Yesterday I saddled up my horse, reached for my gloves and helmet...and, no helmet. It was back at the house, on the 3rd floor, awaiting a dab of glue to afix the visor. Hmmm, what to do? Horse is ready to go, sun is shining; oh, heck. I'll risk riding without my safety net. Now-a-days the reason I wear a helmet is against the possibility of Buffy stumbling; he is 25 years old, afterall, and does have arthritis. But I am a strict helmet wearing rider because "stuff" happens to the best horse and rider. My friend Linda, however, who has been riding since a child, eschews them and any notion of looking dorky while astride. Linda and I have ridden hundreds of miles together, and she has ridden many, many more miles over her, uh-hmm, 5 plus decades on horse. I am reminded of one ride, Linda on Paisano and me on Buffy, at Wilder Ranch out of Santa Cruz, CA. We were on the home stretch when with no preamble, no warning whatsoever, Paisano fell over on his side with Linda along for the experience. Not a sound was issued...no little cry from Linda nor snort from Pi. Apparently he had been spooked by an odd item on the ground and must have slipped. Well, they just got up, dusted off, and resumed the ride. So, Linda, Happy Birthday to you. Thinking of you today and everyday.
Oct 16, 2008
Riding without a net...er, helmet
Yesterday I saddled up my horse, reached for my gloves and helmet...and, no helmet. It was back at the house, on the 3rd floor, awaiting a dab of glue to afix the visor. Hmmm, what to do? Horse is ready to go, sun is shining; oh, heck. I'll risk riding without my safety net. Now-a-days the reason I wear a helmet is against the possibility of Buffy stumbling; he is 25 years old, afterall, and does have arthritis. But I am a strict helmet wearing rider because "stuff" happens to the best horse and rider. My friend Linda, however, who has been riding since a child, eschews them and any notion of looking dorky while astride. Linda and I have ridden hundreds of miles together, and she has ridden many, many more miles over her, uh-hmm, 5 plus decades on horse. I am reminded of one ride, Linda on Paisano and me on Buffy, at Wilder Ranch out of Santa Cruz, CA. We were on the home stretch when with no preamble, no warning whatsoever, Paisano fell over on his side with Linda along for the experience. Not a sound was issued...no little cry from Linda nor snort from Pi. Apparently he had been spooked by an odd item on the ground and must have slipped. Well, they just got up, dusted off, and resumed the ride. So, Linda, Happy Birthday to you. Thinking of you today and everyday.
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1 comment:
i shall be out at sea horse ranch to issue you a ticket.no helmet is very dangerous, but wait, if you get a head injury i will be able to take all of your stuff and your fancy coffee maker too.
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