>> Sunday, January 10, 2010
TANGO, ME and the JUDGE!I've had people ask me over and over again why I just don't drive Tango and not ride him. "It's so much safer," they say, "And at your age you don't want to fall off."
Frankly, I honestly don't want to fall...period. But if you want to know the truth, I feel safer riding than driving ...especially in a competition.
I've only had one driving accident personally and it happened right in the middle of a show. Tango's girth began to break and the cart started to tip. As the cart tipped, Tango felt like something was chasing him and he started to run. Luckily I got him stopped in the middle of the arena, but I knew if I shifted my body weight an inch, I was going to be catapulted out of the cart and possibly under Tango's hooves.
Thankfully, Tango's a calm steady horse and he tries to take care of me. At another show, a driver somehow fell into the bottom of her cart and lost control of her horse. Once again I moved Tango into the middle of the arena as the run-away horse tore around knocking down fences and into the back of us. Tango didn't move a muscle but it was scary.
Check out this video. It's not me, but it's what CAN happen at a driving competition. See why I feel safer in the saddle?
Since Tango loves to drive, we'll still take jaunts around the farm, but I might never show in pleasure driving classes again...unless of course, Tango begs me! Or if Maddie and Annabelle want to be in the 4th of July parade!
15 comments:
I can certainly understand why you would feel safer riding than driving! Why do we have to wory about falling at this age! That just stinks! Our minds don't run true to our age!
I certainly understand what you are saying about being on the horse instead of behind it. I want to feel the movement and the mood of my horse and also for him to feel me too. Your picture of the two of you is very nice though.
I think I'd rather be on the horse than behind it too. But then again, after a big fall from a horse in the past, I'll just watch it from the sidelines!
I would love to ride with you and Tango and Maddie and Annabelle in the 4th of July parade.
How fun that would be. I can see us now.
xoxoxo
tweedles
The old I get (really the more wobbly I get) the more I worry about falling. I think I would feel safer in the saddle than driving too, even though I've heard more riding horror stories than driving.
OMG! I don't want to watch that video again. But I think some stupid people might have caused it to escalate. I can't imagine what a horse thinks when it's dragging stuff behind it, things bumping it's legs, scared to death, and people screaming and running at it. I can't believe all the people that jumped in front of it!
Now I truly understand why you don't want to do driving shows!
That was very distressing to watch, let alone what was going on with the poor horses!
I only ever rode when I was working - as I had to pay for it myself. Then I had to decide whether I wanted to learn to drive or continue riding. So I learnt to drive. I was never very good, but always loved horses.
Just so you all know, in the end no one...horses or people... were seriously injured.
You are a wise woman.
Tango is a fine horse and we understand about riding rather than driving. Of course, we are good but actually we don't do either. That was Mom's comment.
Tailwags
Ernie, Sasha, & Chica
lOVE THE VIDEO :-)
My wish is to ride a horse
(I never did that :(
(@^.^@)
You both look very dapper in the picture!
I've been reading some of your posts... This is a fantastic blog! You are so blessed to be surrounded by such beautiful, exciting animals! I promise to go back farther and read more stories about Annabelle, Maddie, Tango and the rest! Thanks for inviting me to check it out!
Oh yes, I remember this, always loved this photo. The whole thing scares me, riding or driving; but then I'm not very comfortable around lots of animals. I do get scared.
Sandy
I have always thought these carts need to have a breakaway function. A pedal that the driver must hold up with her feet during the drive so that if the driver is ejected from the cart, the lever releases the cart from the harness. So many accidents occur because, as you said, the horse is panicked trying to run away from the cart that is following him. Scary video indeed.
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