Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Well Crap

Well crap. I came off of Maisa on Sunday. We were in the roundpen. The grey in the picture is 'the Evil Daf'. The black is the clueless Maisa. (Or he's stoned...not really sure).
I had just gotten on. My student, the owner of 'the Evil Daf' (as she shall be henceforth known) held Maisa and my stirrup while I got on. She'd tied Daf to the side of the round pen. Good plan, no big right? Oh, so wrong.

I had lunged him in the big arena. Nobody was around so I figured I should err on the side of caution and head to the round pen.

My student and Daf show up. Maisa was wiggly, so she stood at the front, and held my stirrup. No big, standard for Maisa. He's very used to Daf and the student. I sit for a moment. Student exits the round pen, and is standing by the gate. Daf is tied to her right. I ask him to move...and he slow motions his way forward. We've make it about halfway around the pen. I hear a hiss...and my horse is shooting sideways.

I had a moment when I looked down as we were moving at light speed, with that weird slow motion taking in everything that you get when things are going bad...I could see the front of the dressage saddle, and my legs...but there was no horse in front of the saddle. I thought, 'pull him up' and in the next instant my mind jumped to 'if I pull on him, we're going down together...better to go alone.' Don't be pulling on unbalanced babies, you are likely to end in a heap together.

I landed in a mud puddle. It's like 38 to 40 degrees out. I get up, my horse has run over toward the student for safety, and I see the sprinklers are now on. I ask my student, "Who turned on the sprinklers?" She says, "I don't know." Then she looks over at Daf and says, "Oh! I think Daf may have turned them on." Yup...Daf had turned on the sprinklers. I swear she has the ability to have worked this out. Too dang smart for her own good (or mine apparently). I think her evil little brain went to, I can't get rid of her, but I know he can. lol

I had her hold him while I got back on. He was still worried, but I figured we better get this worked out now, and not let him dwell on it. So I had her walk with me until the hump went out of his back. Once he was moving forward freely I got off. Took him back to the barn, gave him a treat, and cleaned the mud and muck off of my Passier. That was the hardest part. Stepping up into my lovely saddle with all that wet mud all over me, soon to be transferred to my saddle. The sprinkler had hit him on the left side of his neck, in his ear and down his cheek. Guess he had a right to leave. The hiss and then getting blasted in the head by the water seems like a pretty decent reason for a colt to blow.

Gave the student a lesson on Daf after I put Maisa up. She was a holy terror. I was too cold and tired to even think about fixing it on Sunday. I'm sure Daf is stewing, waiting...

44 comments:

Sherry Sikstrom said...

The "evil Daf" is a pretty girl! And smart/diabolical as well! Sorry you got turfed ,are you OK now?
I do like to read though that you thought about the consequences to the horse before you reefed his head up. Babies are funny and knocking him down for such an honest reaction would have cost you both.I salute you , here you would have landed in a foot of snow , softer ,drier , but a damn sight colder I'll bet

horspoor said...

I don't think he thought at all. He just reacted to getting blasted in the side of the head by the sprinkler. I swear Daf knew. She was standing by the one sprinkler, I was by the one on the other side of the pen. She didn't even jump. lol

bhm said...

I hope that you are ok. The evil Daf is a very pretty girl.

nccatnip said...

Poor Maisa. Poor HP. Maybe you guys looked a bit dry to Daf?

blueheron said...

Evil Daf: Yeah, they will look better with icicles coming off of their noses!

Hey, she was just getting into the Christmas spirit!

Honestly, when I first heard about this, it never crossed my mind that she would have done it on purpose. But now that I think about Daf....Hmm.

Cut-N-Jump said...

Glad nobody was hurt!

Coming off isn't so bad, it's hitting the ground that hurts. At least there was soft ground for this. And yes, always better to go down alone, than to take the horse with you.

Weird how it seems to happen in slo-mo. Like giving you time to think and consider the upcoming crash is a good thing.

horspoor said...

Yeah CNJ...what is that slo-mo about. It has been that way since I've been riding. You have that moment to go, 'oh man, this is going to hurt.'

horspoor said...

The 'the Evil Daf' is a very pretty girl, and a very pretty mover. I just wish she'd use her powers for good. lol

horspoor said...

But did you all notice how in her picture her ears could be mistaken for devil's horns.

blueheron said...

Well, now that you mention it...
I think for Halloween, Daf could have a little forked tail and some strap on horns. Maybe put some red contacts in her eyes....
:)
She needs a job, as you've said. She'll be much less likely to think up evil activities with sprinklers and lunge lines if she's working hard and thinking hard! LOL

blueheron said...

Here's a prototype costume. lol.

Devil Costume

blueheron said...

Drat, link didn't work. Try this

Devil Costume

blueheron said...

Do you know anyone who could wear this costume?

Clowning Around...

horspoor said...

Anyone of the boys could do the clown costume.

blueheron said...

I say get three, and Vandy, Top, and Maisa can go as a team. lol.

kestrel said...

