Greased Watermelon

Did you ever play that game in the pool when you were a kid...

Where they greased a watermelon

and your team had to try  to be the first one to get it out of the pool in one piece?

Ok, so moving on  I had all types of titles thought up for this blog

Like

"Beaten and Bruised"

"Purple and Green"

That sort of thing

So here is the Purple and Green because 

I can't or won't show you my back and hip and butt and left thigh.

The flowers near the arena sure are beautiful aren't they? 

 Flight of ideas you say?

Well, it was a GORGEOUS day for a ride!

Falcon and I met our friends Martha/Reuben and Kim/Cruise

And we headed for Lake Folsom.

We had some minor issues.

Falcon handled a flock of Turkeys beautifully.

Then proceeded through all of the narrow "gates" to "barking dog" trail except the next to the last one where all of the horses refused and backed

refused and backed

Falcon got brave and rushed through

Then

Martha's young horse's butt bumped in to Falcon's butt while I was tightening the cinch

Falcon spooked...dummy...I circled him and proceeded.

But BUTT BUT it WAS a beautiful day at the lake!

We were having a lovely ride-yes we were.

Then Falcon Spooked when Cruise step on a fat branch that snap/crackled and popped.

I went off like a greased watermelon-shooting in to grass and weeds.

Falcon trotted on up the trail then stopped when no one followed.

I was able to catch him and re-mount

We rode further-uneventfully.

The lower trail was covered in water, so we took the higher trail and had to pass through a very very narrow area with walls of dirt up to the horses bellies on either side.

We were almost out of that chute when my phone case on my leg scraped the dirt wall and Falcon bolted -ramming right in to Cruise then he attempted to scramble up a steep embankment.

I tried to bring him around-it was a nightmare-I could see a pretty steep drop off to the lake on the other side of me.  Maybe trees would have caught me, I don't remember.  I only remember seeing Cruise's red legs.

I was physically stunned.  That fall had hurt badly!

The other Kim was yelling out to Martha that she couldn't hold Cruise.  I drug myself up into an upright position and told her to go on with Martha-I was all right.

Falcon somehow got past both Cruise and Reuben and once again took off up the trail.

Trotting just fast enough not to be caught.

I started walking...and walking and walking...but lost sight of them quickly.

By now Falcon would be on trails that he recognized and would be heading for home.  BLAH!

I called T and asked if someone could drive to the parking area in case he showed up there and to block him from crossing Lomida.

Then I saw 6 horses in the meadow far away and called T back to release her from the parking area.

They had Falcon and brought him to me.

I attempted to remount, but Falcon kept moving, so I kept him circling until he stood still.

I was so sore I could barely climb aboard.

We looped around the Meadow and then headed up Sewer road just as relaxed as could be

 when suddenly 

He DANCED-PRANCED, bucked and bucked.

I was so off balance and my friends said my arms were up and out

no doubt that caused him to then rear.

Off he went again-this time to the trail on the left.

I sent Martha and Kim up sewer road to hopefully cut him off as he headed to the home trail.

I walked

and I walked

and I walked.

I found him in the parking area munching on grass.

He nickered and walked over to me..."mom, where are my snacks?"

I was so sore-I had walked probably 4 of the 5.7 mile "ride"

After I hosed him off I notice two "welts" on his leg and belly-

I am hoping that explains my last "greased" flight-maybe he was stung by some bees????

Also, my new irrideons felt like they were greased-I had no "sticking power" with them on!

I had cursed at him and decided I was DONE with him.  

At home, I sat in the shower and cried

He and I were doing so well.  What happened this weekend?

Saturday it was the TURKEY-but I also had a stomach bug and was hot and dizzy

Not a good recipe for riding alone!

Sunday I was already sore from my Saturday fall and with each fall I got more and more battered and bruised.

I am too damn stubborn for my own good!  I should have just walked him home after the 2nd fall.

Instead now I sit

Please don't ask me to get up!

But I will quit this epistle and maybe someone (not Falcon) will knock some sense into my head!