Posted by PH Cody on October 12, 2002 at 08:53:17:
This article was written by Sallie Adams for the Palmetto Appaloosa Horse club's newsletter. I found it a wonderful trip back to all my similar "adventures" and asked her permission to post it here...
(A friend) sent an article she found in a magazine recently that was titled "Growing Fat on thin air" and it reminded me of the recent trip I took to Croft State Park with my friend Pam. We took our horses up there to check out the trails for future rides with the club or just a small group of friends. Pam's two year old was fit from weeks of training, but a little green yet to ride in a large group. My old gelding, Zeke, was fat and healthy from a summer of good pasture, but very little trail time. Zeke has always been big and strong enough to carry anyone over a long, difficult trail, but I should have conditioned him a little more before tacking that ride. The first three miles of the winding, climbing and rocky trail had him sweating pretty good, but the last three miles were worse. He got so tired climbing one hill, that I planned to dismount and let him go up alone with me holding onto his tail. Needless to say, by the time I got ready to get off, my legs were tired, the hillside was steep, we were standing in a washed out gully at a steep angle and trees on both sides. Pam and her mare were just behind me resting and catching a second wind for the rest of the climb. I leaned forward, swung my right leg over the back of the saddle, just clearing the saddle bags, and started to step down. I was wearing a rather loose fitting t-shirt, and it caught on the saddle horn. Zeke is quite tall, so I knew that t-shirt would be over my head by the time I touched the ground, and I reached up my right hand to pull it loose, but having turned loose my grip on the saddle, it made for a very sloppy dismount. As my foot touched the rocky trail below me, a rock slid off the bank from under my foot and sent my tumbling into the gully underneath Zeke. Zeke politely stepped aside and up onto the right side ledge of the trail, letting me continue my journey into the gully, heels up, head down, until I landed quite surprised against the soft cotton leg wraps of Pam's mare. The mare, quite to her credit, stood very still as I leaned there with my shoulders propped against her legs. Concerned that the mare might step on my, or strike me with her hoof, Pam asked her to back up a couple of steps, thus letting me roll further into the gully, feet skyward and head downhill. When Pam asked if I was hurt, all I could think to say was "I've fallen and I can't get up!" She had to dismount and help me get up out of the gully. Both horses stood quietly while I dusted myself off and looked around to see if there were any witnesses other than the two horses and Pam. Then we both just burst out laughing. Wish I could have gotten that on film for "America's Funniest Videos." Bet I could have been $10,000 richer...We finished the ride okay, but I plan to have me and Zeke in better condition before attempting that long, hard ride again. The next day was better. We took the low road!
Sallie Adams is the Newsletter Editor and writer as well as the vice president for the Palmetto Appaloosa Horse Club in South Carolina. If you live in that area, they are the club to join as far as friendly, helpful folks go!
