Come ride with me, let’s ride…
This is me, as seen by Violet.
And the girl gives me the willies with her total lack of fear of any creature.…
Setting off -the view as we headed down from the houseyards with Dash at left …
…and his horse Lacey stamping her hooves and biting at the buffalo flies that were busily biting her!
You can see Mr Incredible opening the gate at the bottom of the hill.
Lacey soon decided that home looked far more attractive than a fly-biting ride and kept heading back to the yards, leaving one of us having to lead she and Dash along. Dash was very unimpressed at having to be lead, and would have stamped his own foot if he could have!
Not an ideal start..
Mr I took Dash on the lead, and has Violet on the saddle in front of him…
So far, so good!
We made it down into the river bed, and I attempted to get the heifers away from the water and up the bank to the left. I may, or may not, have got into strife for stopping to take this photo!
(Aside: the river hasn’t been full for over 30 years,
but still provides a good watering hole for stock)
We made it up to the fence, approaching a gate to enter the next paddock.
There is a bit of a photo gap here… due to a number of interesting (and slightly painful) factors:
1. I had to ride and coax/yell at the heifers to stay on the fence heading for the gate.
2. Mr Incredible was a bit busy with the kids and letting me know where I needed to be.
3. I ended up taking Dash’s lead so Mr I could be where he thought I should have been.
4. I attempted to open the wire gate from horseback (I have a bung knee and avoid getting on and off too much).
5. Yvette’s hoof got caught on a strand of barbed wire.
6. She freaked out. (Where freaked = reared, leapt backwards, eyes rolling etc)
7. Dash freaked out.
8. I hung on tightly to Dash’s lead, and tried to calm Yvette.
9. She ignored my calming techniques and deposited me unceremoniously on my patootie.
10. I landed like a sack of spuds, but still had hold of Dash’s lead.
11. I did not drop the camera either.
12. I said “I’m OK, I’m OK, I’m OK” a lot to my freaking-out menfolk (Violet had missed the whole thing being much more fascinated by the ‘hevvers’).
13. I was relieved to see that Yvette sustained only a very minor cut to her foot.
14. I managed somehow to stagger on shaky legs to a stump and clamber (ungracefully and quite shakily) back on board.
15. This was managed despite my horse stamping continuously at the clouds of flies swarming us. I felt like I deserved a medal (Lord knows I have the chest to pin it on!) or at least a stiff scotch to calm my ragged nerves… I set off pretending nothing had happened. No-one was fooled!
Anyway, where were we?
Oh yes.
Having a lovely relaxing Sunday family horse ride…
Despite the flies!
Soon after our little mini-drama, we got the heifers safely to their paddock without further incident, and turned our heads for home…
…and had some smiles again!
It’s the three amigos!
But wait, the drama is not over…
Because before I had my little buster,
my silly straw hat had blown off in the river bed.
Found it!
Now Mr I is going to have to get off…
Double darn.
Hang on…
And so it was,
that an unassuming family of four,
had an unexpectedly adventurous outing…
on (and off) horseback.
PS. My bruises have almost gone (black thighs are soooo attractive!)
PPS Mr Incredible has not asked our help again. Wonder why?
…
Any unanticipated dramas in your life lately?
18 Comments
suzinoz
Sounds like quite the adventure. There is nothing quite like being thrown off a horse, but the most courageous thing you can do is get back on. So good on you! Happened to me once and I had no choice as we were miles from the home paddock. What doesn’t kill ya makes ya stronger right? Hope you continue to heal!
Cactus Jack Splash
Glad you are okay. Sounds like the rest of the day was very nice.
Danielle Michelle
He he he…my bruises are just finally starting to fade from my last weeks horseback/roping extraveganza! I’m in love with the pictures of your ranch. You don’t have any noce Aussie cowboys around that might want a Colorado cowgirl do ya? lol
Pony Girl
Loved this post BB! Too funny! I’m proud of you for cowgirling up and helping out! I’m glad there were no major injuries besides the fly bites and bruises. And I love that MI swooped down and got your hat from horseback, hee hee!
