the herd and changing horses and such, they began again, riding around a beautiful lake. It was a magical landscape and she was very happy to be there. She couldn’t believe After about 2 hours, at more pace than her “Dude” wanted to offer, AJ was getting tired. By this time, AJ had been awake for about 39 hours straight. Her host had said not to worry if she didn’t sleep on the plane, because the first day was an easy ride.
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