Thump

I've been gone forever, I know! I'm sorry yall :) I had nothing much happening, then I got horribly sick. Like so sick I actually went to the doctor because I thought I had strep. It was actually a wicked sinus infection and a z-pac fixed me right up.

Then G came home for a week of vacation! That's awesome and I'm really enjoying cohabitating but he hijacked my computer for a couple of days - he set up a new Drobo and got everything to communicate with it, then upgraded my laptop to the newest version of OSX.

Today I woke up feeling awesome for once and headed out to ride. Dixie and I climbed up the hills behind the house (reverse of a Comstock loop), then went down the back of the hills into Hungry Valley. About 3/4 of the way down to the valley, we paced around a corner and spooked a herd of antelope. So cool! That is only the second time I've ever seen antelope.

We had a long discussion about continuing on. Dixie was totally convinced that antelope are equinivorous. With the greatest of reluctance she slowly hesitantly made it around two more turns of the road, when we turned up the damn antelope again! The second time they bounded off far far away - thank god because I don't think Dixie's nerves could've taken a third encounter. If she was a human she'd have needed a stiff shot of medicinal brandy and a liedown on the couch with a cold cloth.

Eventually, I got her moving again. When we got to the valley floor we took off for home.

Dixie rolled along at a rack and canter really strongly for 3.5 miles and all of a sudden on flat ground tripped and fell down. I crashed too, of course - I got launched, hit on my left shoulder, then bounced my head off the ground. A little road rash on my arm, my hip, and my finger. I hopped up immediately and Dixie was trotting to a halt about 20' away, shaking her head. She didn't run away (my worst fear), just let me catch her and inspect her. She was skinned behind her right ear and on her nose, with a little hair missing from behind the left ear too. I'm not missing any time and the saddle has no (new) scuffs, so I don't think she flipped. I think she tripped and skidded on her nose, folding her neck under to the right. I suspect the little line of missing hair on her left ear is rein-burn.

We were, I thought, about a mile from home (turns out it was more like 1.5 miles). I started out to walk Dixie home, but after about 10 minutes of politely following me she started trying to barge ahead and I decided she was ok to ride. I put the bridle back on (oooh sorry about that ear) and hopped up. She walked and trotted soundly home and even offered to canter. Oddly, I wasn't scared to canter again, I just thought it was a bad idea, so we eased home w/t.

I hosed Dixie off and checked all over for more wounds or sore spots, but she was fine. I put some ointment on the right ear, checked her legs one more time, and turned her out to roll and eat hay. She's stiff, but perfectly sound.

I'm quite sure I'm just bruised. I have full range of motion and no "weird" pains. I already ordered a new helmet. Once we both recover, we'll head back out.

8.40 miles, 1046' elevation gain, 1:36.