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[RC] why I don't love trail riding ...wrong! - sherman

Accidents happen everywhere. It is certainly better to know the area, or have someone with you who does when you are riding trails. Teenagers often think they are invincible though (just ask me, I have a 17 yr old son) and it doesn’t make sense to make decisions about what is safe or not based on what teenagers do.

 

Now, why am I on the injured list? It was a beautiful smokefree day yesterday, so after riding 21 miles in the canyon (with sheer drop offs) I went home and decided to ride again with my husband and a friend, just a little hack on our very tame trails. I rode my future endurance pony, 13.2 1/2H Paloma, who at age 5 can go for 3 months without riding, then I can get on and have a nice ride…that is unless she is attacked by yellowjackets! She started a little hopping as we were trotting up a hill, and I thought it was because the other 2 horses had trotted a bit faster than her up the hill, then she started going beserk, no bucking, but striking out violent head shaking, spinning, and I began feeling pain on my hands, back, arms. I quickly realized we were under attack and I yelled to my partners. I couldn’t get Paloma’s attention to move her out. She backed into a fence, twisted, jumped forward, I thought she fell with me, but I’m not sure. I fell downhill off her, I think my head hit the ground first, then her twisting and writhing made her end up over me, kicking and stomping at the bees still. I felt my leg get stepped on as I was curling up to protect myself. With all the kicking and stomping going on, it is a miracle I only got one major bump on my leg. When Paloma got her balance, she ran downhill. Meantime, I couldn’t get up fast enough, didn’t even know if I could walk, but my husband and friend ran down and picked me up, dragging me as we fought off the bees. The other two horses ran off in the other direction when they saw Paloma run off. Paloma was found nearby and is fine, was just a little shaken up. I spotted a few bumps on her today, most likely bee stings. The other two horses ran a bit, then slowed to a walk and went visiting at a neighbor’s place until they were rounded up.

 

I went to the doc this am to make sure there were no signs of internal injuries or fractures, one leg did swell to about twice it’s size (okay, just a little exaggeration there), but responded quickly to ice so doc says no fracture there. I also have bruised ribs, but again, so lucky to have had nothing broken. And I got away with only 8 stings…but boy did they ever hurt last night! Anyway, I hope to be back in the saddle as soon as the leg can handle it.

 

All’s well that ends well (:>)

 

Kathy