A HORSE WOMAN I AM NOT

Many years ago, I decided to try my hand at horse
riding, thinking that with my love of all creatures
both great and small, I would take to it like a duck to water so to speak, little did I know how
wrong I was.

After only three lessons and much deliberation, I decided to go on a pony trek with some friends. I
was really looking forward to the ride, with all
that good clean air and the big out of door space.

And so on a Saturday many years ago, we all set off
in a friends car. It was a fine day, not to hot
not to cold.

When we arrived at the stables, we met up with the
riding assistant, I had to borrow a hat as I didn't
have one of my own. She then lead us to our horses,
mine was called Blaze, I needed a horse-block to
help me up, I couldn't help feeling slightly
embarrassed as all the other riders were able to
get themselves up on their own.

So here I was sitting on Blaze ready for the off.
We made our way down a country lane, I was just
able to see over the tops of the hedges into the
fields on the other side,
"what a wonderful way to spend a Saturday," I
thought to myself.

We carried on down the lane at a nice pace,
although my bottom was starting to feel sore with
all the bouncing up and down movement, we had
only just left the stables and had only been
riding about fifteen minutes, "ah!" I thought,
"should I say something?" because this was supposed
to be a two hour trek, but then I thought,
"no I'll only look like a right wuss," so I carried
on in silence and pain, I might add.

We finally left the lane, which then led onto open
land, now I was always under the impression that a
trek was supposed to be a slow pace, but when the
leading horse started to break out into a canter
without any warning, my horse and all the others
followed in hot pursuit, I became aware that this
was something I hadn't been informed about.

What followed next was the most scariest thing I
have ever experienced.

A canter to me felt more like a gallop, first my
feet came out of the stirrups, I didn't know how
to stop the horse, I tried pulling on the reins
but still Blaze carried on, so I started yelling
for help, at the top of my voice, my bottom was
bumping up and down all over the place, then
horror of horrors I lost the reins and was unable
to regain them, "this is it," all I could think of
doing, was to lean forward and grab the poor horses
neck, at this point I was half on the horse and
half off.

The next thing I knew, a rider came up beside me and managed to grab the reins and stop my horse.
She asked me if I was alright, then she asked me
why I hadn't told her that I could not canter?

At this point I was so shaken up, my voice came
out as a stutter, I told her that I had only had
three lessons and I didn't realise that a trek
involved cantering.

She said, "well you certainly know now for the
future."
I said, "there will never be a future for me and
horses, I'm afraid I will never ride again."

I was in agony and pain for ages, I will never
forget that experience. That was way back in 1973,
I never did get back on a horse after that.

As far as I'm concerned I do love horses, but just
to look at, I'll leave the riding to someone else.