A Leap Year Ride

So the last day of February...the 29th...leap year.  What better way to enjoy the day (that only comes around once every 4 years) than with weather this nice.  It was amazing outside today.  Much like most of the days we have gotten this past "winter"  Brittnie and I got out the horses today.  It was quite windy so we should have known better, but we did it anyway.  This is a shot from the saddle of Joey.  We set out to just wonder in the pasture seeing that he hasn't really been rode in the last few years.  Just want to get him use to being rode more regularly.  We were having a blast.  we made several laps and what seemed like a very long time(turns out it was only 30 minutes)  Britt looks back at me and says "so mom you ready to trot yet?"  I reply with "what? NO, I am not!"  I have to remind her that even though I have been a horse owner for nearing 7 years now, because my life has been busy working, being a mom and a wife taking care of everyone around me that I have not been on the back of my horse but about a handful of times and I am not at all comfortable doing any more that just walking for now (especially since no one is home if I get hurt)  We are walking along doing great, me telling her that before I met her dad I had only been on the back of a horse twice and both times I was the person on the back behind the true rider...all the while she is laughing thinking I'm crazy(which I may be I am nearing 40 and seem to think I can do anything I want)  When all of the sudden my wonderful horse that everyone falls in love with the minute they see him reminds me very quickly that I am nearing 40 and CAN NOT do everything I want.  He tripped in a hole that I did not see to steer around and it startled him and he started play like he was a rodeo star by bucking like crazy I grabbed the reins and attempted to get control of the situation (this is where he showed me I had no control) so I knew the best thing for me was to go ahead and fall off...(like i could plan it)  Yes I hit the ground, yes it hurt.  It has been awhile since I was thrown off the top of a horse and it knocked the wind out of me.  I wanted to be tough for Britt who had hopped down off her horse to come help me.  As I tried to right my self and stand up is when I noticed that I couldn't breath.  I was standing there on my hands and knees (eye bulging out I'm sure) unable to get any real air in my lungs, she says "oh my gosh mom, do you want me to call daddy?"  Me--"NO!!! DO NOT CALL DADDY!"  I was fairly sure I didn't want to hear any "I told you so" at that moment.  He did ask me before the ride when he called to tell me he would be late if I was sure I thought it was a good idea.  I said "sure I have Britt here, if I fall she can get help if I need it."  While trying to catch my breath I just sat there in the middle of the pasture, leaned back on my hands staring up at the sky, wondering why I do this stuff to myself.  But then I remember that it's because my baby wanted someone to ride horses with and well I didn't want to disappoint her.  She is so much braver than I am when it comes to horse (I love that about her) I finally got to my feet (only about 5 minutes past) and walked back to my horse.  I noticed that as he was walking he kinda stumbled (looked almost like a limp) with his back feet as he was walking away from me.  It was that moment I felt no pain at all from my fall and all I was worried about was if he was hurt or not.  Turned out he was fine.

So the voice in the back of my head (Stephen or jimmy seago...I'm not sure whose voice it was, but I heard it plain as day) "If you fall off your horse you have to get right back on or you never will."

OK, OK, OK.  We walk back to the edge of the pasture to the block of wood (I'm too short, he is too tall...maybe both) so that I can get back on.  I get one foot in the stirrup and there he goes...bucking and kicking (this time i think he is just being a jack a**) and there I go back to the ground.  So I get up yet again and get his reins and I am so mad I can feel the tears welling up (none fell, I couldn't let myself cry)  but when I get so angry that happens every time.  I wanted to show Britt that I was OK.  I took him back to the tack shed took all his tack off, and nearly drug him back to his part of the pasture.  I did not try again because ya know I do have a brain and well hitting the ground twice in just a few minutes time was enough for this girl for one day, I am getting too old for much more than that.  

Britt continued to ride a bit longer, while I sat and watched, thinking, anger drifting away and wondering how bad my hip and knee was going to hurt in the morning.(ugh)  While pondering, I got this shot though...I love boots.  I love how they look, i love how they feel and I love wearing them.  Anyway.  I am sure its going to hurt really bad in the morning, but you know what the weather is going to be even better tomorrow so I will be dragging that crazy stubborn horse out to try again.  I don't know what is harder...my head, his head or the ground.  But come this time tomorrow I will know the answer to that question.  Lets hope it isn't the ground because I'm not sure I can handle being thrown to the ground more than twice in one week.  :)   

My leap year ride was a short one but one not soon forgotten.

Comment below and let me know how you spent your "leap day"  I would love to hear from you.

Have a great week  :)