First Time for Everything

The new stable we tried, Millersville Stable, and the trails they use were great. The trails were well-groomed, they seemed to be a bit more challenging (lots of hills and a creek to cross and all that) than the place we've previously gone to, Misty Manor. It's also a lot closer to home and the same price for an hour ride.

I rode Scout, a beautiful brown and white painted horse. He was quite the independent thinker though. He tried to eat every few feet and stayed well behind the horse in front of him. Fox rode Whiskey, a very pretty brown horse. They were behind us, and we were both at the end of the line. We couldn't really hear our guide, but there was an experienced rider in front of us who relayed important information back.

I'm still learning. I'm not the kind of person who would pretend I have more experience than I have. I've only spent 3 hours in the saddle (including this time out), I've got a lot more to learn and experience. Owing to my noviceness, they probably shouldn't have given me a horse that would challenge me so much (as they told me he would by his stopping to eat grass and all of that). We did alright together, Scout and I.

At the end of the ride, my foot found a nice soft hole in the sand while I was getting off, my ankle buckled and down I went. Don't panic, I'm not hurt. I was pointed downward anyway. And the sand was soft. And there was no poo around. And Scout looked at me like, "I did all the work and now you can't stand?" I'm sure I'm not the first person learning to ride to have fallen at some point. I'm glad I fell, because now I know what to expect if it should happen while I wasn't getting off anyway. A few parts are starting to report in about what will hurt in the morning: My left foot that was still in the stirrup, my shoulders and elbows and wrists that caught me, my right knee and ankle that gave out in the hole that my foot found itself in. Really, I'm not hurt! Just got out of a nice hot bath, actually. Fox and I are already planning to go back again next week.

It was a great ending to the weekend, roll in the sand and all. I'm off to find some ibuprofen.