Taking a Break from Horses

Last weekend some of our favorite friends were nice enough to drive from out of state to visit.  Of course we went up to the ranch for some fun.  On Friday, we rode horses.  A pretty short ride because our Friend has a terrible knee so it was bugging him.  So Saturday we left him back and set out for a longer ride.  I took Jack on the horse with me.  We got just a little farther than the day before and there was a large tree branch in the way that I thought, "Oh I'll just pull that down and get it out of the way."  Not realizing the whole entire log was gonna come with it.  So needless to say my young 5 year old horse jumped out of the way and my young 5 year old son started crying.  I jumped off the horse to calm her down but she did not want me back on.  I knew it was probably best if we turned around for both 5 year olds sake.  So I walked her down to the next meadow to try to get on.  She finally let me on.  Another side note about this horse is that she is fat so her back is not as flat as others so the saddles have a hard time staying on.  So we were almost out of the clear when we were going down the last really steep hill and the saddle started to slide off.  With Jack on with me I couldn't straighten it out in time and I fell ridiculously hard on my side on this rock.  Jack on the other hand landed on the top of his head and then face.  The horse freaked and took of spooking the other horses at the same time.  She ended up back at the stable saddleless.  I got the wind knocked out of me so while I was trying to talk to calm Jack down and calm the other horses down, my adrenaline kicked in.  I went and got my friends nine year old horse out of the trees and back on the path and sent them on their way while I picked up Jack and started to walk.  Telling him it was okay.  He looked like he had just fought a war.  He had black dirt coating his entire mouth and face.  His nose was bleeding all down his mouth and chin.  I put him on my back and started the trek home.  Once the other horses were out of sight my adrenaline died and I felt my pain.  I asked jack if he would walk by me and the tears started rolling down my cheek.  Jack instantly stopped crying and looked up at me really concerned.  That was sweet.  We walked for about five minutes before Josh stormed up on the razor to get us.  He said it was the saddest sight he has ever seen.  I have a huge bruised scratched swollen love handle and I wouldn't be surprised if I broke one of my ribs.  My shoulder muscle hurts every time I sit down from the tip of it to my neck.  It is so hard to get comfortable.  Church was okay as long as I stayed in the same position.  Josh has been so good to pick up the slack.

I'm not a huge fan of horseback riding.  I've been bucked off a couple times now.  Somehow having a gigantic animal, with a mind of its own, holding your fate and your childs in their hands does not seem like a good idea.  It is fun sometimes and I feel comfortable when my dad is with me riding but as of late he doesn't ride anymore and he also was not at the ranch with us this time.  I felt like I was the boss and that I was just being stupid and thats why this whole thing happened.  I have been perfectly fine having kids or being pregnant and not being able to ride.  Now it was reaffirmed why.  I think I'll go right on being pregnant or with babies so I can watch by the sideline and wave away the people who do love riding horses.

Other than that it was a fabulously fun weekend.  My kids had a blast as usual and we just rode 4-wheelers, went on the giant tree swing, sat on our porch swing, played games, ate candy and cookies, drank diet coke, fished, played basketball, and laughed and laughed.  I loved it.  Thanks Jason and Lindsey for making the effort to come and be with us.  We loved it.