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[RC] Was parelli - now safety - Spottedracerthey don't get on if they thinkthey will come off.. they get the relationshp right first, they create braver horses and then they ride them... I just love this statement.... Here's a few unexpected dismounts... Tell me how I or the other rider, would've known that we would be coming off that day? #1 - Galloping down my ridge trail behind my friend. Trail is kept wide and open by 4X4s - nice and pretty flat, easy to see over 1/4 mile in front of you... This particular horse (nicknamed 'the goat' because of her surefootedness on the severe bluff trails) has galloped this same trail for at least 100 times... And it's bone dry on this day as well....... So like I was saying: Galloping at a fast clip behind my friend's horse. Suddenly my horse's front end goes out from under me and I'm thrown (in a perfect 'grandprix style' flip), horse also rolls. Turned out just ONE missed step, she went on her knees going full blast..... Fortunantly, I ended up with a few bruises, a cracked helmet and a very dusty protective vest.. Thankgod I was also riding bareback - so it was a 'clean fall'! #2 - When I rode at the track - I was asked to breeze an older stakes winner. He was solid, he was predictable, I'd been his exersize rider for several months and knew him well....There were storms forecasted, but none near us on Radar.... As I came around the back turn and let him loose, a fierce downdraft of around 60 mph hit the track, Things just blew into us. Before I could even react to rein him back, he tried to jump a feed bag flying towards us, came down unbalanced - and rolled. Fortunantly I was 'ejected' during the initial jump and didn't end up under him.. #3 - Gentleman at my old saddle club, took his 25 year old, deadhead, TWH - who'd done parades since she was 4. To a parade. Unnoticed by most of the parade participants was the fact that the train tracks ran parallel to the parade course. Train came by, MOST of the horses FREAKED. This mare didn't - but was crashed into by another horse. She stepped backward, slipped on the edge of the sidewalk, flipped backwards. 'Ol Mac never wore a helmet - never had needed one in his 60 years of riding. He was pronounced dead at the scene due to massive head trauma.. So yes, ALL of my students are REQUIRED to wear helmets. Adult or child. And I even wore a helmet when I barrel raced...If there was any time during an event - that I'd be going over a very hard surface (like the concrete drive in front of an arena) - my helmet was on... Guess I'm odd - but it's like driving. It generally isn't MY driving skills that cause an accident - it's generally something that I CAN'T control... - LP
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