Another really bad "first"

After what happened yesterday, whether or not I am rescuing this horse *might* be called into question. :) We took our first ride off the property even though I still felt in my heart it was a little premature, I thought we'd make it back in one piece and we did....sort of.

Fiona started out the morning in a pretty foul mood. It took a bit to get her saddled and for me to get on. Once I was up, she was a little fussy but settled down pretty quickly. We hacked out with a new acquaintance from the barn who is a calm person and GREAT with her own horses. She rides bridleless and bareback all the time. It's really cool.

The ride outside the property was mostly wonderful. We rode across the street and into the desert on state land near the farm. She was calm during the entire ride in the desert. We went over small washes..around bushes and even trotted a little on the way back. She likes to trot out of dips! It was like she was just born to be out there riding. It was CRAZY!

When we walked back across the street and headed to the park to let the horses eat. Fiona spooked going into the park and bolted. I had her circling and almost got her stopped when she spooked at a grate on the outside of our circle and she leapt the opposite direction to get away from it. I just couldn't stay with her and I came off. I hit my right back/hip really hard on the ground and sprained a finger trying to keep hold of the reins. The scariest part for me is that Fiona took off, in the wide open near a street.

I went to the ER in an ambulance. I don’t have any broken bones just LOT'S of pain and swelling. So I am fine.

Fiona decided to turn this event into Tour De Mesa and ran about 2 miles before the police fenced off an area to keep her in and the woman I was riding with and some wonderful man caught her. She is cut up really badly. She ran through a barbed wire fence and fell a couple of times it looks like. She managed not to get hit by any cars which is just a miracle because the entire run was on main streets until she went through that fence.

To say the least, I feel AWFUL!!!! We are both lucky to be alive. You might think that an event like this would cause one to give up or walk away or set lower goals but my emotions are exactly the opposite. I want to get back in the game and keep working toward our existing goals. I am sure that sounds insane to some people, but it really is that important to me. More importantly, I still think we can get there.

It will probably be a week or two before we are both back in fighting form. I am walking pretty slowly and Fiona will need time for her stitches to heal up, but we will be back at it soon.

If I can give someone advice based on this catastrophe it would be: "Never go against your instincts. If you have an inkling that you are not ready, then wait until that feeling is gone."