The Worthen Way: Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving we took the long 10 hour drive out to Utah to spend the holiday with Jim's family! It was a long drive out there, but I have to say that it was worth it! It was alot of fun having the whole family there, and spending time with family that we don't see very often! Plus it was alot of fun having all the little ones together! We got there on Monday and left on Saturday. Not only did we get to spend quality time with family, but Jim was able to go hunting with his dad, and I was able to ride Mike's horse! Boy was that an experience! Here's my story...

I wasn't bucked off, nor was I thrown off, and in my opinion it wasn't really falling off either! Let me explain... I got on Spade and my stirrups felt fine, but as I got down the path a ways I felt like they needed adjusting, so i got off and fixed them. I was all ready to get back on, holding the reins and saddle horn in my right hand, my left hand on the back of the saddle, and my left foot in the stirrup. Since Spade is a TALL horse I was prepping myslef to pull myself onto him. Anyway, I pull up but before I get the chance to pull my right leg over the saddle, Spade takes off on a dead run back down the trail towards home. So there I am with one food in the stirrup, hanging off the side of the saddle, on a horse who doesn't care about anything but getting home. I tried pulling myself up over the saddle but that didn't work, I could only get my knee up far enough to reach his saddle... let me remind you that Spade is a TALL horse! So I try pulling on the reins with no luck... Spade completely ignores the fact that I am on his back. At this point it had only been a matter of seconds since Spade took off.. I not only realize I have a problem I can't fix, but I also realize that there is a concrete path coming on. That's when I make the decision to let go and fall on the rock filled dirt trail, which is obviously much softer than the man-made asphalt/concrete path. After rolling two or three times, a conk on my head stopped me. All I can think at this point was, "Yuck! I have dirt in my mouth and down my pants!", while I hear Spade's hoof steps disapear in a flash! The first thing I did after that was sit up, pull my cell phone out of my pocket and call my mother-in-law to let her know that her horse is gone! I stand up, walk a few steps to where I can see there house, and already I see a truck pulling out of the driveway coming to get me! It was Jim, and he said he had never been so freaked out as when he saw Spade at a dead run back towards the house without me on him! I can't even imagine the thoughts that were going through his head! Well after we found the rein that was ripped off from Spade stepping on it, and got it back on the bridle, I got back on that darn horse and took him for a good long hours and a half walk! We had a long chat about how rude that was and how he better not ever do that to me again! LOL

All in all, even with my crazy experience with Spade, we had a great Thanksgiving with Jim's family! We had a very delicious turkey dinner and had lots of fun playing fmaily games! We can't wait to see everyone together again this May on our family camping trip!