Green Rider + Smart Horse = Rodeo Ride

Several of us went riding the river trail that morning. I was riding a horse that I had never ridden before, a smart, feisty Arab mare. She did not appreciate the mud puddles on the trails we were riding. I lost the battle after several attempts to go through a particularly difficult puddle with a steep bank on one side and trees on the other. The inevitable wreck happened when she decided to take the bank instead of the puddle. Down we went, and surprisingly, right up again. I'm not sure if I hit my head or not, but stayed on her back, losing only one stirrup and a rein. I know that I was certainly happy I had my Troxel helmet on. One step to the right would have put my head into the trunk of a tree with dire consequences. I won't ride without it.