Re: RC: Re: Helmets another point of view

[RunRoskoRun@aol.com]

In a message dated 04/10/2001 6:50:03 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
goneriding@snet.net writes:

<< > So where your helmet they have new ones out that are cool, comfortable, 
and light as a feather.
 
 Just wore my new Troxel AT yesterday for the first time.  Feels like
 wearing a baseball cap (only safer).  Now I have 2!  Tossing out a 5
 year-old one this week.
 
 And no, we don't need to start the "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of
 Wind in My Hair" thread again, thank you.
 
 -Abby >>
It was a brisk November afternoon and while I was happily cantering along, 
the wind in my face and my hair tucked into my helmet I suddenly realized 
that my horse and I were parting company.  While I was doing my involuntary 
dismount off his left side I remember thinking, "oh well, at least the ground 
is soft from the rain," and "...don't let go of the reins or you'll find 
Tiger in the next county."

Well, as I came off that left side still holding on to the reins and pulling 
dear Tiger's head to the left, guess what?  He turned left, right up the side 
of the levy we were riding at the base of and started scrambling up the 
slope.  And guess what else.  Since I had that short, firm grasp on the reins 
I was now underneath him and looking up at his chest.

My worst nightmare realized, I was UNDER the scrambling horse.  The first 
hoof landed on my pubic bone.  Yep, you read right, my horse stomped on my 
em, uh, er, HooHa. (If your horse ever steps on you there, you will be 
purple, black, and blue from hip to hip and your belly button down in about 2 
days.  You will also be very embarrassed when you show the Dr. where the 
horse stepped on you.)  I immediately rolled over onto my stomach, but held 
on to those reins.  The next shot landed on my hamstring, then my low back, 
then my left shoulder blade.

About this time I heard my guardian angel SCREAMING at me to let go of the 
damn reins.  I did.  One final lunge from Tiger and his right rear hoof 
stepped on/kicked me in the top/back of the head, driving my face into the 
nice soft dirt of the levy and cracking my helmet almost in two (I now keep 
it in the horse trailer to show non-helmet people).

As I gingerly pealed my body from the earth I looked up expecting to see 
Tiger's dust trail about a 1/4 mile away by now.  Instead, he stood about 3 
feet from me, head down, staring at me with a look that said, "Hey, whaddaya 
doin' down there?  Get up, let's go."       Sigh, ...my angel.

The moral of the story?  Let go of the reins (say it several times so there 
is no chance of forgetting).......and wear your helmet so that like me, you 
can later appreciate that all that milk you drink makes for strong pubic 
bones.  : )

Abigail Madden
Tiger & Rosko <<<Please don't flame our mom, she had a bad day and writing on 
the computer makes her feel better when she can't ride.