“Sometimes cowboys just never learn.”
In maturity, one is supposed to become wiser, and not repeat mistakes made earlier in life.
If there’s any justification, and as poor as it is, “We knew better,” or “We know better.” But, knowing and doing aren’t the same.
About five decades ago, twice that ugly albino Candy went over backwards with us underneath. First time was in the balloon race at Americus, and later practice team roping with a steer on the end of the rope, when she wouldn’t pull, reared up and over.
Contending Candy wasn’t very smart, we still take the blame for both. Candy was light on her front; we are heavy handed. Two fools met, wrecks happened.
Several times while public training, we’ve had horses come over backwards. Generally, we feel no guilt, rather the horses were scared, and instead of bucking, running off, or laying down, they reared over on top of us.
One crash is memorable. An Appaloosa gelding, in a temper, came up and went over backwards, us underside his entire weight, and the saddle horn pressuring our stomach. Thankfully uninjured seriously, we were bruised over our entire body, and difficult to move for days.
Now, this old Appaloosa mare Missy is really broke, and we’ve had a fun time riding and showing her. Very soft in the mouth and responsive to cues, she had been light fronted a few times when stopping and backing, caused by our excess pressure.
The arena had been wetted down making heavy footing as we came in at a run, set Missy up, and heavy handedly asked for a back. In warning, Missy came up on the front, took two steps, our roughness continued, and she reared over us underneath.
Guilty as charged. We’re at fault, and for what good it did apologized to Missy for our poor horsemanship rudeness. Hopefully, she’ll give an old cowboy some reprieve, as we promise not to make the mistake again.
Reminds us of First Corinthians 10:11: “There are warning signs so that we don’t repeat our mistakes.” But, Proverbs 9:12: “If you are rude and show no respect, you are the one who will suffer.” Sometimes it seems, Second Timothy 3:7: “One never really learns.” Thankfully, Mark 1:4: “A change of one’s action for the better yields forgiveness.”
+++ALLELUIA+++