I sat the trot today...

I sat the trot today. That intimidating event that any beginner dreads to do in public was for me and my 30-horse-riding-years outright frightening. But Lumpy was feeling like silk and I really wanted that shoulder in right. My innards shook, my spine vibrated - perhaps it was too soon. But we made it in 3 tracks: relaxed, slightly bent around my inside leg, and steady. I did it again a couple more times to make sure it wasn't just luck.

Degenerative disc disease sucks - point blank. Back pain su-u-ucks. Riding is all about partnership, about about communication and ultimately 2 acting as one. How can it be then, that there is just so much attention in this industry to horse health and little to no attention being paid to rider health? And I don't mean to say that attention is not paid to people falling on theirs heads, or getting kicked in the groin or whatever - these are traumatic events. I mean why aren't talking about repetitive strain HUMAN injury in the horse world? As an academe I was not able to find a single reputable medical article on this. I know I am pounding on this again and again.

Well, I am home now and yes my back hurts. Anti-inflammatories here I go. Will I try again tomorrow ? absolutely. Is it dumb ? definitely. Do you blame me?