Bucking Bobby

Bobby Sox is a horse that I've been riding since 2004. The way he came into my life is a long story, and I'm not sure if it's one worth telling. It's the kind of story that may or may not make me look like a whiner, so I hesitate.

Anyway, Bobby Sox came to Michigan from Florida one Spring day. He was 7 years old, and his previous owner warned us that he was sore backed. "He bucks" she said "if he's not lunged properly before riding." Well, okay.

Bobby is a wirey, fine boned bay gelding with 4 white socks, which is somewhat of a novelty in the Morgan world. I'm not saying it's super rare, but it's not super common either to have FOUR white socks. Bobby is 15'2" ish.

I did discover just how much of a bucker Bobby is, but not until we got ourselves to a big Morgan show with lots of spectators. It was memorable. The icing on the cake was that his former owners had driven up from Florida to show some of their other horses and to watch Bobby show in the Hunt Seat classes. We sure gave them something to see. OUCH to both my head and my ego! Bobby was still a little unfinished under a western saddle when he first arrived, so I spent my first two years with him showing in the Amateur hunt seat classes. The first show he did great, we got a blue out of 13 other entries in our first class. I cried tears of joy as Bobby and I collected our blue and trotted our victory lap - ah ha, at last I thought!

At the next show a few weeks later (the show Bobby's former owner were at) things got worse. We were doing okay considering we were showing against some of the best. We were garnering 2nds, 3rds, 4ths and 5ths. The hunter classes at some Morgan shows are humongous. It's some stiff competition. The ring was packed during this particular class, and the horses all seemed to be grouped together (why is that anyway)? The extended trot was called, and as Bobby and I rounded a corner, the horse in front of us on the rail went balistic. She leapt into the air, tossing her flame colored head in obvious defiance of her struggling rider. Bobby took this as his sign to go haywire as well, because before I knew it, he lunged into a full tilt rodeo Bronco Bucking series. With his back arched, his head low and his hind end chucking up and down, I was offset and fell forward onto the dusty dirt floor of the arena, head first.

Of course all of this plays in my mind in slow motion. I remember hearing gasps from the audience and thinking "they're gasping for me." I remember drearily looking up to see J (my "trainer") and the well known judge running towards me. I remember the applause I recieved as I mounted back up to complete the class despite my shaking hands and throbbing head. I remember having dirt in places I never thought I'd have dirt (ears, mouth, nostrils and hair). It was exciting, and put a fear in me that I never NEVER thought I'd have around horses. I think that fall made me realize just how vulnerable we are upon our horses backs. These are big, strong animals and we are lucky that they allow us to do what we do with them.

My goodness that horse can buck!

P.S. We have had him seen by a vet and Chiropractor, he is fine and healthy - just a bit naughty at times. I was knocked out briefly from this fall, I should not have gotten back up and instead should have seen a doctor. Whew!