Okay, I admit it. I was extremely pissed about basically being forced to go to a show that I didn't want to go to. But... It turned out okay in the end... I suppose. I mean, hell. What is better than a live show involving three fallen riders, two runaway horses, and riding in a saddle that flopped so bad I thought -I- was going to be the next injury?!

Can I jsut saythat whoever tacked up those horses should be shot for malpractice. If there was such a thing. It was RIDICULOUS!!! The first riders girth slipped, and the saddle completely Flipped over, so it was under the horse, the rider was thrown against hte wall and dragged for a while before getting her foot loose. The horse then proceeded to race around the ring, upsetting another horse so that he threw -his- rider, and was racing around. There were somehting like 6 other riders dismounting from their horses, who were starting to friek out, all crowded against the walls, 10 people in the ring trying to catch these two runaways; the one withthe saddle refused to stop for anyone, terrified of the stirrups banging against his belly and legs. Finally, someone jumped out, grabbed his reins, dug their feet in and hauled him around in a short circle, effectively stopping his bolt. Poor boy stood there shaking with fear while they undid the saddle and put a cooler on him. They took him out and replaced him. Both riders were okay, but geez... she wasn't even doing anything and the saddle slipped!!

That was two. The next fall was my own teammate who, on a different horse (May I jsut add I had to ride it in the next class?), fell off becuase -her- girth slipped? That was a bad fall, too. She was coming off a corner, transitioning down from a canter to a walk, and it just... went! She fell on the wall, her head striking the top of, before the horse leaped sideways and she just crumpled to the ground. All the riders on my team gasped and I thought one was going to faint. It looked so bad- we thought she'd be knocked out or something, she hit so hard.

Fortunately, she got up and right back on, after they tightened the girth. Trooper. Everything was fine after that.

I rode the same horse, checked the girth before I got on, and -still- felt like I was going down, that damned saddle was so wobbly. I won first, but geez... That saddle sucked. The horse was a darling, but if he hadn't been, it woulda been a rough ride. *shakes head* Poopishness.

PS. HAPPY EASTER!!! *hop, dance, sing* It's my favorite holiday! WOOT! *grumble* Even if I'm stuck at a dorm.