Say, speaking of Mcleod’s daughters, I saw that DVD series at the bookstore the other day and it looked interesting…is it any good?
sues2u2
Wow! Glad that Yvette & you were okay in the end. I did have to laugh a bit about the straw hat though. *grin*
Anonymous
Hello there, I am a friend of Debby from Life funny like that, she told me I would really enjoy your blog as I am also a farm girl, animal lover, have 2 horses and a breed golden retriever dogs, rent my farm apartment below our house to my farrier who trim smy hores and his wife they are only 21 and 23 yrs old been amrried two years no kids yet they have 6 hores here on my farm two ponies and 4 huge belgium draft horses. We use them mtk haul manure spreader and skid logs in woods and plow field etc. My husband is not a farmer at all and not too comfortable around hores at all either especailly those huge ones! But he does help me with some things when I need it. I am 53 and hav e bung knee too and short and so I have trouble mounting too dontrid ealot anymore either I use a mounting step to get on or like you find astump or fallen tree if I hav ebeen thrown off wheich I have a couple times the last few years so I totally can relate to your sunday ride drama!!! Looking for ward to more interesting blogs from you and I am just learning this computer stuff so don’t hav ea blog of my own Debbys was the first I ever read and I enjoy hers every day! It was so great of you to have the Par-tay for her last chemo day! I used ot groom her little dog, I am retired now my grooming business was a veterinary asst for many years as well. Hope to chat with you in emails , a new friend from Pennsylvania good ole USA, Debbie
Mindee@ourfrontdoor
I love this post. I ride too (very badly) and trying to deal with cattle and kiddos from horseback would be completely beyond me. What a lovely day for a ride though!
Thanks for visiting my blog!
Mikey
You are a tough woman!!! Good for you!! Not even dropping the lead… that’s tricky to do! Glad you’re ok and you had a good time nonetheless. I LOVE seeing that country, so beautiful. But i could do w/o the buffalo flies…
Carol
It won’t be long (really) before you look back at this ride and laugh… and wonder how your kids grew up and manage to trail cattle by themselves. I know it doesn’t seem long to me that I’d have to get off my horse to help them back on theirs, because they got off to pee, or they dropped something… all the while trying to keep the cows moving! Then they were hungry or thirsty or a bee stung them… oh my look at ’em now…
http://blog.rimrockenglishshepherds.com/2008/09/25/here-they-comethere-they-go.aspx
Carol
Mom L
Just a quiet, simple, family outing, huh? Are you taking lessons from Mr. I with regard to taking pictures from atop your horse?!! That was a great photo story – thanks!!!
Nancy in Atlanta
Debby
I’m picturing you flat on your back in the dust clutching your camera and Lacey’s lead, yelling “I’m okay! I’m okay!” It sounds very scary, and I did not giggle, at all. Not at all. Much.
Seriously, glad you’re okay. Mr. I probably hasn’t asked for any more help because he’s not an adventurous soul. Some folks are cut out for adventure, like yourself. Other folks will do anything to avoid it, like Mr. I, apparently.
Sabra
Hmm, it’s been a really long time since I landed on my patootie from horseback. I don’t think this old bod could take it now. Good for you, BB. Looks like a fun day. Love your pictures.
Jayne
Love the photos, we need to see more of your lovely smile 😉
Gem
SOunds like fun! Not the patootie bit! Great shots again!
GreenRanchingMom
Great pics! I have a hankering for spring! And I need to remember my camera this year!!
d/iowa
i love the pics! and glad you are ok too!
don’t feel bad, when we flipped the jeep i had my camera in my lap and took pics of darrin hanging above me by his seatbelt. awesome.
and PS- i have officially stolen your mystery photo contest- hope you don’t mind- i gave you credit for the idea : )
http://loessismore.blogspot.com/2009/03/photo-contest.html
jeanie
Now see, I look at what was a good idea (Mr I contorting on top of Trooper to get your darned hat) and my one thought is “he had a tool, why didn’t he use her” – where is Violet and my image of Mr I dangling her to get the hat? I see a circus act!
‘Salina, of course, saw the finer points in the distinctions between Yvette and Lacey’s neck.
Unfortunately you took away from this experience a sore butt – oh, and a darned good post.
Woman in a Window
Bruises aside, I think you must lead a pretty sweet life. (Not to undermine the work, just so gorgeous.)