 |
|
|
You imagine a country girl living in wild wonderful Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia would be a passionate horseback rider, mountain girl and all. Let’s just say horses, and I— do not get along. I have tried to make friend with them thou they always found a way to knock, through, spring up, or just sling me over the nearest fence they could find.
I have even had a horse take off in the woods and get my head stuck between two trees. The friend who owned the horse--- like to have never pried my head out between those two trees; I was about ten when this happen. I being the type person by no means will give up, I felt it was time as they say--- to get back in the sable.
My big brother works at a ranch down the road a ways, the farm had horses, cows, you name the animal he had it. Mr. Cornet said we could come down to take a ride on the horse. We walked down to the ranch the next day it was about a mile or so from our house I had time to think enough on the way to get excited about riding the horse, my brother Tommy said he was real tame and gentle, just what I needed. The farmer had a saddle for the horse he said, “It’s been years since I’ve saddled a horse.” I was not prudent enough too be alarmed by his statement.
The saddle went on the horse he made certain it was extremely tight, so it would not come off while I was riding… you know for safety--- the only thing he tightened the back strap instead of the front. What did I know about putting on saddles….well as soon as I climbed on the horse it went crazy--- I was in the middle of the bronco ride of my life.
The rancher started shouting out to me---hold on, hold on, hold on tight… hence I did “For Dear Life.” Felt like the ride lasted forever though only a few minutes. The next thing shouted--- let go, let go, please let go, therefore, I let go then went flying up in the air. When the farmer discovered he had tightened the saddle in the back, he knew instantly why the horse was so barmy.
This cowgirl ride, made me stay clear of horses for years to come. Then I met a nice little pony it was a horse, though a little horse, also blind in one of its eye. I lived in Delaware at this point was grown and married. I had ridden this horse a time or two, I confident with our horse- cowgirl relationship. I thought we had bonded….
My husband could say Getty- Up; the pony would take off like mighty stallion. It was my turn to ride the pony, I started to mount on horse bareback, and my husband said those— words. I never did get the chance to get my butt mounted down on the horse secure before he took off. My be—hind was going side to side up and down never once hitting center on the horse.
The horse darted to the edge of the woods in a full gallop did a 90-degree, my body still being in the ride position. Air born I went… lacking wings to fly hit ground warp speed….my tail-end removed three foot of grass to expose the earth below it there lay---I could not move from pain, it hit a nerve in my back literally paralyzed me for a time.
My husband and neighbor that were watching could not stop— laughing. My husband walked to his truck chuckling, drove to my side, and said, “I’ll just load you in the back of the truck on a board to take you to the hospital.” I laughed to keep from crying the pain unbearable. No just let me lay here a minute or two. I did soon recover from my ride, the tailbone recovered for months.
This was the final adventure for this— country girl on horses. As a result of this event, when anybody mentions horses my husband laughs and is more than delighted to tell the legend of his real live country girl horseback rider.
|
|
|
