I'm back! ~Lily's Log #32

It has been well over a month since my last blog. Kiowa and I have a stonger bond than ever, encouraged by LOTS of undemanding time after she got kicked. She is on (essentially) stall rest for another week, then slowly easing back into a normal routine.

Lily is bored and a little behind, but our bond is growing and I can see her mellowing and wanting the closeness that she was initially too fidgety to enjoy. Progression through the levels has slowed, as I have incurred a serious blow to our progress in the form of a broken arm. I was riding my friend's 4 year old Clydesdale/quarter horse cross mare, Venus, when she tripped and I went over her head. I had signed up for a cantering confidence workshop with two 3* PP's and since Kiowa was hurt, was going to ride Venus. I wanted to get more practice with her before the class, so I went out the Saturday before last to play with her and ride a bit. We went out on the trail and I was riding in the bareback pad and she was fantastic. She is very comfortable and for a young horse very mellow. Her owner Robbie went with me riding her levels horses, Bella, and another friend came too.We decided to do some precision circles around a rock in an open, dried out area just to switch things up. When it was my turn, Venus argued a little (LBI/LBE) but went along with it. I asked her to trot and she got into a fairly animated gait and the suddenly I just saw her ears dissappear in front of me. She hit her knees and her nose, and I realized there was no way I was going to be able to stay on so I tried to push myself off of her to the right and roll out of it. From my friends' perspective, they said there was no way, no matter what, that I would have been able to stay on. They said she was falling fast enough that they actually thought she was going to roll over the top of me. Instead, she threw her head back hard enough to regain her balance and stop herself, but when she threw her head, it smacked into my legs, flipping me face-first into the ground. I ended up taking the vast majority of my weight on my right forearm at the elbow, causing a good bit of road rash and a radial neck fracture. The worst part was I couldn't get back on with my arm the way it was and I had to walk 3 miles back to my car! It was a little over 3 hours before I saw a doctor. I am well on the road to recovery, however I will be in the brace for 3 weeks (from yesterday).

The positive in all of this is that my once fragile confidence was not shaken by the fall, something that has suprised me. I feel like I had been obsessing over the fact that a doctor had told me two years ago : "the next time you fall off a horse, you will be paralyzed." I couldn't get that thought out of my head. I think I am actually MORE confident now than I was before the fall off Venus because I needed to know that statement wasn't true. All I can think about is the next time I can get on a horse! I miss my girls like crazy and I can't wait to ride again...it is very liberating to no longer be a captive of my own fear.