Sage and I have been in a clinic for 3 days with David Lichman. It’s been horrid hot. We’ve been at it every day from 9:00am to around 4:00 pm. It’s horrid hot and humid. We are surviving.
Dave is going to stay over on Monday and is available to assess the level 1. Here’s what I thought. Hey! I’ll just take the level 1 test. Maybe I can pass 4 tasks. That would make me happy!
Monday comes
First is the ground things. Then we get to the saddle your horse. Next is the get on your horse. At this time of the level 1 test, you had to get on from the ground…no mounting block was permitted. I had spent the last year beefing up the muscles in my legs. I’ve been trying to mount my horse. I’ve never succeeded.
I had a pep talk from Karen and Jenny. I can do it!
With a surge of adrenaline power, I got up in the stirrup. I was standing with the one stirrup. Of course, Sage was not used to this powerful explosion of energy from me. Even though I had set her legs for balance, the unexpected pull of my entire body weight, got her off balance.
I was standing on my stirrup and Sage was….trying to keep her balance. She failed.
David Lichman yelled at me…Kick Off Kick Off! Was I going to get off my horse the first time I had ever made it up in the stirrup. HECK NO! I stood there.
Sage fell. I fell. David came running over to me. I looked up and said, “Did I Pass?”
With a look of horror, Dave turned away.
Guess I didn’t pass the mounting task!!!