As easy as falling off a horse

The alarm went off at 5:30.

We stayed in bed just a little while, then got up to take showers and eat breakfast. I figured it would be chilly out, so I wore my green jacket. Time was short but we made it to the van by 6:45, in the rain. But no one was there. However by 7, 5 of the 7 passengers were accounted for and signed in. I guess two stayed home because of the rain. We drove to the front gate so the three military women could sign out. Then the driver headed to Marcala, a two hour drive over some bumpy roads. We waited at a gas station for our guide. Our van followed him to his father’s ranch house. As we strolled the grounds of the coffee plantation, he made us breakfast: refried beans, guacamole, scrambled eggs with veggies, tortillas, and fried plantains. We had a leisurely meal. The neighbor's dog watched us intently whenever the guide wasn't there. The three women each bought a pound of coffee grown on the plantation. Then we got back in the van and followed his truck to a remote area that his business partner owns. The van pulled to the side of the road where a number of horses were standing. We got out and each chose a horse. I had been advised earlier to choose the smallest because he was the calmest. So I did. I still had trouble getting up that high. The stirrups had covers in the front so that one’s foot could not go all the way through. I was wearing running shoes and they hardly fit in there.

The horse was so calm that he didn’t want to go. We lagged behind everyone else. I had been told to squeeze him with my legs or kick him with my heels to go faster. I tried both, the second not so well, but neither worked. The trail was rocky so I tried to let him pick his own path, but he kept choosing the rockiest parts, or going near the edge. He was hard to steer because of the way he was bridled. A man rode beside me, urging the horse on. We stopped to walk down into a ravine to see a waterfall. We even walked behind it. It was fun scrambling over rocks. I found one that looked like it had toe prints in it. Then we mounted up again and rode on. Same story. The next time we pulled over, the guide asked me if things were going better. I said the horse didn’t want to move, so he rode it and lashed it with the tip of the rope tied to the bridle. He got it to gallop, but said it was reluctant. Anyway, the horses rested while we walked uphill to see a grotto. The climb to get in was daunting and I figured I would not be able to get down, so I did not go. The others all did. But then, they are younger and all work out every day. I just took pics of them. The guide had a sore ankle and could not climb it himself. So he talked to me about the property. He mentioned that the people they let live there did not clean up the trash left lying around. So I found a bag lying around and filled it with as much trash as I could.

Then the others climbed/slid down from the grotto. We walked back to the horses and rode on. It was slow going. Although the weather was dry and cool, the horses were slow. But then all of a sudden, they took off. I was jounced unmercifully until they all came to a halt (though at the wrong spot). So we turned them to the right and followed the road. They took off again. The bouncing was worse. My feet slid from the stirrups and there was nothing to grab onto. I tried to put my arms around the horse’s neck, but to no avail. I fell. I was certain he would run over me, but somehow he didn’t. I just lay there for awhile. The guide’s helper tried to get me up, but my legs had no strength. I could not tell if I was hurt or not. When I did get up, I could barely stand. Getting on the horse was impossible, so they put me in the truck with the guide. He drove me to the end of the line, what seemed like a long road to a hacienda where his partner was making lunch. They showed me into a bathroom with soap and water. I washed the contusions on my wrist and elbow. Thankfully nothing else got hurt. Then I realized that I had wet my pants when I fell off and there was no hiding it. I asked if they had a washing machine or a fan. He had a battery operated hand fan, that was all. He said their electricity came from four small solar panels. So I removed my wet clothing, washed them in the sink and zipped my jacket around my waist and tied the arms.

I hung the wet stuff on the railing to dry. I was self conscious and embarrassed. I walked around and spoke to the men as they worked on lunch. The party arrived and asked if I was ok. I showed them my contusions and that nothing else was hurt. When lunch was ready, we filled our plates from a table by the grill. We had filet mignon wrapped in bacon, a chicken and veggie dish, tortillas, rice, and mushroom gravy. All they had to drink was soda, but we had brought bottles of water so we drank that. We walked/sat around, enjoying the view. The countryside was beautiful. Chris gave me my wrap from his backpack. When we were ready to go, my items were sill not dry so I asked for his underwear. (Greater love hath no man...) We went into the bathroom to change. I took off the jacket and replace it with the wrap, which made a better skirt anyway. Then we rode two hours in the van to get back to post. I was glad to have dry underwear. We had to stop at the front gate to let the others sign in. The next stop was the J6 building where the easy-go awaited us. Chris drove it slowly so that my wrap would not blow open. I held it shut just in case. When we got into the quad, I put on my nightgown. I blotted my wounds with hydrogen peroxide. We watched three episodes of Criminal Minds. Then I posted to my blog, thinking how lucky I was. I could have been hurt much worse, and the truck ride saved me from being saddle sore tomorrow (I hope). And my back seems fine, which is kind of remarkable. I put some ice on my wrist as I typed to take down the swelling of the brush burn. And then we went to bed.