Cowboy {Cowgirl} Up!

On Saturday this past weekend, the boys, Grandma and I headed down to visit my cousin and his wife Pat, and go for a ride on their horses. The boys were super excited as Oliver had never ridden before, and Henry had recently had a lesson, as well as a few times in the saddle. The boys even got to drive Mike's tractor to get the saddles from the house, and along the way received promises of shooting a gun {on a future visit}. After a brief visit in the house, we headed outdoors to brush the horses and saddle them for a ride. It had been raining earlier in the day, so we weren't sure we were going to be able to go out once we had driven down to New Prague.

*the rainbow at the end of the album came out that evening...  foretelling, every little thing's gonna be alright.

Everyone was paired up, Pat and Grandma went back into the house as we went into the pasture. My horse wasn't interested in walking and tried to giddy-up a couple of times. Here's where I should probably mention that I was also the unfortunate dance partner earlier and she stepped on my foot! So, foot still sore, I was determined not to let it affect the boys' experience, and on we rode. Halfway 'round the fenced area, my horse and Henry's decided they wanted to run up the long, wet grasses. Mike quickly noticed and had us go back toward a less steep area to try again. This is where time seemed to stand still and everything became a blur... my horse still wasn't having any of the "walk" routine and started getting anxious (as was I), and Henry was below me on the hill, his horse now reacting similarly. Before I knew it, Mike was telling us to jump off. Henry went first, and as I turned to watch, he was on the ground and his horse sat/fell on him before getting up and running up the hill. Mine seemed to get spooked by the whole ordeal, and I was on the ground equally as fast. That moment in time was so brief, and the Mom adrenaline kicked in... I was off to Henry in a shot (still on the ground) to make sure he was breathing, conscious and no broken bones.

We are both tending to a sore left foot. Rest, ice, compress & elevate! {repeat} He has a sprained ankle and mine is a bit mroe tender. A few more bruises here and there, but neither of us the worse for wear... and now another story to tell when Henry heads back to school about how he spent his summer break.

We will try again! This time maybe around the corral, one at a time, and not on the wet grasses. Because, after all, "you're not a true cowboy/girl until you've been thrown {jumped} from a horse," says Mike.