# Just had the WORST trail ride!



## livestoride (Mar 30, 2011)

Ugh  It was terrible. Everything seemed to just go wrong from the start this morning. 

We (hubby and I) had planned on getting up and heading out to our new favorite trail system about 1 hr 20 mins away where there is a great spot to swim the horses on a hot summer day. We ALWAYS wake up naturally at 6:30 am , so we didn't bother to set the alarm. Problem #1. of course we oversleep for the first time in a long time and wake up at 7:45am. We thought about it and if we rushed we could still get on and off before the heat really hit. We had planned on just riding to the water, swimming for 20 mins or so and then heading back. A 5.5 mile ride. We had plans for dinner and needed to get stuff done around the house so we thought we would get back by 2 pm. Perfect. Off we went. 

The barn went smooth. Our horses love the trailer since it means they get to go exploring and we have getting everything loaded to a science for the 2 of us. Off we went a little behind schedule, but not too bad.

We make it 20 minutes away from the trail head and see a detour sign. It said "Caution - *43 mile* detour ahead" WHAT! Who puts in a 43 mile detour?? It is in the middle of nowhere and my husband had taken our GPS out of the truck and into his car for a trip on Saturday and forgot to grab it again so we were stuck with the detour. This added an hour to the drive. Now we are really behind schedule and basically looking at getting on when the heat starts up. We didn't want to turn around at this point though and go home. The start and end are sunny, but from there on it is in the shade and then there is the water so we knew the horses would be ok.

We finally get tacked up and on at 11:30..ick..and head out. Pete (hubby's horse) made it perfectly clear that the long trailer ride was not well received and he was not in the mood to go. It was a fight the entire first 2 miles. The bugs were bad (expected) and we had on their riding fly masks, but he hated his (it fit fine and was new so no burrs and no bugs were stuck in it) so we finally stopped and took his off. Now he was shaking his head nonstop, but at least he was moving forward. Gem was being her usual self which was good. 

We ride out to the water and head in a have a blast! We got both horses swimming in the deep spots and they both loved it. Ears forward happy horses with grinning, laughing, happy riders. At this point we had planned on going back, but since the beginning was a fight the hubby said "why don't we go down to the 2nd water area we haven't been to, ride around a bit and then head back here for a swim and then home"? I shoulda said to stick to the plan, but the horses were happy and so were we so off we went. 

I don't know what happened. I do know I wasn't paying much attention. I don't know if Gem had a particularly nasty bug bite her in a particulary sensitive spot or if she just figured out I wasn't paying attention, but she spooked at the exact wrong moment on a trail with lots of tree roots and I went off. I haven't fallen off her in a LONG time. I always figure it could happen, but it just hasn't in a while. The thing that irks me is that there was no discernable reason for her to spook where she did. The other thing is that while I have fallen plenty in my life I have never gotten hurt. I have always realized it and landed on my feet. Not this time. I tweaked my back and landed smack on my right hand which immediately swelled, hurt and brusied. Great. The hubby was concerned and asked if I wanted to just head back on foot leading the horses. HECK no!! She doesn't get away with that if it her being a brat. On I went and on we went to the second water hole which ended up being a bust as it was right next to the loading docks and there were a ton of jet skis and boats around making the horses crazy nervous. We did get them into the water for a drink and a quick cool down, but not the fun we had hoped for. 

At this point we cashed in the chips and headed home. My back really started to tense up at the walk, so we trotted a bit which weirdly felt better. Until my colon cramped for some unknown reason at mile 7. Now this has never happened to me before. I tried so hard to ride it out (no pun intended) but eventually had to jump down (ouch, there goes the left lower back that got hurt) and run through the woods to a tree. I barely made it before the diarrhea hit. No clue why - maybe the fall, maybe the heat, maybe just a bad day. Of course we only planned for a short trip, so no toliet paper in the bags. I used oak leaves and prayed I hadn't picked a patch of poison ivy in my hurry. 

I got back on and off we went. I had a problem though. The back felt better at the trot or canter, my right hand which was now very swollen and bruised and thobbing felt better doing whatever gait Gem wanted and didn't cause me to pull on the reins over much, but my colon hated anything but the walk. It won out and we walked the last 3 miles back in the heat with cranky, tired humans and horses. Oh and since it was supposed to be short we hadn't brought ourselves water either, so add thirsty to the list. 

