Oh $h!t: Your most humiliating moments, captured on film
This week’s “Oh $h!t” moment is brought to us by reader Courtney Motylinski. The scene of the crime is a first-ever cross-country school with her 5 year old Swedish Warmblood.
Courtney sends the following explanation:
“He had only been jumping for about three months at this time and was generally a very confident and brave jumper. Turns out, I had a MUCH different horse outside of the ring.”
The first picture is of his temper tantrum he threw at being asked to leave the group--his idea was a rear and spin move, to which I promptly said no.
The second picture is of him jumping the BN coop... he's sooo cute! but he was being pretty wild, and I will admit I was getting bounced around quite a bit up there!
The third picture is of him ripping the reins out of my hands upon landing. I am sure he was protesting the death grip I had on his face, and planning how to let me know just how displeased he was with my riding.
The fourth picture is his execution of operation "get rid of this lady." I didn't even have a chance, as you can see my body still thinks I am sitting on my horse--can you say lawn dart!!
The fifth picture, I like to call "thank god for my Charles Owen" despite a giant grass stain where my head hit and being horrifically sore in my neck and back for months after this fall, I sustained no head injury/concussion whatsoever.
She concludes, “It was a wild time that day. I couldn’t get back on, but my trainer did, and he took everything like a trooper. Someday, he will be a cross country machine!!”
Thank you so much, Courtney, for sharing your horrifying cross-country experience. We love your spirit, and we think your green-bean has a bright future ahead of him as a event horse–look at him cracking that back! Growing pains can be a pain in the neck (literally!) but all that hard work and perseverance will pay off tenfold in the end.
As is tradition, let us now commemorate your moment with a special song, Delilah-style. Courtney, this one goes out to you:
Do you have an “Oh $h!t” moment you’d like to share with Horse Nation? Email it to wylie@horsenation.com.
- Send an email to wylie, the author of this post at wylie@horsenation.com
When I look at you on this horse I see tension & resistance. Your horse senses this of you, and looks like he paid you back, BIG TIME!
I think by nature pictures posted to this thread are not the most shining examples of people’s riding….but thanks for the critique.
Spoken like someone who has never had a bad day riding. We cannot all be perfect all of the time as apparently Sharon is. It would not be unexpected for a rider on a five year old horse with only three months jumping to be slightly apprehensive.
Applause for Courtney’s bravery in allowing these to be posted and her kind response to your unkind comments.
Couldn’t have said it better myself Courtney. And applause to you! Certainly hope you have had more great expierence with the horse, he looks to have quite the great jump! And hopefully the negative comments just give you more incentive to work even harder
Go eventing and go courtney!
Sharon, our comment sections are for constructive criticism only, please.
Courtney these pictures are priceless! Way to represent the millions of others who get turned into lawn darts and it does not get captured on camera!!
I am going out for my first cross country schooling tomorrow and I am really hoping that I don’t get turned into a lawn dart myself! This post is exactly what I needed to see before going out because it just reassures me that everybody is not perfect ALL of the time and there is a reason we school before actually going out to an event. Thanks for sharing
I love it courtney, thanks for sharing. When it comes to horses, one thing is clear–we have all been there.
I’ve had three “Oh $h!t” moments on my horse Kramer since I’ve gotten him; just not on film (thank goodness! not sure I’d want to see them)!
Love these, definitely proves not everyone is perfect! I’m taking my new TB on his first XC school next weekend.. I hope I don’t get quite the same “lawn dart” experience!
Thank you for sharing! I had a very sympathetic laugh and flashbacks to my own lawn dart experiences. Here’s to our green horses and the riders who love them, crash test moments and all!