Thought I would try and lighten it up a bit, but hope I don't leave you cringing too badly. :)
10: At one of our first few shows (it was just me and my Dad) - with me trying to fit into my show team gear that didn't fit so well anymore, she stopped at a fence in the middle of a course, I came off and walked out of the arena to mount back up because I couldn't get on her from the ground...
9: I remember a fall in Culpeper at their winter series 1994-5. It was something very silly and simple - but I can't recall exactly what. It might even have just been warming up, but I remember how silly it was and feeling a little embarrassed... maybe it was a fun class like ride-a-buck where you ride bareback with a dollar bill between your knee and the horse. Good luck after show-sheening your horse! :)
8: I fell at a show in Lexington, VA. 1993? Don't remember much but falling on bluestone and getting back up and riding in the next class with gravel stains on my knee.
7: I think we fell during our warmup in Roanoke, VA in 1994.
6: Just riding around at VA Tech in the ring at the barn, and I think Sweetie stumbled/got a stone bruise. All I remember clearly is more bluestone - ouch!
5: 2008 - Was enjoying a ride at dusk trotting/cantering and Daisy came up and spooked her in the shadows. Sweetie jumped 6' to the left. I only made it about 3' but at least landed in soft sand.
4: 2006/7 - I was out of shape after having the kids and rode Sweetie in the field. The other horses took off trotting and I thought it would be fun to let her run along. She bucked then caught herself and stopped almost immediately as I toppled over her head and landed on my back. I was too top heavy and out of shape with not enough muscle to hold me on there. Very painful, slow fall that got me serious about getting back in shape. :)
3: Early 1991 - the fall at Penn State that tore ligaments in my ankle.
2: While at VA Tech, around 1993-4, I took Sweetie on a trail ride, by myself, and a dog spooked her and I came off over her head, well, maybe onto her head. She stayed with me as I screamed out in a cow field - at least 1/2 mile from the barn - for a few minutes, then up and bolted back to the barn without me. Thankfully for me, her returning without her rider still saddled up instigated a search party that found me within 30 min or so. I spent at least 2 days in the hospital with some internal bleeding.
1: WIHS Local Day at Paper Chase. I had a nearly perfect round and Sweetie stopped at the last fence. I came back in to try my next round and she stopped at the first fence, which I then gracefully fell off right in front of the judges' stand. Nothing like being judged on your unplanned dismounts. :)
So, looking back, I pretty much fell any time it was a big show. :) Which meant that I generally was experiencing some sort of soreness/pain at those shows. I will say that Sweetie just simply knew me too well. If I hesitated, even a bit, she knew it and would stop at a fence. But when I was confident, she never refused. Our connection was so close that she trusted me to guide her, and when I was unsure, she would just stop almost the instant I thought about it. At the bigger shows, I would be nervous and not ride as effectively.
The good news is, I had trouble remembering 10 falls. I'd say 1 fall every other year is plenty, though! :)
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