We packed up and headed home much later and now I am starving waiting for dinner plans and hoping my back and hand calm down and don't hurt as bad as I think it will tomorrow morning and my colon makes it through dinner. 

Thanks for reading!!!!!!


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## ioconner (Apr 2, 2011)

Oh No....Bless you!! I have been there and done that with an upset stomach on the trail before. :shock: Definitely not fun. Hope that your hand and back heals and no more tummy troubles!!:wink:


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## outnabout (Jul 23, 2010)

Oh my gosh... so sorry! Wanted to say start the ibuprofen and anti-diarrhea medicine but the two together might wreck your stomach  
It's always a bummer when good plans go bad. And tomorrow's Monday. 
Wishing you better luck next time!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

So what's for dinner?


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Bless your heart. That was a bad day! The next ride is bound to get better. You only have one way to go.


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Sorry the day went so bad. Can you take a pain pill,what about a soak in Epsom salts? you might want to wrap that wrist so you don't hurt it in bed tonight. Take a pill for the colon problem, too. maybe even call in tomorrow & just take care of yourself. & drink plenty of water!


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## hberrie (Apr 28, 2012)

I am wondering if the colon thing might have been nerves from your fall. If you haven't fallen off for awhile I'm sure it upset you greatly. I am sorry this happened to you and hope that your next ride will be much better.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

hberrie said:


> I am wondering if the colon thing might have been nerves from your fall. If you haven't fallen off for awhile I'm sure it upset you greatly. I am sorry this happened to you and hope that your next ride will be much better.


I know everytime I hurt my back it seems to mess up my bowels so I'm guessing you're right.


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## chandra1313 (Jul 12, 2011)

Wow that was a bad day. Your delivery of your story was very entertaining though ;-) 

That is my first thought when I get hurt on a horse, after the initial shock of pain, tomorrow is going to suck worse then today. My bowels are always my indicator of pain and stress too ;-) which really sucks, although having that happen on a trailride is just to horrific to imagine, yikes. Your tough as boots though, no way I could have went out to dinner lol

Hope you feel better.


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## livestoride (Mar 30, 2011)

Thanks everyone!! I didn't know if anyone would make it through all of that. 

I took an ibuprofena s soon as we got home (well after making sure the horses were hosed down adn happily munching grass in the pasture again). The bowels settled down so I am thinking you are right about nerves. I don't have any poison ivy, so that is good news. The wrist is better - just a little bruised and a tiny bit tender if I rotate it funny. The back though - wow! I have never ahd back pain before, so this is new to me. You just dont realize how much you need those muscles until they hurt.

Thanks again for reading and replying!!!


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## Sunny (Mar 26, 2010)

Don't you hate when your awesome plans go down the toilet?

Seems to happen to me more than not. I just expect the worse so it still seems like a success when it doesn't go perfect. :lol:

I HATE when my body betrays me at the worst moments. Just to make you feel better, I was at a concert for Journey and I was SO excited to hear a particular song. Suddenly my stomach went crazy. I rushed to the disgusting, dank, smelly bathrooms where I'm pretty sure my intestines were trying to kill me and ended up having to stay in there for about 15 minutes.

Sure enough, it made me miss my song. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Gunnerssugarbar (Jul 18, 2012)

Bless your heart! That sounds like a terrible day! I have IBS so I sympathize with the tummy issues.  I hope all is healed soon and your back eases up.


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## cowgirl928 (Feb 4, 2012)

here is some help for the back: make a hot pack! how to make a hot pack: fold up a towel, preferably a smaller one, wet it down so it is soaked, then wring it out. Once it is rung out put it in a large ziploc baggie, but don't zip the baggie! Stick it in the microwave for 30 seconds at first. If you can leave your hand on it for a count of 25 without feeling burned or uncomfortably hot, it is the right temp for your back. Then zip most of the baggie shut, roll the bag to get the air out, and then close the rest of the bag. last step: put it in a pillowcase, apply to back, reheat as needed


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