Waiting ...

Spring riding - more than we bargained

It was a little difficult to leave Texas with the great weather, but the Colorado mountains would just have to do. Time to get ready for summer missionaries, tackle the long list of chores and move the "boys" ... our horses to their summer home with Steven & Lee on the Red Dog Ranch.

The first spring move and ride can be a bit challenging as the horses haven't been asked to do anything for 7 months and they can get fiesty. But it was an easy trailering and we looked forward to the first spring ride with Steven and Lee on Sunday.

Toby was great, just as if I had ridden him the day before ... very responsive and willing. Joe is a great young horse and Marty is having fun working on Joe's trail skills. The four of us had a great ride up the mountain and turned around as a thunderstorms quickly approached.

And then, as we were coming down the mountain, it happened ... and on horseback it can always happen. Lee's horse, Newton, was acting up a bit all along the ride. Marty and I turned around when we heard Lee yell to see her on the ground and Newton bucking like a rodeo horse with the saddle clanging under his middle. He headed straight for Steven on Molly. And Molly, the always unflappable Molly, freaked and threw Steven. It wasn't a pretty sight as his foot was caught in one stirrup for a couple of bounces. Marty and I dismounted as the scared horses came right for us (but ours stayed calm) and then we ran back to help. It can go wrong so quickly.

Lee was up, but thought she broke a couple of ribs. Steven was hurting pretty badly, but after being examined by Lee (she's a doctor), was able to get up and walk. Long story short, an ambulance came for Steven. He's fractured two "transverse things" in his lower back (the bone wings that come off the vertabrae) and Lee broke two ribs. A day at the hospital and thankfully, they had no serious or internal injuries. We just talked to Steven and he's doing well enough to say he has "bragging rights" to say he broke his back while riding horseback.