We almost died today...

Okay so maybe we almost didn't DIE persay... But we could have...


So we were riding in the trail arena, and she was in this amazing trot. She was doing great, especially since I had been having a hard time with her trot before my trainer came out. (It's too bouncy to sit and not bouncy enough to post... Really weird...) So I realize that my reins feel a bit funny. I tighten them a bit and I can't feel her mouth... What the heck?

I look down in time to see my bit falling to the ground along with my reins. Cricket freaks out, trips over the reins and goes down on one knee. When she bounces back she spooks again and takes off in a canter, absolutely terrified. I'm asking her to woah but she's not listening, she's going to crash through the fence, so I decide now would be a good time to do and emergency dismount... Into the freaking fence. When she saw me hit the ground she stopped dead and shoved her nose into my face. I was scared to look because I thought she messed up her leg (The sound was aweful...) I kept thinking about how screwed up it would be to put down my six-year-old because of a bridle malfunction. What a crappy way to die.

I take a deep breath...

I open my eyes...

Aaaannnddd...


She's totally fine. Freaking horse. It's really weird too, because yesterday we went on a very long trail ride where we trotted and cantered and there were NO bridle problems. I always make sure my tack is functioning correctly... There were no problems. Ever. What would have happened if this happened out on the trail?

Guess we need to start working on "woah" again.

Wow ! Thank Goodness, Glad that both of you are ok. Yes , we def. Take chances everytime we are around our horses (mounted or unmounted)

Amazing! So glad you're ok. What happened to the bridle? I would buy a new one and not mess with that one again. Very lucky it didn't happen on the trail.

Thanks guys. Yeah, I'm not even going to touch that bridle. I'm going to get a different head stall when I get a my new bit. I have no clue why it happened. It was my favorite one, too. Sad but a small price to pay.

That's crazy and really scary! I think it's adorable how she just nudged her nose into you when you jumped off!

That's really really scary.
I actually almost witnessed the literal death of someone a year or two ago because the horse next to their horse slipped it's bridle and they both freaked out while being tied up. The girl next to the first horse got knocked to the ground and her horse jumped on her, luckily the horses hooves went right in her armpits and not on her chest. It was very very scary.

I'm REALLY glad you and Cricket are ok. =)

I've had that happen several times. My bit clips onto the headstall. Once I didn't get it clipped good so it came out or her mouth and was hanging by one side. The other time I was using a headstall with Chicago screws which came undone so she was head free completely. Fortunately Vida is pretty laid back and usually doesn't freak out when something goes bad. When the bit clip came undone, I never even got off. Just reached down and put the bit back in her mouth and clipped it.
One of those "always check you tack" days

You are lucky. I have two stories that have to do with this one. I have lost a bit on the trail... 8(

1) I had Chicago screws fall out. Luckily my hore wasn't a skitz at all, and we were with buddies so I just asked them to stop too so that he would without me pulling. Fixed that with leather strips because we were on a trail ride.

2) We were on a trail ride about 6 miles from camp and were going around a rest spot. I had noticed that one man had tied the horse he had told us was green as we came up by his bridle. (and the horse was pulling a little) About the time we got past the horse yanked loose and took off running at my mother's mare and my gelding. Her mare kicked out at him, and I just kinda stood there hoping he didn't run into me. My gelding was pretty calm about it, but it took a lot of work to get my mom's horse over it. They caught him pretty quickly since no one ran with him, but it could have been bad because it is a big national park so he could have been lost forever. (I have heard of people losing a horse and later finding the body :[ )

I'm glad you guys are okay. Sounds terrifying.

Loved the way you posted you really unfortunate story. That would have been scary! Loved the humor you put into it. Glad things turned out so well.
On a side note about the woah, I think she probably got so caught up in the scary moment that knowing her woah better might not have made a difference. Glad things turned out ok.