Re: [RC] learning from riding accidents - Truman Prevatt
On a ride many moons ago I caught up to Lawton Johnston (AERC Hall of
Famer) and a gentleman I am proud to say I called a friend on the last
loop of a ride. Lawton was a ripe young age to 72 at that time. We ride
the last 10 mile of that loop together both knowing we were in first
and second place. I wasn't worried because I have never seen an Arab
that could outrun a TB in a mile and my walking horse could outrun most
TB I knew and she was very fresh.
At a mile out we cross a road and come in on a crushed limestone road.
After we cross the road - Lawton takes off - my horse follows suit. I
am holding her back with all I am worth - no reason to let her go too
soon. In about 100 meters, Lawton's horse trips on a pot hole and they
go flying. I stop, Lawton is getting up - dazed but no serious
injuries. The horse is laying flat on the road. I told Lawton to stay
there. I jumped on the mare -galloped like hell the last mile and told
the nurses (the RM was a nurse and she had a bunch of her buddies
there) and vets at the finish to get the hell out to help Lawton.
Long story short - they both recovered. This was December and despite
five broken ribs and a separated shoulder from the fall they finished a
ride in April and the Tevis that year.
What did I learn - it can be dangerous when your horse trips in a pot
hole.
Moral - this is a sport of risk. You as the rider are responsible to
manage those risk. If you are going to try to win the risk are higher.
If you are going to try to win the probability of an accident is higher
- just ask the guy that mashed into a tree a Million Pines this past
week-end. You can only learn so much from someone's accident. It's
really up to the rider to determine the risk and manage them
appropriately. As Bob Morris often reminds us - it is ultimately the
responsibility of the rider.
Truman
Tracy Cann wrote:
I've only been doing this since late 98 so I for sure don't know
"all that". But, on your question about accidents, well,,,,, sometimes
no matter how careful you are they happen. Every bad accident I've had
over the years (been riding over 30 years, just Endurance for 5) just
happened. I've had multiple broken bones, 4 concussions, and some
minor injuries. Only one trip to the hospital required an ambulance
and that involved a head injury. If I hadn't been wearing a helmet I'd
have died.
What I'm saying is you only realize you're going too fast or not
looking when it's too late. I've been looking and going slow and still
had a wreck because something else around me went wrong. What I try to
do is always think of safety and always think of what could happen
"before" I try something. That doesn't mean I won't try it, I'm just
being careful. If you saw the hole your horse shouldn't have tripped
in it. Lots of holes are hard to see until you're in them but you just
look as hard as you can. You can't sit perfect in the saddle all the
time. Actually, if you're always worried about how you're sitting you
might miss something going on around you that could get you hurt.
The best you can do is remember you are responsible for your
horse's safety as well as your own. He relies on you to keep him in
one piece and you can't let him down. Do everything to improve your
riding, learn good horsemanship skills (most of which don't involve
riding) and most important "RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE!!!" An Endurance
veteran told me that a few years ago and it is the most important thing
I have learned in this sport, and life for that matter. Endurance
isn't a competition between horses or people, at least to me. IT'S A
TEST OF HORSEMANSHIP. Multi-days especially have taught me that. Just
keep that in mind and you'll probably get you and your horse to the
finish safely.
Tracy Cann
p.s. A great way to see if you are ready for a 50 is to do a
multi-day LD. If you can do 2 or (even better) 3 days of LD you for
sure can do Endurance. Have fun.
I guess no one is really getting what I am asking. If your horse
tripped in a hole, could you have seen the hole and guided the horse
around and just weren't paying attention? Were you going too fast? If
your horse shied, were you not sitting straight on the saddle and
that's why you came off? How hard is it to help people learn from your
mistakes?
-- We imitate our masters only because we are not yet masters
ourselves,
and only
We
imitate our masters
only because we are not yet masters ourselves, and only
because
in doing so we
learn the truth about what cannot be imitated.
