I GOT BRANDED!!!

So I arrived at Scattered Acres Equestrians for my lesson yesterday (Monday) and I found out I was riding Junior (a 6-year-old Appaloosa gelding who's silly and acts like a yearling) Now let me tell you about the my first fall. I was cantering Junior when he put his head down and I somersaulted over his head. It was a pretty nasty fall and I hurt my arm bad. I got right back on him after the fall but just walked because I couldn't move my arm much. I was determined to get back on him and show him who's boos although I'll admit I was a bit scared.

Now I was even more determined so I walked to his pasture to get him. We took a lil' stroll down to one of the other pastures to wait for a friend. As we were walking back toward his pasture something spooked him (something only visible to his eye) and he bucked. I felt a tug on the lead rope and turned to see what was happening. When I saw his legs flailing in the air I tried to jump out of the way and before I knew it I was on the ground watching him gallop away. I guess I hadn't gotten out of the way quick enough because he caught me hard on the lower back! So a friend came over to help me and she told me to just lay on the ground and breath. Before I could do anything I heard pounding hooves approaching and sat up to see Junior racing right for me and my friend. We jumped up and got out of the way just in time. We hid behind a gate and closed it, locking Junior inside. My other friend caught Junior and led him back into his pasture. So one of the adults carried me back to the barn and I laid down with ice on my back. The owner came over and made me laugh and asked who I wanted to ride. I chose the faithful and loyal pony that I love so much, Mimi and we had a fairly good lesson. Although it was VERY difficult to post at the trot and to do a sitting trot, we surely tried.

One of the many reasons I love Mimi is because she felt my pain and cared for me. She picked up her feet very lightly and didn't do the hoppy Arabian trot she usually does, she walked slow to keep with my pace and she did whatever I asked without a fuss. We worked on leg yielding in the lesson. I couldn't apply much pressure with my right leg (the side that got kicked) so the amount of pressure I did use, Mimi felt as if it was a lot of pressure and did what I asked. She's such an amazing pony and I love her so much!