Winter Riding Accident..

Yesterday evening I went for a long winter trail ride, to me, it didn't seem icy at all. The snow seemed powdery and not icy. I miss judged the trails, which ended up putting me in the hospital..

It was a really nice day. The sun was out, and it was a little warm out, it wasn't very chilly. Twister was being a good boy and behaving him self and not spooking at a single thing. But he did seem a little off today.

Twister and I where riding along a small hill, although Twister refused to go up it. I managed to get him walking slowly up the hill. Until he stopped. Right before we where at the top, and he refused to move. I thought this was really strange because both of us have been on this trail many, many times with out any problems (Occasionally spooking from time to time). After about 5 minutes of trying to get him up the rest of the hill, Twister started walking again. I started to feel Twister sliding slowly (I was riding bareback) backwards down the hill.

Twister ended up slipping and falling. On top of me. He immediately got up and stood beside me, Although, I had a huge pain on my right side where my rib cage is and down by my hip. I felt that I was un-able to stand so I laid there for about 10 minutes. I finally got up and gripped onto my horses mane and started walking back to the barn. There was KNOW cell service throughout these entire trails, so there was know way to call my mother. Twister practically dragged me all the way back.. It took a half and hour to get back home. Once we got there I took a look at my stomach  (it was hurting REALLY bad, and I have a high pain tolerance..) and my stomach was turning a purplish blueish colour.. like it was a huge, huge bruise. I finally got a hold of my mother, so she could take me to the ER. Then I realized I had blood all over my clothing. which, was coming from my nose and my forhead right above my right eyebrow.

Twister was alright, he was not hurt at all. I had know serious injuries. Just needed to get butterfly stiches on my forehead and I was just bruised up REALLY badly.

The main thing is, my horse is all right, and thats the only thing that worried me.

Thank goodness for helmets right?! I ended up smacking my head off the ice pretty hard, and cracking my helmet in half.