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| High overcast, cool morning~ |
When I pulled in at Bracken, Joyce was already there with Jesse, along with three other trailers - so nice to see someone was out riding. Joyce is getting ready for Klickitat, so the plan was to get in ten-miles at a nice pace. It was such a nice morning - cool, but not cold & the hazy sunshine was perfect - along with the breeze that we've had for a couple days now. The air smells so fresh & sweet this time of year - like no other!
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| Farah in the trees~ |
We were really enjoying our ride - I shared my ride story with Joyce & about all the excitement that usually goes on at a ride :-) We'd covered a few miles & did a nice uphill gallop - the wind in my hair felt so good! WHAT? The
"wind in my hair?!" I pulled Farah up - realizing that I Had
Not Worn my Helmet! No Way! All the riding I do & always with my helmet! Joyce pulled up beside me - asking what was up? I looked over & said; "No helmet!" She got a funny look on her face & said something about how she was watching the wind in my hair! :-) Neither of us think it's early onset dementia - just two women - too busy talking! :-)-
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| Joyce - Helmetless :-) |
I handed her my camera & told her to take a photo for prosperity. She tried, but we didn't realize that it didn't take. Joyce removed
Her helmet in salute & I did get That photo! :-) We've ridden together for so long now - that yes - we both remember Never wearing helmets!
So, for the rest of the ride, I have to admit - I rode a just a little more defensively - since both horses were going Great & cruising along around ten mph. Oh it felt So Good! No helmet hair, no sweaty hair, no sore neck from the weight of the helmet. Joy - Sheer Joy!
Certainly nothing I will do again - at least not intentionally - but after all these years - it was like a blast from the past to feel that Freedom!
Eeeeek!
ReplyDeleteI left a vetcheck once without my helmet...made it several miles down the trail before I realized that my ears were cold! Turned right back around and returned to the vetcheck, slammed on that helmet, and caught up with my friends before the next water tank.
Whew!
Sounds liberating! I can't remember the last time I rode w/o helmet.... Oh yea, I did it in Az on vacation on a guided trail ride, 2011.
ReplyDeleteAre you going to Klickitat???
No, have fun stuff coming up though! :-) Next for us will be Renegade probably.
DeleteWhat a great post! To too remember being down the trail and feeling very wild and free....and just GREAT! Then it dawned on me....no helmet! Oops! I was close enough I turned to go back and get it. So the best few minutes of my ride helmetless were added to the best few hours of my ride with it. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh it had been so long.....and it felt so good....ha ha!
I have loved your blog! You have such beautiful places to ride, great friends you can count on to ride with you, and you and Farah are a great team!
I just took up the helmet thing a few years ago, thanks to internet friends pointing out the logic of this choice. Most of my real life horse friends (team ropers mostly) do not wear helmets and I never did either--for forty years of riding. And I will admit to sneaking in the occasional helmet-free ride--it does feel so much better. But there is no denying that the helmet is a wise choice. Great post.
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