micramadam
Well-Known Member
I am so angry with myself as I have unintentionally caused a huge problem with my young mare.
I ride with an air jacket as I no longer bounce but break when I fall off. (Body keeps reminding me I'm not a teenager anymore)
Mare was coming along very nicely in her training and we had even progressed to small hacks out alone which went great.
All well and good till I dismounted forgetting to unclip my jacket. Naturally the air jacket was activated and we both got a shock, my mare more than me it seems.
Now I am unable to safely dismount. All because she hasn't forgotten what happened with the air jacket.
As soon as I swing my leg over to dismount, she shoots off sideways. God knows how I haven't hurt myself.
I have stopped riding her and now with the help of a good instructress we are literally taking baby steps with her to show her that dismounting isn't scary. It will take some time but I am in no hurry and would rather it take months than rush her just so that I can ride again. On the positive side, we can do more groundwork.
What I am scared of though is how do I prevent this in the future, my forgetting to unclip that is. I had never done it before and still can't believe I was stupid enough to forget this one time. Do any of you who use air jackets have a system or a trigger to help you remember to unclip?
I ride with an air jacket as I no longer bounce but break when I fall off. (Body keeps reminding me I'm not a teenager anymore)
Mare was coming along very nicely in her training and we had even progressed to small hacks out alone which went great.
All well and good till I dismounted forgetting to unclip my jacket. Naturally the air jacket was activated and we both got a shock, my mare more than me it seems.
Now I am unable to safely dismount. All because she hasn't forgotten what happened with the air jacket.
As soon as I swing my leg over to dismount, she shoots off sideways. God knows how I haven't hurt myself.
I have stopped riding her and now with the help of a good instructress we are literally taking baby steps with her to show her that dismounting isn't scary. It will take some time but I am in no hurry and would rather it take months than rush her just so that I can ride again. On the positive side, we can do more groundwork.
What I am scared of though is how do I prevent this in the future, my forgetting to unclip that is. I had never done it before and still can't believe I was stupid enough to forget this one time. Do any of you who use air jackets have a system or a trigger to help you remember to unclip?