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Your most humbling experience-DO TELL!

9K views 59 replies 38 participants last post by  star16 
#1 ·
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Ok. In my 43 years atop horses, I've had some doozies. But if I had to pick just one, it would be this one, because it happened during a clinic with an "I" judge. At USET Headquarters, Gladstone NJ. Yes, my friends, the fairytale Mecca of all US English-riding little girls and boys, and big ones too.:)

My first horse, a bloody gorgeous 17H Dutch WB gelding ex-jumper by Le Mexico and I accompanied mybtrainer to the 2 day clinic with a well-known and much beloved elder statesman-judge here in the NorthEast. I had ridden since I was 10, starting in H/J, moving to
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3 Day and dressage in college. Quit for a while after college to start my business, then started back and found my boy.

Cecil was stunning, both conformation-wise and moving. I collected many inquiries about him from big name dressage riders and trainers until they found out his age- I bought him when he was 10 and lost him at age 14. He was very sensitive and difficult-his free walk overtracked by almost 2 ft. measured, and one had to exercise care not to resemble a porn star when riding it, as it made your pelvis do things it didn't know it could:oops:

Back to Gladstone. I bring this gorgeous horse into the upper level of the main barn. Riders of all levels were there, and EVERYONE knew more than me. But of course, I didn't know that yet:wink: I thought that I was a prittty, prittty, priittty good rider. I'd done a little big eq, did some low jumpers, evented with success, did a few dressage shows, all on schoolhorses. I taught some. I was pretty good, I thought.

Oh no. First lesson, I started warming up in the indoor. My horse just got faster and faster and I did what I thought was DRESSAGE. Hmmph.

Clinician gradually stopped giving generalizations to the large audience an began to watch me with consternation. Try as he might, and try as I did, I couldn't grasp what he wanted.

So then it happened.
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He told me to drop the reins. And hold onto the pommel.

Then he ran beside me with his hands on the reins near the bit.

I have the whole thing on video. Round and round we went, him jiggling and jogging, me bouncing and mortified. Did I mention the standing-room-only gallery:cool::thumbsup::clap:

So, lets hear them. Your most humbling experience. Doesn't have to be dressagey, just funny.
 
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#58 ·
heres a nice recent one....

Im restarting an 18hh draft mare over the next 30-60 days. Day one, shes in her halter and lead doing nicely just leading around, halting, backing etc. Im talking to seamus, our wood worker, whos going on about how "im so little, but hes seen me push a mustang around, so why not a draft, etc etc" trying to make me look good for the new boarder cause hes awesome for my career like that :) well, Wonderful ton and a half Abby, decides that THAT patch of grass looks great! so she continues to heave her huge body towards it, completely ignoring that silly piece of nylon over her nose with he 90lbs attached to the other end. i went dirt sledding for about 20 ft on my heels, much to everybodys elses pleasure :)
 
#59 ·
I've got one!! :)
I was teaching my SIL how to sit properly on a horse bareback, and give accurate cues. I had to be 19 at the time. So i climbed aboard my old gelding he had to be 17 at the time himself. I was riding him about the pasture nothing, no halter and rope, no bridle, nothing.:shock: Mean while my gelding had rubbed off almost all of his mane due to sweet itch. (nice right). I don't know what my problem was that day (i thought i was super woman or something) :wink: I was telling her about how i haven't been thrown off in years. Ok great, i ask Old boy to step up his pace to a canter/lope. HA HA YEAH!! He took off like a bullet, and decided to do a bronc demonstration, i held on for the first 3 bucks, and the fourth, he went a little higher. I was like OMG :shock: !!!! He threw me about 4-6 feet in front of him, i landed on my neck/shoulders and just lied there wondering if i should move. :oops: He walked up and nosed me, as if asking if i'd like to try that again. I will never take that old horse as a slow old plug anymore LOL. :lol: Even at the nice age of 20 (going on 21 in may), he still enjoys a good romp through the fields with a rider and with out. :wink:
 
#60 ·
My most humbling experience was probably the first few stages of training my dressage mare. Our battles were fierce- we're both girls, both in our teens, and both very stubborn. I love that mare to death, but wow!! Thank good I have my horses on my property... if I'd been at a boarding facility, Ito would've been very embarrassing... for me at least. Star thought the whole process was hilarious... especially long-lining...
 
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