Falling Off the Horse (the first time).

Week two of F.I.T. class was similar to week one.  This time I brought a few friends along with me - misery loves company!  When my calves started burning around the twenty minute mark - I started daydreaming in an effort to distract myself.  As my my thoughts wandered I realized that my lack of attending classes at the gym isn't the first time I fell of the horse.  There was that one time when....

I was about 10 years old and I was spending the day with my cousin Heather.  She lived on a farm and had horses.  We planned to ride her horse all afternoon.  I was amazed by how responsible she was with her horse.  We went out to the barn and I watched anxiously as Heather prepared the horse for riding.  I have no idea what that horse's name was - perhaps that is fitting as the horse and I didn't end up as friends.  After careful preparation we were ready to ride.  Heather climbed up in the saddle and then instructed me climb on behind her.  I was (o.k. maybe still am) not coordinated - so it took me a few tries before I was able to pull myself up, throw my leg around to the other side and sit close behind the saddle.  I was a bit of a chicken so I didn't feel safe enough holding on to the back of the saddle.  Instead I held onto Heather around her waist.  And we were off!  Did I mention that I was a chicken?  That was back when I was scared to ride rollercoasters.  (I have since grown up.... a little!)  So each time the horse would speed up to a trot I would put a death grip on Heather to alert her that the speed was a little too fast for comfort.

I have no idea how long we rode the horse that day.  I will never forget how the ride ended.  I believe that something spooked the horse, causing him to buck and lift his front legs.  That's when my death grip wasn't strong enough and I slid off the back of the horse to a rather rough landing in a rocky field.  At the exact same moment the horse decided to relieve himself.  Perhaps he was scared shitless!?!?!  I know I was!  After shedding a few tears I tried to pull myself up only to realize that my leg was in serious pain.  I limped my way all the way back to the house as there was no way I was getting back on the horse again - it had been decided were not going to be friends.  I was still limping when I returned home that night, the next day and even the next week. 

I was in third grade at the time and I was really enjoying the swim team.  So in an effort to continue swimming, I avoided a visit to the doctor - fearing he would advise against the swimming.  So for at least a month after this incident I continued to limp my way through each and every day.

It took a long time for me to get back on a horse again!