RE: RE: Silly Awards

["Flemmer, Linda" <flemmerl@rcbhsc.wvu.edu>]

Title: RE: Silly Awards

Dyane & all,

 

The ride where I won "most beat up rider" was in the NE quite a few years ago.  This was to be my "new" gelding's first real ride.  When I got to camp & vetted in, a near by horse swung his head into my face, breaking my glasses.  This was a major problem!  I'd forgotten to bring a spare set of glasses and I am BLIND without them.  (Vet to Linda - "Trot out to that bucket & come back."  Linda - "What bucket?"  Sometimes, "What vet?")

 

I figure that I'll closely follow my husband on his big black beasty.  I should be able to do that, and Rocket can be in charge of looking out for holes, rocks, cliff edges, etc.  We were doing pretty well until we were less than 3 miles from the mid point vet check.  Mike forgot to call out about a low branch.  I rode into it & caught it on my forehead.  Boy, do head wounds bleed!  I guess I looked pretty bad coming into the midpoint.  Too bad I was so blind that I couldn't see the looks on everyone's face.  I did find a <very> nice man who trotted my horse out for me, though.

 

I cleaned up and got a quick snack & refill on my camelbak.  Rocket was spazzing out as he saw horse after horse move on down the trail.  Since he was so fidgety, another man offered to hold him while I mounted.  (Rocket is BIG.)  The man snatched back on the reins when Rocket started to fidget.  Instead of standing still, Rocket panicked from the sudden pressure, pulled back and then simply stumbled.  I was part way into the saddle & it was enough that Rocket was off balance.  He landed on me!

 

I was covered in orange mud on half of my body.  Rocket & the saddle (3 weeks old) were orange.  I had blood stains. ..  I had pulled some groin muscles, but it was really weird...  It hurt less to sit in the saddle than to stand, sit or lay down.  Back in the saddle it was.  The first 3 or 4 miles were a little slow as I decided if I was going to do this whole ride.  My husband finally decided it for me.  After all I went through, it would be a shame to quit.  Besides, the only worse thing to happen would be if I died in the next loop.  What better place - he could auction off Rocket right there at the awards ceremony.  Hmph!  Phooey on that!  I was riding & finishing, thank you!

 

I finished - nearly dead last.  Therefore I spent more time on the trail & got "more for my money".  I got the "most beat up rider award".  I had folks offering to hold Rocket & trot him out for me.  Mike drove the whole way home while I alternated between holding ice packs to various parts of my anatomy and dozing.  What a girl has to do to get service!

 

Linda Flemmer

(Who fortunately doesn't have many rides like that!)

-----Original Message-----
From: Dyane Smith [mailto:sunibey@sisqtel.net] 

 Subject: Re: RE: Silly Awards

Don't suppose you'd want to tell the story of that ride in any detail?

Dyane (always love a good story--especially a horrific one that you can look back on and laugh)

N. Ca

----- Original Message -----

From: Flemmer, Linda

Subject: RC: RE: Silly Awards

I'm the proud owner of "The Most Beat Up Rider" award when I finished despite a mishap with a tree, followed by my horse falling on top of me in a vet check.  It was a bucket with a hand painted label & a picture of a pair of crutches.  It was the <best> bucket I ever won!