Fanch
Well-Known Member
Well, as I was sitting here with a very sore neck, I thought my experience should be shared(got your attention??)
I was out driving my gelding today, he was a bit roudier that usual, and I was trying to work him out. I was serpentining, and was about to go trough the volley ball net (I use a church/school soccer field as my arena, and they added this net this year, and since they are nice enough to let me use it when I have no where else to go, I can't complain, hoping they take it down at the end of the school year though(its portable))
ANYWAYS, as I was going through it, Rhino was under & through, but I didn't duck my head enough and the bottom of the net caught my chin, pulling my head back in a flash!! In this split second I thought I would be pulled back over my cart, so I yelled for Rhino to woah and shot my head back farther so that the net would get uncaught from my chin, and slide off. It caught my helmet, where I quickly pulled it off. Only then(after 2-3 seconds, did I realize that Rhino was at a dead spot. Thank god that that little boy STOPED DEAD when I told him to.
Mom, a nurse, later told me that I could have possible slit my throat, decapated myself, or broke my back from going over the cart at a bad angle. I do believe that I was very lucky, but even more lucky that I had a horse that when told, stopped emidiatly, possibly saving my life! I do believe that he also must have felt my distress, and as he has before, stopped till I was ok.
In summary
#1- Driving is not only about where your horse is going, you must also think about how where you are going will effect you.
#2- IT is absolutly ESSENTIAL that your horses be taught to woah, and stop right away. Not 10 seconds later, and no "Oh well, hes stop next time" No, this step in the training process of driving very well could save your life, as I think it did mine yesterday!
I share this for all those people that are starting to driving and for those who like myself, may need a refresher! And so that none may have to go through with the terrible pain I have in my neck now!
I was out driving my gelding today, he was a bit roudier that usual, and I was trying to work him out. I was serpentining, and was about to go trough the volley ball net (I use a church/school soccer field as my arena, and they added this net this year, and since they are nice enough to let me use it when I have no where else to go, I can't complain, hoping they take it down at the end of the school year though(its portable))
ANYWAYS, as I was going through it, Rhino was under & through, but I didn't duck my head enough and the bottom of the net caught my chin, pulling my head back in a flash!! In this split second I thought I would be pulled back over my cart, so I yelled for Rhino to woah and shot my head back farther so that the net would get uncaught from my chin, and slide off. It caught my helmet, where I quickly pulled it off. Only then(after 2-3 seconds, did I realize that Rhino was at a dead spot. Thank god that that little boy STOPED DEAD when I told him to.
Mom, a nurse, later told me that I could have possible slit my throat, decapated myself, or broke my back from going over the cart at a bad angle. I do believe that I was very lucky, but even more lucky that I had a horse that when told, stopped emidiatly, possibly saving my life! I do believe that he also must have felt my distress, and as he has before, stopped till I was ok.
In summary
#1- Driving is not only about where your horse is going, you must also think about how where you are going will effect you.
#2- IT is absolutly ESSENTIAL that your horses be taught to woah, and stop right away. Not 10 seconds later, and no "Oh well, hes stop next time" No, this step in the training process of driving very well could save your life, as I think it did mine yesterday!
I share this for all those people that are starting to driving and for those who like myself, may need a refresher! And so that none may have to go through with the terrible pain I have in my neck now!
OH!
