The first fall

So last night was my first fall off BG, which was totally my fault and not hers. She came in for her tea and I gave her a nice groom. Then we led her round and she was leading nicely again, not headstrong at all. We didn't put the bridle on her, just planned on my husband leading her in her head collar with me on top as we have done before.

It started off much the same as any other time. Unfortunately though, as I was half way on her back, something made her spook backwards. My husband reckons she turned her head to watch me and when she felt the lead rope tighten on her head collar it scared her. He let BG get to the end of the lead rope length but she was still spooking and pulling back, the last thing we needed was for the rope to tighten on her again. My husband let the rope go which was the best thing to do, she was still pulling backwards.

BG pulled backwards abruptly for about four metres till she got to the fence, then spun on the spot and I went out the side door. My husband said she was very careful to avoid me on the ground, as most horses are.

Once I was off she legged it up the field, the lead rope trailing alongside her, scaring her. She has always been very good once she stands, to allow you to go up and take hold of the lead rope and take control again. That is one thing I have to be very grateful for, having run off scared and since she doesn't really trust humans, for her to let me collect her again is something I am very glad off.

We could have done without P2 feeling he was missing out on the fun. He is a bit like a little toddler that wants to be involved in everything and seeing BG running round he thought he was missing out and ran over to join in.

I didn't get on BG again. They say when you fall off a horse you should always get back on, and it would probably have done her some good if I got back on so she would learn that it isn't so scary. However, I didn't really feel it was worth the risk of it going even worse. Instead we led her around me standing on the mounting block and leaning over to rub across and over her back.

When BG pulled back (before I came off) and I realized what was happening I made things worse. I had no saddle and since I was only part on her, I hadn't taken hold of her mane or anything, nor was I sitting back on her. So, as she went to move, the only thing I had to hang onto was her neck, thus putting my weight on the top of her withers. That would have made her loose her balance and scared her even more. So I didn't help matters, and BG was only doing what nature told her to. She is not to blame for the incident, it is up to me to find the way to get her confident enough to learn that a rider on her back is nothing to be scared of.

BG didn't come in for her breakfast this morning. It was hot again, with that and the fact she was probably still remembering last night she decided the top of the field was the place to be.

This evening it was cooler and rainy and BG seemed pleased to see us (probably remembering her missed breakfast). She came in and even with the rain hammering on the roof of her field shelter her head collar went straight on. Once she had finished her meal though she stood at the entrance to her field shelter waiting for us to release her.

It was thunder and lightening tonight, and she spotted that and it scared her as she was in a confined space. Once that set of thunder had finished we took off the head collar and let her out. For the thunder and lightening she is better in the open where she is happier. The next set she didn't even blink at, her head was down grazing.