Oh my aching back

Well, I came off my horse again. Sunday. Nothing broken, but I pulled a muscle in my back.

Champagne and I had gone on a nice trail ride together, just the two of us. We had a few differences of opinion during the ride, but he eventually did agree to see it my way.

Starting out he didn’t agree with my decision to go on the trails without other people, and was bouncing and snorting across the roads and grass until we got to the trails.

Then we came to the long, steep hill called “The Pipeline”. The trail at that point is as wide as a road, steep, and moderately rocky. The footing is good, though. When we first came to it, Champagne balked. Just wouldn’t move forward at all. He also tried his favorite trick, which is to back up. It was early in the ride, so I asked him to cross the trail, and go on another section which also climbs the same steep hill, but is a narrow path and a little winding. He didn’t realize he was going the same way.

After we’d been out about an hour, we had wound back down to the base of the pipeline and again he said he couldn’t possibly go up it. After refusing and backing and threatening to bolt and thrashing around in the brush beside the trail he eventually did agree to go up the pipeline, although he stopped three times on the way up to indicate his displeasure. He doesn’t like to back up downhill, though, which was in my favor.

Once it had been demonstrated that I was the one in charge of our heading, and since we’d been out awhile, I headed back.

All along the pasture fence and across the lawn, he was again bouncing and snorting. He doesn’t like the old barn with open stalls that we have to walk near. After rounding that barn, the home fields are in sight, but upon rounding the barn, SUDDENLY! There was a WOODPILE! The same dreaded woodpile that had NOT MOVED in nine months! And it was STILL THERE!

He jumped off the ground with all four feet, wheeled, and bolted. I came off and landed on my right side and back. After bolting for about 20 feet, Champagne suddenly thought, “Oh, hey, I could be eating grass!” And began to contentedly graze.

I was afraid that he would not let me catch him, and might run into the road or trample the crops growing nearby, but no, he was fine. So I caught him, finished riding him home, groomed him and put all the stuff away. But I was having a bit of discomfort upon any twisting and bending.

Today, three days later, I am soooo stiff and sore. It is very hard to turn over at night. Walking is OK as long as I go slowly, and I can drive, sit (straight), stand, type, and reach over my head. Still, that wretched creature! And so much for my deeper seat. Ratz.