Fell off

During my lesson today (in which I actually got a saddle rather than a surcingle and pads, though I still had to ride with no stirrups) I got to trot no-hands with Rose during my lesson with Kathryn for the first time, though I've been trotting no handed with Brandy quite a bit.

Anyways, I learned that cantering with something to hold on to right in front of me (with surcingle) is a lot easier than holding on to the pommel with one hand and the cantle with the other on the saddle.

Aaaaand... she spooked. And bolted. I kept my balance around half of a circle and then fell, rolling so I landed on the back of my right hip and then hit my head. Glad, again, that I had a helmet. Didn't do any serious damage, just knocked the wind out of me. Kathryn came and knelt down beside me and kept me talking, directed my attention to Rose, who was standing there looking ashamed of herself and looking worried, shaking like a leaf in the wind. It made me laugh that she looked so, and I had to get up and go pet her and tell her I was ok, even if she's a horse and probably hasn't got much of a clue of what the words meant.

Head is ok, hip took the brunt of the beating, a little swollen along the back of the hip, just above my butt, and a little red, will probably develop a bruise over night.

After a little breather, a bottle of water, and some anti inflammatory herbal tablets, I climbed back on and did some walking and a wee bit more no handed trotting and Rose thought she might put in some strides of canter here and there and so I rode those strides no hands and no stirrups.

Yesterday I went riding with one of the people I met at the Paso Fino clinic and rode one of the Paso's at a local state park on the trails there. I think it was about four hours in a saddle with no padding... yeah, my butt hurts. And now my hip hurts. But you know... I was thinking the other day about Parkour and Freerunning. If you don't know what that is: Parkour is the art of moving from point A to point B as quickly as possible, using your energy and moment in the most useful way. If there's a wall, you climb it. You leap it. A "cliff?" Jump and roll and get back up running. A rail? Dive through it. Freerunning is like Parkour only with out a destination, or a lack of need to get there quickly, it's Parkour with fancy stuff thrown in. Flips, spins, back flips, etc. I love to watch this stuff on youtube or in person, and I would love to learn to do it... if I could guarantee that I wouldn't be hurt while doing it.

There are some things in each person's life that he or she is willing to do regardless of risk to life or limb. For me, this is anything with horses. The wonders these animals bring to my life are worth the risk they bring, too. The risks that parkour brings to my life is NOT worth the wonder of being able to soar like a monkey. That being said, this is why I get back on and keep going.