My ankles were toast! My head is stiil in working condition!

I'm pretty used to going in muddy, uneven ground and I have one of the older brown Troxels from the 90's. I was out riding my Saddlebred gelding and decided to switch mounts with a friend to try her decidedly more calm, and cool Quarter horse.

We had a pretty good 15 minutes of calm downhill and the horse stumbled and decided to act up. The saddle went over his head and so did I. I landed on my feet, ankles bent and my head hit the hill-break with mottled Basalt rock. My wobbly but painful ankles were already swelling up.. My head Was Hurting, but other than a torn side strap on the Troxel, it was intact! I was lucky I had it on. I was just going on a short ride. The girl that had my Saddle bred switched mounts again.

Thank God my Saddle bred did not run off, and it allowed the other horse to stay put. I was hurt, very sore, I was out of work for weeks. But I was alive. For the $30.00 I expended and usually complained about. It saved my gray matter and my life. This Gelding is 16.3 His body shielded me while the other horse was having his "fit” Normally, my gelding rears. He watched over me that day in 1991! He and my helmet saved my bacon big-time!