Wow, that's a new one! Evil Daf indeed! Are you okay?

horspoor said...

Yeah, I'm pretty good. My left hand and arm are still messed up which is weird, as I landed on my right. For two days after my coat sleeve was tight on that arm, not so much anymore. Probably just pulled something. Oh yeah, I'm not 25 anymore. lol

GoLightly said...

well, shite.

How ignominious.

Daf is evil. EVIL.

Glad you're both okay.
I'd have jumped out of my skin. Cold water?
It's cold out?
ACK.

GoLightly said...

Well, at least you have a forward (or maybe sideways) aid now;)

Carry a water bottle!

horspoor said...

Great, now we have to question if I am capable of riding his forward. lol

blueheron said...

Forward from sprinkler is not the same as forward from aids.
lol.

Now, if you're cruising down the center line toward the judges, and the arena sprinkler comes on, that might be an issue...

(ooo, I just remembered, you haven't posted about Andy riding, have you?)

nccatnip said...

Is this some NH training blog???? Water cues?

kestrel said...

Heck, if cold water started spraying me in cold weather I'd just fall over even if I wasn't on a horse!

Hp, sounds like your neck is crinked...got a good masseuse or chiropractor?

horspoor said...

I've a chiro. Finding time to get to the chiro is the hard part.

GoLightly said...

He's got one hell of a back end on him, HP.
That's a lotta harse going light speed sideways...

Surprise got you both.
It happens.

How often does Maisa even bother to go at light speed?
Just sayin'.
I always hated watching my slo-mo. oooohhhhh shhhhhhhiitttttttttt.
ouch.
He dropped your left side down a couple holes. Take it easy, get warm again. Heat packs are your friend.

horspoor said...

He doesn't go at lightspeed often. It is always a shock to see him get after it. It was a little disconcerting to watch him playing one afternoon. He'd rear up...completely verticle, and then he'd leap straight in the air. His hind feet like 3' off the ground. When he landed he'd wheel and spin...still with the front end off the ground, allowing the front end to lightly bounce once for extra impulsion for the wheel and spin.

We had a little talk..."You are never ever allowed to do that undersaddle."

nccatnip said...

Maybe he is a Lipazzaner?

horspoor said...

eh, no not a lip. If he was a lip he wouldn't have the lengthenings he has. lol Just a goofy half arab half paint.

GoLightly said...

He's half-paint??

wow.

I think he's a jumper.
Or a contortionist;)

I wonder what Daf says to him...

blueheron said...

Daf says, "Come here, little pony, and look deep into my eyes... I've got a game for us to play!"

And Maisa says, "Nah, I'm going to go smoke a bowl with Vandy and kick back. I hear the sport horse nationals are playing on CNN. But I hear Top wants to play."

horspoor said...

Okay, I should qualify what kind of Paint. His dam was Moon Deck bred, mostly running quarter. Big lanky kind of rawboned mare, but she had great angles

kestrel said...

Ooooh, I love Moon Deck horses! the ones I've met knew how to get the job done.

horspoor said...

I like Moon Deck horses too. I tend to really like quarter/tb crosses.

I like to find a really nice, big running quarter mare and breed her to Meg.

GoLightly said...

hmmm.
That WoulD be very interesting;)

Immaculately concepted, as it were..

horspoor said...

GL...Meg...Omega aka "Omega Fahim" lol

GoLightly said...

Oh, right, Dang, I always forget that.
Meg is a stallion.

Poor guy;)

sorry, over-tired, under-paid.

Cut-N-Jump said...

HP- that could be a nice combination...

Ever notice the unplanned dismounts either happen in super dooper slo-mo or so quick you are on the horse one second, in the dirt the next and no clue in the world how you got there or what just happened?

GoLightly said...

You know why I always forget that?

CAUSE IT'S A DUMB Name for a STALLION.

humpfh.

grumpy hellion out.

horspoor said...

GL, he got named Omega because he was the last Amir Fahim baby. Amir broke his leg...someone left the gate open and he got out on the road, as was hit in the dark. Hard to see a black horse at night on a blacktop road. To make it worse, someone that knew him hit him. She was devasted.

horspoor said...

devastated even...sheesh.

GoLightly said...

So call him Omay.
Or Ega. (AYgah).
Mega. That's a BIG name. Not as girly;)

Meg is short for, lets see now.
Megan
Margaret.
Megalopolis.
Megatron.
Megrims, an old term for migraines.

I will shut up. (maybe)

GIRLY, his name be. Good thing he doesn't know.

See, if anybody ever called me Babs.....
oooooohhhhh.
mega umbrage:)

horspoor said...

LOL...somehow Babs just doesn't work GL. lmao So, if I'm ever irritated at you, or want to really get your attention...I'll just say, "So, Babs...."

Hate it when people call me Sherry. Uh, no. Not my name. One of my bestfriends is a Sheri...but hey...not my name.

GoLightly said...

Merry Christmas, HP!

kestrel said...

And Happy New Year!!!