Fire breathing dragon

We've been playing in the outside ring the last couple of times. How interesting it is! I don't know whom I'm more surprised at...me or Cici. She is running true to form - leaping and galloping. Now wait a moment...this is what blogging is about....thinking about what happens....processing what happens....and having ah ha moments.

I realize I have been putting special emphasis on her antics in the outside ring. Thinking that they are different than what happens in the indoor. But WAIT ONE MOMENT....they are not different. They are the same. She will let herself get distracted by something and then use that to start moving her feet and then go RB and unconfident. Or like yesterday LB and exuberant. So what I planned on writing about is not what I'm writing about. Oh Boy!

Today she does indeed turn into a fire breathing dragon complete with sound effects. Her head is soooo high, I swear her neck grows. And her face becomes longer. And her legs finer. And her tail turns into a vertical flag. She is prancing and dancing. Galloping. No leaping. She is breathing hard and fast. Her nostrils are long and narrow and billowing with each quick breath. I have a RBE on the end of my 22' line - FLYING.

And what is totally amazing is that I am calm. I can think. I can appreciate how beautifully she is moving. I just watch her move. Wow. Love seeing this while I'm standing on the ground. Don't want to experience this from her back. Ever. And recognize that this is very different than yesterday's explosion which was LBE. I think we will see where this goes as I am planning on a trail ride with V. Know that I have a choice of getting on her or not. But what is most incredible to me is that I can deal with this. Don't feel that just because she is a fire breathing dragon one moment that I don't have the savvy to bring her back from the edge.

I use extreme friendly to interrupt her. I have to bring my energy way up to even get her to notice me and then drop it quickly as she comes in. She is bug eyed, nostril flairing and high headed. Her breathing is quick and rapid. She stands staring first over my head than lowers her head a smidge and stares at me. I wait. And wait. And wait. And wait. Outside I don't have music today LOL. No counting songs. I can see she is beginning to come into herself and a blink.

Wiggle my finger at her to back. She shakes her head. This is a great thing because it does indeed mean she is thinking, that she is back to being herself. So I wiggle it again and she shakes again and takes a step forward and puts her head on my chest. Ahhhh. Lowered head. Ask for back again and we go through the snorting on me, shaking of head, licking, chewing, more snorting and blowing as she comes off the adrenalin and back to earth.

All of this is before I even put a saddle on her. And when I tack her up and continue to play she is right there for me. A partner. Walk trot canter both directions soft and willing and correct leads in each direction.

Ground Bees

I haven't been posting for a while because I am sitting here typing one handed as I broke my not so humerous between elbow and shoulder on August 12th.

Out on a trail ride with Rebekah and Nancy, Ground bees stung Cici and she went up and spun and I just stayed and went down. Fortunately bees didn’t notice me, as I would up just sitting on the ground holding my arm thinking, yup its broken. As long as I didn't shift position it was fine.

Cici just ran off a few steps and stood there – what are you doing sitting on the ground and what do I do now? My two friends' horses were jumping around. Rebekah dismounted and walked up to Cici but Patrick was jumping and circling and I think the bees were after him. Cici took off and went back to the barn. Apparently removing her bridle in the process.

Nancy also dismounted as Dane would not stand still either. They both walked back with their horses, actually Nancy ran back, gave her horse to Mary and ran back to me. I was just sitting in the woods, enjoying the quiet. Had my fly swish to keep the mosquitoes at bay. Nancy got behind me and lifted me up to my feet by my butt and with her leading the way we bushwhack out of the woods to a nearby road. Rebekah had already called 911 so the ambulance was at the barn. They turned around and met us on the road around the corner.

Spent about 4 hours in Norwood ER before released. The Doc offered me percoset which I refused. Asked for something non opiate LOL. They looked at me in utter shock, conferred and then came up with 800 mg of ibuprofen.

The worst part of this is that I had a feeling. Before going out on the trails I did ground stuff with Cici. I rode her in the ring in first her halter and carrot stick and then bridle and carrot stick. She was a bit resistant at first but then relaxed. I kept thinking about falling off and hitting the ground. I tried to shake these thoughts but they just kept coming back. I said to myself Cici is listening to me, what is with this? I admit I thought maybe today I should not go out on the trails. But I kept saying why not? Cici is not spooky or resistant.

Nancy asked if she could join Rebekah and me. This was going to be nice. As we went through the indoor, Mary was teaching Julia and Sarah and she said to me, "If you need the paramedics just give me a call."

She has never said anything like that. I responded,"Have my cell phone."

Well have to say after the accident I told her that if she every feels like saying that again to anyone going out on the trails to stop them and not allow them to leave.

So here's a question, if I had heeded my premonition would that have been that or would the fall have happened another time another place?