Monday, September 26, 2011

some of obstacle ride...

Camryn here:
there were 12 obstacles so this'll be lotsa writing.
Mom still be hurting bad, who'd have thought bruised ribs would hurt so bad.  The pain killers aren't being much help.  Her has hard time sleeping in bed cause being flat out hurts and if her habs to go potty it takes bout 20 minutes just to get out of the bed!!!  I'm not getting hay nets for a bit either which I like, it just hurts Mom to much to fill them.
So the ride...
Our neighbor was supposed to go with us but canceled.  Luckily (kind of) another lady was alone and wanted company so her n Mom rode together.  Unluckily, I'd already bonded with the group of horses near me and April (horse we rode with wasn't one of them).  So heading out was the last thing I wanted to do.  The entire first mile I attempted to head back to camp.  Mom just circled me lots an we got to the first obstacle still arguing about it a little.
Obstacle one: I had to trot past a faux campsite, then back again.  I balked at first cause of wanting to go back to camp so got a 7 on that one. 
Obstacle two: I must mention April is a TWH, her walk had Mom trotting me lots which gave me opportunity to grow my brain back.  By the time we got to this obstacle I was my normal self land didn't care if we couldn't see April and her rider.
What we had to do was walk over 5 numbered logs that zigzagged thru some brush.  One of the few naturaly occuring obstacles.  The first log was WAY tall on me, I refused our first attempt as I assumed Mom was making a mistake in asking me to cross.  Once her asked again I realized she for some odd reason actually wanted me to and went on over.  This log was so high that it actually bumped Mom's stirrup off her foot!!!  The other 4 was easier.  I did really good but, got a 7 cause of the first refusal.
Obstacle three: Mom was to dismount, pick up animal which was actually two black trash bags taped together and filled with foam.  Her then placed trash animal across the cantle, remounted rode to a barrel n back, then handed the trash animal off to judge.  I got a 10 on that one.
Obstacle four: was the noise obstacle.  They had two crazed yapping dogs tied alongside the trail, another crazed yapper tied on the other side.  The dogs didn't know each other so barked at each other pulling on their ties.  Add horse walking along trail just few feet from them.  Lots more barking and lunging.  I got a 10 on that one too.  Course having my own dog helped I'm sure.
Obstacle five: Trash pickup.  Mom was given a grabber (like on TV commercials), cause well you always ride with one don't you???  Den her was given a plastic grocery bag.  We had to pick up a bottle, a baseball cap and a towel.  We only gotted a 5 cause of Mom!!!  Her just couldn't coordinate the grabber AND put what her'd picked up in the bag very well.  Plus she kept accidently asking me to disenage my rear because without realizing it at first she was holding it where her puts her leg to cue me for that.  I was circling, circling, circling.  Once her realized her DUH, we completed our task.
Obstacle six: Was square hoop pullover.  They had a huge square built of PVC pipe with colored ribbons tied all over it and a rope.  The idea was I step into square with front feets, Mom pulls the rope bring square w/ribbons up over me, lets it fall behind, then brings it back over into original position.  Course when Mom started pulling it I thought her wanted me to back so did.  Mom just thought "yeah we'll do this on trail all the time" and passed thinking it silly.
Obstacle seven: Cause of the crash where Mom still knows her shoulda just passed.  One thing I didn't mention is that the lady and TWH we'd been riding with, after their attempt (couldn't do it either) rather than waiting for Mom.  Her just rode off and left us to fend for ourselves!!!  Da next lady (she won 2nd place), asked if Mom would like to ride with her.  By then Mom was ready to continue so we did.  I liked this horse way better too.  Dat lady and judges were stunned by Moms former riding partner just leaving her like that.
Obstacle eight: Dis was a creek crossing.  Differant than most as it's sides were built up with barn stones.  So I had to drop my front down at least three feet to enter creek, cross, go up the same.  Then we was supposed to return.  Da drop down jarred Mom's ribs/shoulder pretty bad so her just waved back and said "nope, not coming back".  We waited for our new partner to cross.  We got a 1 on that cause we did part of it.
Mom had decided anthing that caused pain we'd avoid.  And anything I balked at we'd just continue on as her didn't have full use her right arm. Her kept thinking of injured cowboys having to finish their ride!
Obstacle 9: they had 4 things of PVC pipe with branches sticking out.  We was supposed to walk thru them.  Not eat them wich is what I did hee hee.  I mean come on we's been out three hours and I was hungry.  They shoulda done that one first!!! We got a 0 on that one.
We caughted up with our old partner so now we rode with three.  New partner kept asking if Mom was ok, Mom said that my hips rolling back and forth was actually pretty soothing.  Trotting her just held on to the cantle to stableize the bumping a bit.
Obstacle 10: Apparently they thing we're football players.  Had 7 tires laid out forming a V, they was like a whole inch apart.  Mom thought "Oh, what the heck, we'll give it a go".  I got a 10 on that one, guess I should try out for football team :)
Obstacle 11: Backing in a figure 8 round two trees that was like 8 feet apart.  Mom had us give it a reasonable attempt.  I'm a good backer, but not that good.  We got a 2 as we gotted some of it done.
Obstacle 12: For some odd reason Mom thought this one was funnest.  They had 16 barrels, lined up in sets of 4 with bout three feet between each (maybe less).  The was marked A,B,C,D n F.  Had to go thru in alphabeticle order.  If you went thru out of order you was DQ'd, if you knocked on over you was DQ'd, you had 40 seconds to complete.  Mom n me just whizzed right thru perfect, it was last obstacle so lotsa peoples were there and cheering us on.  Specialy ones that knew Mom was wounded.  Only one snaffoo, after we'd completed them, I thought we was done not realizing I had to cross the finish line and all.  So, in true Haflinger style, I congratulated myself by stopping to graze.  Mom not being able to use her right arm good couldn't stop me.  Once I realized we wasn't done, we crossed the finish line but, had gone over time.  We got a 1 on that one.
One rider after us knocked a barrel and got DQ'd her whined that the barrels was to close.  Everbody pointed to me saying the Haflinger did it!!!  Geez, give a girl a complex bout being wide!
Whilst writing this post Mom gotted call from Xray doc.  Her has 3 cracked ribs after all.  Mom told him she was expecting his call.  Her'd already made appointment for Wed. to see regular doc.  Who'd have though cracked ribs would hurt sooooo much her says.  Haven't heard bout the paramedic lady, we will Wed. though when I gets my feets trimmed.
Later...

5 comments:

  1. Camryn, What is this event called that you went to? It sounds like fun. . .except for Obstacle 7! Take good care of your mom. . .it sounds like she is in some real plain! I hope she gets healed up, real quick!

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  2. It was put on by the Medina Chapter of the Ohio Horsemans Council. It's called "The Over The Top Ride" They hold it every year at this time. Pretty sure this was it's 6th season.

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  3. Thanks! I am going to look into that. . .maybe one day me and Shy can go!

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  4. I just looked it up. . .its about 3 hours from where I live. . .Although if I had a boat, and I could get one big enough, and I could get Shy on, it would be much quicker!

    That National Park looks so pretty!

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  5. oh, my goodness! Take care of your mom, Camryn. Broken ribs are a pain---in more ways than one. But I am so impressed that she finished the ride. What an accomplishment.

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