We had preg tested our heifers. The ones that were “open” or not pregnant don’t get a second chance. They’re off to the sale barn to someone else’s place, most likely.
When Vernon went up the next day to take salt and mineral to the cows, he counted the heifers in the little horse pasture and some were missing.
Of course.
I had other plans. Nevertheless, I went along to help. Vernon had his four wheeler. Tess and her kids were in their side by side. Brandon and Daniel were horseback. That left me the other horse, Big Blue, as Megan had company that day and didn’t come along.
Big Blue. The tall, rangy blue roan. The TALL horse. Ugh. I have to find a few inch high rock or put Panama in a rut so I can get on him… and he’s not tall. Brandon turned over a Crystalyx tub and I clambered aboard.
The wheeled vehicles did the “flat” country. We cowboys headed for the steep hillside. Daniel went down in the “hole”. Brandon road the middle road. I took the high road.
Not far along, the call of nature was upon me. I knew if I got off that TALL horse, I may not get back on! But what can you do?
I stopped on a steep side hill. Did my business. Aligned Big Blue in a good spot. Stuck my foot in the stirrup. Now, I haven’t mentioned that Big Blue had been whinnying. So have the other horses. No one had their best friends with them, and every horse was lonely. Blue knew the other horses were below us. Blue wanted to go to the other horses.
When I stuck my foot in the stirrup, he took off down the hill. I tried to pull him up, but Blue has a LOOOONG neck and I didn’t even slow him much less stop him. I’m hanging on the side, his butt is now uphill and I can’t get my leg slung over him and he is headed down a steep hill and finally deciding he doesn’t like me hanging off of his side.
I could see this situation going bad fast. I kicked out of the stirrup and landed upright and not on a rock, thank goodness. A few colorful metaphors later, I was irritated with Big Blue.
Riding Megan’s saddle was not comfortable… I’m twice her size and her saddle pushed my pelvis forward and the alignment with my hips had begun to hurt. I decided that if Big Blue didn’t want a passenger, fine. It actually felt better to walk!
I felt pretty stupid. But not stupid enough to try to climb back on Blue. Not yet. When I was tired, I’d try again. So far there hadn’t been any cows, so all I had to do was walk.
As I started to get around the end of the ridge, Daniel rode up to save me. We found a tall rock and he stood his horse next to Blue, who was content to let me crawl into the saddle. While I was highly embarrassed, it was awfully sweet of Daniel to notice I was off my horse and come rescue me!
I’m not ready to give up cowboying by any stretch of the imagination, and I’m very willing to put in the footwork until I can find a mounting block! Hopefully, this won’t happen again… Panama is very well trained to stand still while I drag myself into the saddle!!!!
The rest of the ride went fine and we found our missing heifers plus two calves back in the trees that missed getting weaned. Bonus!
My tiny misadventure wasn’t fun, but it wasn’t horrible. It just was another adventure along the way.
Thank goodness that didn’t come out worse!! The last time a horse took offense at my trying to mount, I ended up with an ankle and foot fractured in five or six places… and she wasn’t that tall. Still, I’ve always loved big tall horses. I used to work exercising several 17 hand ex-racehorses. One of them had a crazy switch in his brain and would take notions out of the blue. He tried to kick me once when I was cleaning his rock walled stall. I was so thankful I had good reflexes and he missed…. I still loved riding him though! There was a pretty tall mounting block there, which came in super handy. Out in the field it was just a tad more difficult. How I miss that place and those horses.
What an adventure. So glad you were ok and not injured.
Glad everything turned out ok, But, I’d have paid a dollar & a quarter to see a video of that!
Landed on your feet and not on a rock!! Bonus! Glad it all turned out alright. I’ll bet Big Blue’s ears were burning if he understood.
Misadventures are humbling but how sweet to be helped/rescued by your son.
I’m glad you came out of that okay. That could have been very bad indeed.
As a short person myself, in a world of tall people, I’m an admirer of the short horses.
A laughable (now that it is over) story to tell around the campfire. I sure have some too. Glad you were able to get off without injury.
Wow so glad you are ok!! Thanks for sharing your adventure.