back in the saddle

It seems like forever since I landed in a heap on the rocks...

The first week was filled with misery-aching head, stiff neck, bruises everywhere. But soon the bruises and aches and pains subsided, all but my stiff neck and bruised elbow and bruised base of skull.

My vacation arrived just in time and the Saturday following my fall, I was headed to the beach to be with family and significant other. The Sea Air is enough to take my thoughts off of my aches and pains.

I walked 5 miles every other day down the beach and enjoyed several massages to lessen the pains.

But once I arrived home, the aches and pains returned and I realized that along with the distractions at the beach I had also been enjoying alchohic drinks each day which certainly had provided medicinal values!

So on Monday, I took Falcon and then Red to the small round pen and exercised them for about 20 min. each. They are fatter then ever and out of shape for a Limited Distance Ride.

On Tuesday, Karen and I were supposed to ride, but my neck was killing me after being on the computer at work all day long entering data from the inventory...I am a RN for petes sake in an OPERATING ROOM! But when you work in a small place like I do, you get to do anything necessary!

Anyway, I canceled our ride and instead drove 70 miles to go to my daughters Varsity Volleyball game, which thankfully they WON!

Wed. came and went, then Thur. I felt like I was losing my nerve to get back on to ride again.

Jay came and put pads and shoes on Falcon and Red in anticipation for the ROCKS on the Fort Valley LD Ride.

Ok, that BROKE me! Shoes AND pads! I better get on and get my moneys worth!

So today, FINALLY, Karen came over. The day was PERFECT! 71 degrees.

I had Falcon already saddled and Red brushed when she arrived. She used her Aussie saddle on Red which fit him perfectly according to her.

Yeah, whatever, let's get on and ride! We took my usual trail and I showed off where I got BUCKED off and she said "ooooohhhh ouch, nuthin but ROCKS!"

Basically we walked and trotted the FAT boys with very little cantering up the mountain...even that had them breathing heavy...yikes, I don't have a good feeling about finishing the FV ride.

The boys picked their way down the east side of Piney Mountain without any issues, the pads doing a good job. Then we trotted some down Summers road, but Falcon was spooking a good bit. There were plenty of deer out that kept crashing into the woods.

Karen was totally disoriented as to where she was, so I gave her a quick idea of where we were and then we headed up the Jacobsons driveway towards home. As we topped their hill, the sun streamed across the valley as it set over the Massanutten Range.

Both Karen and I wished that we had brought our cameras along.

It was a lesiurely ride. It took us one and half hours to complete a ride that normally takes me 30 min. But it was a good introduction for Karen to get a handle on Red and for me to fight some of my fear demons.

I never felt one ache or pain in my neck while riding. AMAZING what the outside of a horse can do for the inside of a woman!

We just make it through that FV LD after all!