Ah, what a wonderful sunny day. You just couldn’t ask for better weather. Sigh.
Okay. Maybe it’s a little hot riding in the ring.
I wasn’t expecting that. Should’ve used sunscreen.
Shoulda woulda coulda. Yeah, yeah I know.
My fair Irish skin is going to burn to a crisp.
Enough of that. FOCUS!
Trotting.
Inside leg to outside rein.
Inside leg to outside rein.
Ahem. Wouldn’t it be easier to say leg yield without the sideways?
Oops. FOCUS!
Trotting.
Aw, the horse’s ears are twitching. Poor girl.
Where’d all those bugs come from?
Let’s pick up the pace and see if we can lose them.
Trottingtrottingtrottingtrotting
OW!
I think a bug just bit – stung me?
That hurt. A lot.
Stop being such a baby. Suck it up and ride.
About fifteen minutes later
That was a great ride!
“Good girl.” I glanced down as I patted her neck. What’s that?!
I straightened and turned my leg slightly so I could get a better look.
Blood.
Quite a bit of blood.
Darn bug drew blood.
Enough to bleed through my breeches and pool at the top of my boots.
Correction. Bleed down my boots.
What the heck bit me?
“Uh, I’m bleeding.”
“What happened?!”
“I think I was bitten – stung?”
“One of those black flies? They hurt. You would’ve yelped.”
“It did hurt. I told myself to suck it up though. Did I ever mention that I’m hypersensitive? I swell up with mosquito bites.”
“I have some ointment in the barn if you want it. Benadryl too.”
“Thanks. I think I’m okay though.”
I dismount and as I start running the right stirrup up I spot more blood.
That’s right.
More blood.
Apparently it ran down my boot and onto the saddle flap.
“You have saddle soap, right? I bled onto your saddle too.”
It’s still a beautiful day. Even though nature took a bite outta me.
7 comments
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July 23, 2012 at 3:56 pm
Annette Mickelson
Good grief! That was a blood thirsty bug! Annette @ Aspen Meadows
July 24, 2012 at 2:28 am
dressage rider
That’s what I thought! It’s been a week and I still have a welt. I hate bugs.
July 25, 2012 at 7:52 pm
kshai1715
lol! Must have been one of those darned B52’s. I almost “flunked” a certification course because I screamed like a little kid when a gigantic waspy/bee/stingy thingy landed on my leg while riding. I was conducting a guided trail ride, and the certification people told me that “screaming was not permitted”. lol
July 26, 2012 at 5:19 pm
dressage rider
Thank God it was almost. I guess you can’t scream or laugh for that matter because you could startle the horse causing a chain reaction. Of course, I’d rather scream then wave a crop around my head because a spider’s crawling up my arm. Actually I did both. The horse was cool as a cucumber.
February 1, 2013 at 9:20 pm
theliteraryhorse
I hope your bleeding has stopped by now! 🙂
I’ll just hang out here on the porch till you come back….
July 31, 2013 at 11:02 am
Lauren
Ok now I don’t feel like I’m alone. The bugs don’t normally go after me, they go after my husband. But this year, I’m the target and they itch horribly for days and they’re still noticeable over a week later. My skin is hyper reactive so I have cortisone quick shot in my bag, Benadryl and Allegra came out with a new anti itch and cooling cream…it actually really works and its cooling. I still can’t believe whatever but you drew that much blood. It must have been the size of a bird…yikes!
July 31, 2013 at 11:09 am
dressage rider
LOL I’m hyper sensitive but that was a chunk! Usually cortisone 10 and a bandaid for several days will work for me. The bandaid is to prevent my clothing from rubbing the bite.