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RE: [RC] Coming back from a fall - Mary OroszI know exactly how you feel. After being away from horses for about 25 years, I was finally able to get a horse again 3 years ago. Talk about green on green! My horse was a 12year old green pasture ornament with 60 days arena training on him and here I was taking him out on trails where an elk would jump out in front of us. I was riding by myself all the time - no one to ride with - a true disaster waiting to happen. I fell - or bailed off 3 times the first year. He would either bolt or do the startle - pivot thing = and off I would go to test the dirt. I was riding a cut back saddle since that was what I was told was the only saddle I could use with my Tennessee Walker. The third time that I bailed and I ended up finding out a month later that I had gotten a concussion a month later. I was getting dizzy every time I would roll over in bed - this lasted a year. I decided I was afraid of falling and had better sell my horse. I didn't really want to sell him since this had been my dream for 25 years but riding in the hills of Idaho is not like riding in the MetroPark system of Cleveland. So up for sale he went. Of course it was the wrong time of the year and I was asking too much for him so no one bought him - thank goodness. I decide to improve myself. Jack was a real game player - along with being naturally a spooky horse = he loved to pretend to spook and bolt home. First thing I did for my safety was to get a new saddle. I had always hated western because I felt I couldn't feel the horse so I compromised and got ride of the cutback and got an Ansur treeless. This helped a little, along with doing Parelli exercises with him and taking Centered Riding Lessons. My balance has greatly improved in the last 2 years and Jack trusts me a lot more now (although he still likes to play games. He doesn't spook as often and never gets away with bolting anymore(Parelli stopped the bolting and Centered Riding helped my balance). I have a lot more confidence, but those darn pivot type spooks are quick and really hard to feel coming and especially hard to stay on using a dressage saddle, even now. It probably doesn't help that he is extremely round - and an extra wide treed saddle is too narrow for him. I recently tried (and have since bought) a Bob Marshall Endurance saddle for trail riding and am using my English stirrups with it. What a difference!!!!! If he does a pivot spook I have no problem sticking to the saddle. I honestly feel it probably has saved my life. I still use my Ansur for arena/dressage work. So as far as getting confidence back, all these three things have really helped me. Good luck, - Mary =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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