She RIdes Again!!!

Friday, November 13, 2009, Addie took a tumble off of her horse that resulted in a nasty fractured humerous bone in her right arm. Basically, the head of the bone that meets the shoulder joint sheared off and had to be operated on. It was a very painful ordeal for Addie. As soon as her second surgery had the three pins removed and she has waited the 12 weeks for recovery, she hopped back on her mare and rode. The next thing we knew, it was hot, long summer in Louisiana and she didn't feel like battling the heat to ride. Her friend Laura continued to take lessons on Lucy and bonded with the horse while Addie wasn't able to ride. Then we moved, got busy building fences and entertaining guests here. Next it was a pretty hard winter here in Idaho, so very little riding. Finally spring arrived and we sold Lucy due to just not being a good fit for our kiddos or our horse program of no more estrogen....GELDINGS ONLY (that's a neutralized or "fixed" male horse). We got another horse, a nice, grey gelding that Addie named Prince. He ended up being a bit more horse than I thought, so I have been trying to ride him more and see if he can stay around or not. Meanwhile, throughout the past almost two years since her accident, Addie has not really been excited about riding. She was scared and told us she wanted to have a horse and care for a horse and even show her horse, but not ride. I was very honest with her in telling her a horse was way too expensive in the upkeep department to just have to lead around and brush. A goat maybe??? So we agreed to share Prince while I decided if we could keep him around.

I have asked Addie if she wanted to ride several times with very little pressure. I didn't want to guilt her or force her into riding, so I stayed off of her case and let things settle. Then two weeks ago at the fair where the girls took horses and Ainslee showed in the bareback class, she told me she wanted to start riding in the nice, deep sand of our round pen at our ranchette. I was so excited I wanted to jump up and down and cry (picture Miss America crowning here), but I supressed that and acted surprised and pleasantly pleased to hear this news.....HOLY CRAP, SHE WANTS TO RIDE.......HOW COOL IS THAT!?!?!?!? SO I told her that would be fine but that we really had to survive fair in 100 degrees first. She had Prince at the fair and her three year old gelding, Smokey. She showed them to all the adults and kiddos passing through the fair horse barn and took very nice care of her horses' needs including feeding and stall cleaning while we were there almost a week!!! So last week was the "week after fair" she spoke of, and I asked if she was ready one evening and the next thing I knew she had her boots and helmet on and was ready to ride Ernie, our old faithful horse. She rode several minutes and asked to TROT!! Again, almost got all spastic with excitement but had to act calm and unexcited!! SOOOOOO hard!! I was so proud of her, and after she dismounted, she said,"Ya know, Mom, I didn't feel scared once I got on and walked him a few steps. The trotting was so much fun, and I want to ride again tomorrow!!! I think I was just needing all that time to get over my fear. I think the fear is gone now!!" I was getting tears in my eyes but held back the emotion and just agreed with her. SO the next day she wanted to ride again, but she let me know by coming out to the round pen in her jeans and boots while I was riding Prince. She asked to RIDE PRINCE this time!!! WOW!!!!! SO I put her saddle on him and she took off like a pro!! She walked and trotted and put him through his paces like she never had riding time off!! Ernie is like driving an old, big Lincoln Continental or Town Car. He is slow to respond and sort of large and stiff. Prince is like driving a Porche.....super-responsive and very sporty feeling. I think he has Addie's respect, but she had fun, and while Grouchy and I were talking when he called while she was riding, he reminded me to get her off of Prince before she wanted to quit. I married a really smart guy!! So I did that and she wants to ride again!!!!

Below is a video of the ride in Prince, hopefully!!!

Godspeed,

Clara-Leigh