Training Helped Indeed

The title of this post was more on me then it was Marley or any other horse for that matter on this day. I had gotten a message a week ago that my old college girlfriends wanted to get together for a trail ride day up north of the metro area. I haven't or don't ride the 'city' trails because they are another fee on top of the already state trail fees you pay. But for this it was specail cause I haven't seen them we figured in 8 years. So what better to get together when it is with horses. The trail was about and hour and a half drive so I brought the family with for the day to being the weather was just fabulous! The fall colors are out but with some of the high winds we have been having alot of leaves have been taken off. The group was bigger than just the few of us and we got to meet many new people, which made it a bit more fun. There are 21 miles of trails and we had ridden just about all of it but one small loop which was a bit hard to get to. Most of them grassy rolling hills and through some treed areas. (Warning...Gets a bit graphic here)We where about 20 min from getting back at camp after the ride until it took a turn for the worse. Most of the group that was with us at this point had either turned back or went faster so it was down to a group of 7 of us. My hubby and I don't do any loping when we have the kids with unless it is going up a big hill, we mainly walk and an occasional trot. But the 4 girls that where with us at this time wanted to lope a few stides and then wait for us, we are fine with that. The horse trail joined with a paved bike trail for about 300 feet maybe until it got back to grass again. While once we hit that that is where they wanted to lope on the shoulder. The last girl's horse slipped out from under her and she hit her head so hard on the pavement and got bounce off or drug over to the shoulder in the grass by her horse. There was bloody skid marks on that pavement. Her horse was fine, sore and a few small surface wounds. But Steph on the other hand, knocked out cold and lying in a horrific position. No one in our group had CPR or First Aid training but me for Posse work. So jumped off Marley to make sure she was still breathing. She was, that was good. After about a min or 2 she came too. 911 was called and on the way. My hubby took the kids back and her horse back to camp. The rest of us stayed with her talking to her, keeping her still and on the ground. She was in ICU for 3 days. She had bleeding on the brain, 2 MRI's and can't do anything for 6 weeks. Her face is black and blue down the side she landed on. I don't normally ride with a helmet, posse work only and I use my son's. After that very close call and taking that chance with your head, I am purchasing a helmet for myself as soon as I can get to a store that carries them. I don't ever want to relive that experience again. I am sorry I was a bit graphic with what had happened and you don't really take others words for it until you experience it first hand. Also one more piece of insight, if I ever do quite the posse I am going to keep up on my First Aid and CPR cause you never know when you are going to need it. Oh on the bright side of things I carry a small first aid kit in my saddle bags and when we got back to camp said that alot of good this little thing could have done in this situation :) So I try to be prepared, have to go bigger! And always carry horsey first aid stuff with too, just in case, cause we have needed that as well out on the trail.

Be Safe out there and Happy Riding!!

Marley & Dana