Ok, I have read this thread and have had
private emails telling me to tell my story so here it goes. First I will mention
that I was the first to be hit in this domino of events and a controlled start
would not have prevented it and maybe a breastplate could have helped the
situation.
I am going to end this with what I sent to my
lists that is always my way of describing my "Amber Adventures" and hopefully
some of you can chill out and get a smidgeon of humor as I did and I was injured
too believe me as I sit here dreading a sneeze or cough.
The rider of the runaway horse was on a very
steep climb and her saddle slipped backwards on her mare. Her husband riding
behind her told her to dismount immediately. When she put the weight into her
stirrup the saddle rolled under the horse. The horse then bolted, throwing the
rider off and this rider was injured badly too.
This happened at least two miles from the start
of the ride. I was a little above mid pack on a horse that was at his first ride
of the season and really feeling his "oats" as he sometimes does at these events
for the first few miles. Behind me was my other horse with a first time rider at
AERC and behind him a woman then clear for a spell.
Then the rest of the LD riders coming in
various groups. No controlled start would have prevented what happened I am here
to tell you. The spacing of riders was big enough and I never saw any LD riders
"racing" for a start in fact I found most of us left in a very orderly manner
well after the beginning and when you read the rest of my story below I was
mortified at just how many riders came up "behind" me to my utmost chagrin. So
there you have it from MY PERSPECTIVE now maybe you can read on and get a bit of
a laugh out of how I dealt with it all.
