Better Bareback + a Jettison

The past few rides I have taken with the mare have been on my bareback  soft saddle, which is stirrup less. Depending on what padding configuration is chosen, you may be rather close to the horse. None is necessary since it is just closed cell foam and can be hosed off. I like to use my Mattes Correction half pad. It is sheepskin and has pockets for shims the "Thinline" shims  I use for concussion distributions, away from vertical impact.

 I actually prefer my Soft saddle for  little trail jaunts. It is super comfy and there are no back sore issues, or slipping going up and down hills.

It has been interesting to employ the latest installment of learned riding, from trainer "C"  while on Dapple, to my mare. While using stirrups was the intended use for the "Wrapping legs", feeling the outside of your foot in the stirrups to the little toes. It  has helped me bareback!

Concentrating on the curve of my leg, like there is a string attached between them under my mare's barrel, and not  forcing the heal down, has done something nice for my bareback legs. It keeps my ankle more supple, lengthens my thigh and does not put a bigger bend in my knees.
It has definitely has helped me to sit back, and not grip with my knees, which can be a problem bareback.

The mare has seemed to relax more, as well. snorting and rising her back to me as we trot. 

I was recently paroosing horse blogs and ran across a gal that had been given some critical news from her trainer, about her hands. She began to use( in an attempt to steady her hands) the grab strap on the pommel to secure her handset by her pinkies, so she may remember the feeling for later.
 I tried this myself, and while it was higher than I usually carry my hands, something happened immediately, with the mare. She went down into contact as soon as I did it. Huh. It surely makes you carry them, and with elbows just a little closer to my sides, brushing them lightly. And it made the tightening the "armpits muscles"(thanks trainer"C") and core easier too.

Having some rather nice and springlike weather earlier in the week, all sunny and warm. we got 3 rides in a row in with bareback saddle. On the middle ride I took her bridle off, for a grass graze for 35 minutes, after some nice trotting sessions and a few canters.

Unlike the other day, with the mare able to stand nicely while I took a pit stop...she was somewhat frantic. So, I took her up the road a bit and into some brush, for my privacy sake!  I tacked/mounted up again and decided that a trot to the top of the lane, then a canter down the road by one of the ponds would be nice. Then home again.
We trotted up to the corner----- and WHOOSH------- all I thought I saw, before my mare Jumped 5 feet to the right and to the right again to face the monsters, was a large white thing.  I actually let out an expletive D*** **!   I thought, "why are you spooking at a paper bag!" 

Well, it turns out that it was a darkly dressed woman with a white sweatshirt wrapped around her waist, walking a dog! I was embarrassed  that I cursed, and apologized  She totally may NOT have heard it anyhow...having a 1,000 pound animal, appear like that! My wrapped legs may have helped me there, I was thinking, very thankful to have stayed aboard! My mare normally does NOT spook sideways. But it was alright, and we did canter off down the road as planned. and then home again.

Photo from last fall~

The last ride out, this 3rd week of spring, was gorgeous. I wanted to ride just an hour and get home. The mare was "In" this day, on pasture rotation at my stable.  That means she was all clean from the previous day's grooming.
 I *** LOVE the dry days for being able to get going with the minimal!

We had been out for 20 minutes. It was a calm and relaxing ride. We did no trotting, just a walk as I allowed Wa mare to choose the  directions, we made a big loop. She chose the middle ponds to walk by, but since there were vehicles there, I knew we'd turn around soon. I figure since these folks pay to have the privilege of camping and fishing there, I shall leave them to their privacy and solace of the place, and ride elsewhere.

I made a mistake....................................
I didn't turn around in time, and just as I caught the view and eye of one of the fishermen, with his fishing poll overhead in the middle of his fly cast---------Crack----- the whip like noise!!!
Wa was gone from under me in 2 seconds, she stopped, dropped her shoulder, and whirled around to the right to evade the danger she perceived.
I am calling it a 185 turn....
My longer legs really tired to stay aboard my horse, as later I noticed the saddle sideways. 
What  I remember was, watching my left hand hold onto the  reins with a death grip (thinking don't let go and don't loose you horse!) as I started to hit the ground with force, and she leapt away, in the same direction we had come from.

I don't think I lost conciseness,  I saw Wa stop dead square and look back at me. That is the 185. She kept looking at me, without moving, as I peeled myself off the ground. I heard myself firmly saying "HO"! Then I thought to make the treat "click" noise...she received her treats as I got to her, still standing still.
 I thought my jaw would come off  ( I probably had my mouth open as I hit ground, no time for expletives this time!) it really hurt, and so did my head, leg and my left arm and shoulder were numb.
 I just started walking on the ground with the mare home, the same way we had come.
I called my sister, for accountability. I was feeling somewhat sick now. She asked me a barrage of questions: What day is it? "Survivor night, Wednesday!" I said. I got all questions correct and she said she'd come to help me ...but I stayed her off till I got to the long hill up to the stables. I called again then, letting her know I would make it and call again, before I drove.
 I knew I couldn't do everything with one hand up that hill, so I decided to use a familiar mounting stump nearby, it is super tall and I step onto Wa from it.

***Here where I really let out the stress of what happened...Wa not only turned herself around towards the stump, she walked over to it and side stepped up, then waited for me! 
I got on and BAWLED ALL THE WAY BACK to the stables...using my right hand to secure reins and mane, she took care of me by walking so ultra slow up that hill...I didn't know it was possible, truly!

So, there you have it. I am glad I had my helmet on, it took the brunt of my -whipping to the ground- head. I had my I.C.E. tags on the mare and me too. So, if I had been knocked out...all the numbers to call were there, as well as the mare's facility and my sister's number. I never looked back at the fisherman...poor guy saw it all! But I hope he said to himself, "That's a great horse!" Cause that is what I thought, after all was done...A flight response is natural to her, all the other stuff she did to help me, was her choice. She knew...I know she had to know, I needed it.

I am out of commission. While I did go back to the stables yesterday to check in on Wa, it had been 2 days  since I had seen her. And I did take her for a grass graze for an hour.  I over did it and am in worse pain than before.
 Ice is my friend, some strong drugs, and my therapist, whom I see again tomorrow.

See ya all soon, take care! Something like this makes one re evaluate all. My sister says, "You better be a saddle girl" . But, I got dumped from a stand still off her mare while wearing a saddle. So-When It happens, it happens fast!
Bareback saddle or otherwise...it just happens.