Into Orbit

Well, as some of you may know by reading past blog entries, I have started riding again. Above - a photo of me in my glory days on my horse Silver Spoon. I think I was well, maybe 16 or 17 yrs old.
Riding is a form of relaxation for me and some quality bonding time for Kiira and me seeing as she rides at the same time. Each week I feel like I've been getting a little stronger which boosts my confidence I have to say. This week - I was wearing some new britches (yeah, yeah, I got too big for my britches, go ahead and say it...) and different 1/2 chaps. Things were feeling good. Also was demo'ing a new saddle that the barn had and I was feeliing pretty secure. Lumpy, the owner of the barn was giving me my lesson this particular day. It was a great lesson. She was doing exercises with me that I felt were really getting my form back into shape. We did some flat work for about 20 min and she set up a little crossrail/vertical combination jump. Translated - it was a small jump in the shape of an 'X' then the horse canters one stride and jumps another small jump that is a pole straight across, slightly bigger than the 'X' jump. Have to say - I did quite well for not having jumped in 7 hears (I let Lumpy know my not so recent jumping timeline before the jumping began mind you....). I guess she thought I did quite well too b/c she raised that second jump and made it an oxer. An oxer is two of the the vertical ones I just described close together so translated it is one WIDE jump! Well, my horses name is Orbit, she jumps QUITE round. Different than I am used to. It kind of throws you out of the saddle a bit. BUT, I stayed on. THANK you very much.
Well, before I get too cocky here, pretty much the next time I did said jump, Orbit got a bit bouncy after the jump for sake of changing her lead and, bloop, there I go, bounced right off. Into Orbit shall I say. Also - I remind you of the title of my blog. I'm surpised it has actually taken me this long to write of one of my many wipe-outs (horse or even no horse included!)
Bad news - well, I fell off. And I fell off on the side of the arena that was actually muddy. Good news - the mud was quite soft. Oh well, nothing like REALLY getting back into it!
It's amazing though - Kiira was in anothr barn at the time and it seems there was some reverberation of "she fell off" going through such that in no time Kiira headed over to see 'ole mom climbing back on and doing it all again (and staying on...). Guess it turned out to be a good lesson for us both. Gotta get back on and get it right. Luckily these 'ole bones were a bit sore but that's all. I will say though that I'm going to invest in the "better" helmet. Apparently they've improved in the last 10 years. I think it might be worth it given my recent bounciness! Rest easy mom. And stop that hand fluttering to your chest - we know you're doing it.... :-)