05/19/06 Small Stirrups

Small Stirrups Small things sometimes can make a big difference. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll tell you what I mean right after this. About the time I became a teenager I had the dubious good luck to start riding Rowdy, a young horse from one of my mares. Dad had started the colt for me and told me I could start riding him anytime. That sounded good to me, but my youthful excitement took over and I forgot to remember just how much better and more experienced Dad was at riding colts than I was. My inaugural ride went fine for about two miles as we traveled up the side of a canyon on a road that was just one level above a cow trail. Without warning, inexperience reared its ugly head. I dropped a rein and forgetting I wasn't on an older horse, leaned out to grab itnot smart. Rowdy bailed off the road onto the canyon hillside and unfortunately I stayed with him three more jumps until he evicted me for non-payment of saddle rent. I didn't mind since I had seen enough of the canyon scenery from that elevation anyway. I hung one foot in the stirrup for a second, which caused me to be thrown right under Rowdy. The next time Rowdy unsaddled me was on a fine, bright morning when a bird flew off her nest and whacked him right in the belly. I had the privilege of riding one more high jump then went off one side and hung up in the opposite stirrup. Rowdy used me for his personal yo-yo until my foot came out. The problem was, my stirrups were too small for my growing feet. Bigger stirrups wouldn't have helped me ride that horse, but it would have made the dismounts way less interesting. I'm Jeff Keane.