So now we are getting back in the groove. Yesterday was Sarah's second lesson in a row.
Pause.
It was enlightening and a bit frightening. But she is OK. I'm still recovering.
You see, I generally take her riding quite regularly. We plop her on Casey's cute purple saddle and off we go. She rides in the ring or outside, depends on the weather. We generally do the same manuevers each time...turns, steps over poles, stop and start. And Sarah sits there, seemingly, mostly, effortlessly. She does not hold onto reins, she just balances herself with her feet in stirrups. It looks like she is really doing nothing at all as we go round and round.
But she is doing something. And now we know this for sure.
So, yesterday, she rode outside. Even though it was in the 30s, the sun was very warm. Usually, she rides for 45 minutes. Last week, she rode for only about 30 minutes in the ring because it was very cold. So we were outside, Casey was ambling along, god bless him, and we were about 20 minutes into the 'walk'. Casey took a slow turn to the left and I saw Sarah give a slight jerk to accomodate his turn and then she began to lean over to my side, way over. I tried to push her back up straight in the saddle but I couldn't. She started fussing because she knew she was in trouble. She didn't have the trunk strength to hold herself up any longer. I pushed and pushed but couldn't help her.
OK, so I told the instructor that she was coming down off the horse, we released her feet from the stirrups and she landed in my arms like an infant. Well, we were far from my car or the stables and there was no way I was going to be able to carry her more than 5 feet. She is heavy and dead weight. So the instructor ran off with Casey to get Sarah's wheelchair.
In the meantime, Sarah's chin was down on her chest due to the awkward position that I was holding her in, and I heard her struggling for air. A very deep snore. The strap under her chin from the riding helmet was cutting off her airway. So that was it. I had to lay her down. Sarah and I went slowly down to the pavement, her draped over my legs, and I undid the helmet strap and flung it off to the side.
So there we were. I was sitting on the cold pavement, with Sarah's body lying partway on me, partway on the asphalt, her head in my lap. She accepted the situation and began her ususal hand dance.
The instructor brought the chair and somehow, I DON'T KNOW HOW, we got her off me and the ground and into the chair.
So that was that.
This is what I have learned, because if I don't learn something, then, really, what was the point of this?
1. Carry my cellphone with me at all times. Even during a 1/2 hour lesson. Because I might need to call 911. You never know.
2. Stay close to Sarah's wheelchair after 15 minutes of riding. Or bring the chair to the area where we will be riding.
3. Inquire about another person to accompany us on Sarah's lessons.
4. And finally, Sarah loses ground when she does not ride regularly. It is clearly maintaining her trunk tone.
Imagine what would happen if she did not ride at all?
Today, we are back on track:
