Back In the Saddle

[I Luv Herfrds]

Finally I am getting my confidence back to go riding again.
Took my horses for their regular trim and threw my dusty saddle in the back of the truck.
I go to a friends, the farrier stays at her place.
She has a really nice round pen.
Got my son's horse saddled up and walked him around the pen both ways getting him used to it.
Got on him, he did a few funny steps as a bluff. Nutty horse.
Walked him at first changing directions and getting him to remember to neck rein.
Got him into a slow trot and then into his "machine gun" trot.
I think I rode for 30 or 40 minutes, then my knee started giving me fits and I had to stop.

I'm going to have to keep riding him, then hopefully by the end of next month I have enough confidence to get on my young horse and ride him too.
For once I wasn't totally scared.

[Nicky]

Good for you! Too bad you aren't closer, I'm riding some colts and would love the company. How's the daughters horse?

[I Luv Herfrds]

He is doing very well. She is not allowed around him right now, she has 7 stitches in one of her toes. Just being safe right now.
Real calm horse. Sure glad we got him.

[kolanuraven]

[I Luv Herfrds]

kola I plan to take her to my friend who taught kids to ride and dealt with handicap kids.
now that school is out I can get both down to her. She charges $20.00 an hour.
I already rode her horse. Took several deep breaths before I could put my foot in the stirrup, so this last time i just stepped up and away I went.

[Yanuck]

I guess I missed part of the story...why are you afraid to ride a horse?

[MsSage]

[I Luv Herfrds]

Yanuck what happened is I was helping some friends move their neighbors cows. I was on my horse that was a green 2 1/2 year old. the move was around 12 miles. There was 3 of us riders and a truck and trailer just in case.
Well about mile 10 my horse started stumbling and was tired. We loaded him up and I offered to drive the rig.
Our friend driving it said to take his horse instead. I had never ridden this horse.
The saddle was his, so it didn't fit me and the stirrups were too long.
There was a pair making a break for it and I goosed this horse to go after them. The horse took the bit went right instead of left in a dead run ran up onto the road jumped off of the 3' embankment on the other side, I got loose in the saddle, he gave a buck and I was gone. I know I rolled twice and stopped laying on my back with my right shoulder dislocated.
I had to explain to my friend on how to get it back in.
I did get back on that horse, but afterwards I had lost a lot of my confidence.

I still hate that horse. Every time the weather changes or I'm doing something very physical I hate him all over again.

[kolanuraven]

[Faster horses]

Kola is right. I'm sorry that happened to you. Sometimes things
stack up and end in a disaster. I too, don't have the confidence
I used to have when riding. It comes with age too, I think.
Us women have so much responsibility that we don't want to get
hurt. And the more you ride the better you get. That is difficult too.
Not many ranch ladies go ride just for fun.

And I hope you learned that a 12 miles is way too far to ride
a horse that young.

We were on a ranch in the Powder River that was 72,000 acres--72,000
rough acres.
The guys there were great horsemen. They rode a horse and led
a colt to wherever they needed to go. If we were sorting cattle,
they'd tie the colt up and gather with the older horse, then use the
young horse to sort with. They maintained that once you override
a young horse and he gets real tired, they will never be as good
as if they hadn't gotten used that hard when young. They
spent most of their life with a pair of bridle reins in their hands.
We learned a lot from them.

Did you see the front of the last Drover's Journal? Go take a look.
The man on the horse is sitting more to one side than the other.
When you have to ride a horse a long ways, you better not do
that, because you will soon have a sore-backed horse. These guys
on the Powder River would not allow that. you sat in the middle of
your horse!

And we learned about riding "both sides of your horse". Most people tend to ride one side or the other. You can tell which side you ride by looking
at your stirrups. One will be more worn than the other. All these
things are to keep your horse as fresh as possible on a long ride.

I realize most people don't ride as far as they did, but the principal is still the same. I found it most interesting--and so much I never knew, or
didn't think about. These guys were the real deal. We were fortunate
to have the opportunity to spend days horseback with them.

[WyomingRancher]

I understand exactly what you're going through, and it's no fun! It's really more of a mental injury you're trying to overcome, than a physical one .

Here's a link to my previous post regarding this topic, and THE BEST ADVICE I could receive, compliments of Leanin' H . Print his advice out, and read it before you go out to ride. It's really helped me out a lot! Good luck!

And FH, I am one of the few ranch ladies who regularly saddle up and ride...just to ride. It's nice not worrying about doing a job, but rather relaxing and enjoying time riding. Sure clears my head up, and helps put the day in perspective . I'm lucky to have this opportunity.

Link to my post: http://ranchers.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25250&highlight=confidence

[Faster horses]

Wow, H. That post to Wyoming rancher was profound.
Spiritual, even.

I know exactly of what you speak and I too, have been truly
fortunate to experince those things. Now when I get my knees
done, maybe I can be horseback again!!

Thanks for sharing that, Wyoming rancher.