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~A Few Summers Ago~ (also known as the death pony!)
A few summers ago, my family and I went on a trip to Mexico. We like to go every year for a week or two to get away and spend some 'quality family time' together. That break is basically the only time we actually get along--must be something in the water... except you don't drink the water in Mexico, so never mind.
Well, whenever we go down, we spend hours on the beach, go scuba diving, and browse some of the shops. I like to convince my parents to take us horseback riding as well, since it's one of my favorite things to do, and at home I rarely get the chance. This particular summer, I was excited, because my dad agreed to take my brother and I, but my mom couldn't come since she had blown out her knee on a ski trip the winter before, and she wasn't supposed to do any riding until it was completely healed.
Early in the morning, I remember my little brother shaking my shoulder to wake me up. We had to share a pull-out bed on the sofa, and he was already dressed. "Get up, lazy!" he said, still shaking me until, with a small groan, I tossed the sheets off of me and stood up, stretching my arms out above my head and letting my spine pop. My brother made a slight face and then plopped on the couch to watch some cartoons--even though they were in Spanish. As I tugged on my clothes, he asked me what the characters were saying, but I only could catch a few phrases here and there.
As I was combing my hair, our dad walked into the room and asked us if we were ready to go. With a nod, I quickly pulled my hair back into a ponytail, and skipped out the hotel door and outside.
The three of us--my father, my brother, and I--piled into our rental car and drove a short ways away from the resort to a desert area. There were tall cacti, much like the saguaros back home, but also large trees that shaded the dirt underneath.
Pulling into a small dusty lot, I hopped out of the car and slipped my hands into my jean pockets as we walked towards the stable area, waiting for our guide to arrive. There were cobblestones on the ground in a small patio where the horses were kept, and the stable doors were painted a rich maroon with wooden plaques on each door, engraved with a name. I was rubbing the velvety nose of one of the horses when the guide arrived.
She was an older woman, but she was extremely lean and fit, with a bright smile and long brown and gray-streaked hair pulled into a ponytail. On her head she wore a cowboy hat.
She greeted us in English, and then introduced us to her assistant, who spoke only Spanish. My dad spoke with them for a while. Apparently, we were waiting for another couple before we would head out, and soon enough, they arrived as well.
It was then that we saddled up. I swung my leg over the saddle and set my feet in the stirrups, holding onto the horn and the reins, waiting for the others.
The woman set out first, and then I followed. My dad and my brother were right behind me, then the other couple, and finally our guide's assistant.
We were riding through the desert at first, but it soon turned into a marshy area where people were hunting for crabs, and then after that, we rode on the beach. However, I was having some difficulty, seeing as my horse was rather stubborn and refused to move at a pace any faster than a slow walk. Digging my heels into its sides, I grit my teeth before clicking my tongue, but it was no use, the damn horse just refused to go any faster, and before I knew it, the woman, my brother, and my dad were far, far, ahead of me as I rode slowly.
I glanced over my shoulder, and was surprised that the couple was even further behind, but that was because they were talking and not really caring about the actual ride. I let out a long sigh and decided to just let my horse lead me since frankly, there was no way in making it do as I said.
The space between myself and the others was gradually widening in both directions, and by the time we were reaching the stables once more, I was very far away from both the group in front of me and the group behind.
It was then, that my horse suddenly stopped.
I sat up straight and dug my heels into its sides again, but it refused to move.
Looking forward, the guide had broken out into a gallop as she headed for the stables. My brother's horse followed swiftly, and since my brother was young, lightweight, and didn't have much riding experience, he was flopping around in his saddle as the horse thundered back home. My dad, wanting to keep an eye on him, followed suit.
Then, out of nowhere, the horse I was riding reared its head and let out a loud neigh before pounding forward with more speed than I would have thought imaginable for the lazy creature. Behind me, the Hispanic guide shouted in dismay, and so did the man as both of them raced forward in an attempt to catch me, but they were too far behind. I squeezed my legs around the horse tightly, but just as I did this, the saddle slipped and flipped upside-down. My eyes widened as I found myself right beside the beast's pounding legs, and then I felt my feet slip out of the stirrups as I tried to right myself a little. Gripping the reins tightly, I squinted my eyes shut and pulled myself halfway up before opening my eyes again and pulling the reins back and to the side, driving the horse towards a deep marshy area without really thinking about what I was doing but more of as an instinct. I had to keep my head away from its legs and I had to stop it somehow before the saddle fell off completely or I lost my grip. I gave one final yank on the reins, and the horse lurched to a stop as its hooves reached the edge of the blue marshy water. Panting for air, I then righted myself as best I could on the askew saddle as the horse shifted its feet. After a moment, the man and the guide's assistant caught up to me, and held my elbow, asking if I was alright. I nodded, though I was shaking, and then, still sitting somewhat cockeyed, I rode back to the stables.
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