March 24, 2012 - Let's try that again

I got on Rory today for the first time since he bucked me off. It will be nine weeks on Monday. My tailbone is still not 100% but is much better and I really felt I needed to get on him again. I was a bit nervous, especially when he put his head down, but he didn't get into tossing his head up and down like the day he bucked me off. I was ready to catch him if he did dive. We actually got outside in the sand ring and trotted a little bit each way. I rode for less than ten minutes but he was good - he even knocked the block over as he walked off and didn't mind at all.

I rode brat today as well - before Rory this time.

March 17, 2012 - Still swimming...

I took brat for an almost half hour road hack today. We went round the block mostly in trot and canter. Walked the last bit home which was hard on my tail, but was worth it to get out again.

Rory and Totyo at play

 I worked Rory a bit on the longe and in hand yesterday and he was very good. Started to get the idea of shoulder-in. He seemed to be enjoying the outing.

A misty morning in March!

His poop juice issue has been better in the last couple of weeks. We should know around the end of April if the biopsy gave us the right answer. At any rate I might be convinced around then if he's been clean for a month.

February 29, 2012 - Back in the saddle, but not on Rory

I rode brat for ten minutes today!!  Just for a little two point/hunter perch toodle around the neighbour's snow covered hay field, but still! He was very good about slowing down when I told him galloping was
not happening today, but he did keep trying to increase the pace a little bit.   I think I could have managed
another round but opted to stop before my weakened unfit leg muscles started screaming in pain.  I hopped off and handwalked for a few minutes when we got back - it's easier to not sit at faster than walk speeds. Brat seemed disappointed that was all we did, but we were both happy to get out again. I'll go again tomorrow if I'm not too sore and the weather cooperates.

I did shorten my stirrups a hole to make the two point/half seat easier.  I'm not ready to handle any antics from Rory just yet, but it's progress!

This is Brat.  He is my thoroughbred Quarter horse cross.
He's a Rockstar in all things and has set the bar pretty high for Rory.

February 11, 2012 - Itching to ride

 Okay, I'm finally itching to ride. My tailbone still hurts though.  I worked the boys on the ground on Thursday and they were both good. It was really windy and the arena was creaking and banging which made Rory jump (and play buck) a few times, but he quickly settled down. It makes me wonder if the bucks that got me off were sparked by an ice slide and he's just forgotten that he doesn't need to worry about such noises since he hasn't been in there much this winter. Anyway, I've decided they need to do something so my goal is to get them out working a few times a week while I'm grounded.

This was Rory's reaction to his first Barny's horse treat.  He came back for the rest of it.

Playing in the paddock

January 24, 2012 - Off with a bang... maybe that should be "Out with a bang"

Well Rory finally bucked me off yesterday. I'd expected to come off him a whole lot sooner, but he's been good. I don't know what got up his butt yesterday - he hadn't even kicked his heels up on the longe line.  He was a little fussy when I first got on, tossing his head non-stop for the first half circle.  Then he settled, I turned him onto a circle to the right and off he went.  It took him five bucks and a deke sideways on the last to unload me. Head down, bronco bucks (people do this for fun??) too.  He was going in a straight line and I was landing right back in the saddle each time, so on the fourth buck I tried to pull his head up but just succeeded in pulling myself out of position.  That made him go sideways on the fifth buck.

I got knocked out - a first for me. It was weird. At least I know I was out for about four minutes because I had the video camera on, and he dumped me in full view. Rory was a little freaked out by the whole thing, and didn't go anywhere near me while I was down, but he came back quickly once I started to get up.  He was a bit panicked by being in the arena all alone, and didn't recognize me as me until I was walking again.  When I patted him he heaved a sigh of relief and completely relaxed.

Totyo and Rory

I am mostly okay. Sprained (probably) wrist, bruised (hopefully) tailbone (from him smacking the saddle into my butt), and a couple of other stretched or bruised spots. Head is okay if I don't move it too fast - and yes I got a nurse to check me out right afterwards.  Probably minor concussion.

Aaand now I need another new helmet.  I should have ridden the brat first... I won't be riding anything for a few days at least.

I don't remember the "oh crap, I'm off" moment from yesterday - you know that moment your brain recognizes that you're coming off and you can't do anything about it. I don't remember the first hop, only the three bucks in between. And those bucks only came back after I'd gotten up and was walking Rory back to the door.  No, I'm not going to post the video of my fall - that's something my mother definitely does not need to see.