Moving On Up

   Growing up, I was always wishing that I was already done with high school so that I could get on with my life. However, now that I am here, becoming a senior, I find myself a little nervous as to what the future holds. I am not wishing that I was a kid again by any means but I am a little nervous and curious as to what it will be like as a senior. My year as a junior in high school has been hectic to say the least. I have always heard, growing up, that the eleventh grade year is the hardest and, up until now, I always thought that was a bunch of bologne. Now that I have gone through my junior year, I believe that it really was the hardest year that I have ever been through. It has not been aweful, per say, but it was incredibly stressful. Taking Pre-AP Precalculus and Chemistry as well as English 11, which is definitely not my strong suit, has kept me working hard and kind of stressed all year. Throw in taking the ACT test for the first time and looking for potential colleges and I have had a busy eleventh grade year to say the least. I do, however, believe that in the long run this especially trying year will benefit me. It helped me get ready for the stresses of college and life in general. I am very excited to be a senior in the class of 2013, though I am nervous as to what the future holds. It relieves me greatly to have earned almost all of the credits that I need to graduate in my junior year so that my senior schedule can be comprised of more classes that I want to take, rather than those that I am required to take. I think that my senior year will be amazing and one of the best years of school that I have experienced yet, and my slight nervousness is definitely not enough to hold me back from enjoying it!

How Far Would You Go?

     When put into threatening situations, people may be surprised to find just what extent they would go to to their own, or even another's, life. I like to believe that, if put into such a situation, I would do the right thing and do whatever it takes to save somebody else's life, even over my own. However, I do believe that in some circumstances, my own instincts would take over and cause me to save myself. I do believe, though, that if the other person was a member of my family, I would not hesitate to sacrifice my own life to save their's. There is nothing that I would not do for my family in a life-or-death situation. Whether it be trying my best to save them from their own self-destruction or physically fighting someone who is threatening them, I would do it for my family. For my friends, I would do many things, though it would not be quite as instinctual to save them as it would be for me to save a family member. I would try my best to ensure their survival, but if I were to fail, though I would miss them and feel guilty, life would go on. Though I am ashamed to admit it, my pets rank high on my lift of beings that I would fight to save if something aweful were to happen. Most people do not get as attached to their pets and ultimately view them as replacable. I however, would even go so far as to risk my own health and well being for that of my pets. Everybody has a different scale of what extent they would go to to ensure the survival of themselves, others, and even pets. Mine is definitely out of the ordinary.

Survivor Synthesis Essay: Horseback Riding

Six-Word-Slant

• Horseback riding; Be prepared. Don't panic.

140-Character-Claim

• Horseback riders only survive dangerous situations that can not be avoided by being prepared and aware of their surroundings at all times.

Essay

          Every year, thousands of people are seen in U.S. emergency rooms because of injuries they sustained during horseback riding and other horse-related activities. Riding atop a large animal that can easily weigh 1,000 pounds, especially a prey animal that is ruled by its fight-or-flight instincts, leaves a lot of potential for something to go wrong and for the rider to get injured. Horseback riders only survive dangerous situations that can not be avoided by being prepared and aware of their surroundings at all times.

          In the first place, being prepared, both physically and mentally, improves a rider’s chances of survival greatly. Valerie Netto, in her article “Horse Safety!” stresses the importance of preparation in making the handling and riding of horses safer. Most people do not realize that being physically prepared means a lot more than just having a horse and a saddle. Having and using the correct safety gear, such as helmets, appropriate clothing, and good quality equipment would also fall in this category. The helmet provides head protection in case the rider falls off. Clothing is a large issue with horse riders. According to Netto, baggy and loose-fitting clothing can “catch on a protrusion such as the saddle horn” and cause potentially deadly situations for the rider. A safe rider wears properly fitted clothing and appropriate boots. Good quality tack can prevent equipment malfunctions that could cost somebody their life. Mark Rashid, in his book “Considering the Horse”, teaches that forcing the horse “into a very tight and uncomfortable circle” by pulling the horses head completely to one side with the reins can “[stop] the unstoppable horse.” A good equestrian learns the correct actions to take if something were to go wrong before actually hopping on a horse. This simple mental preparation strategy can make the rider safer and can give them a sense of comfort knowing that they are prepared in case something tragic does happen.     

 Additionally, when riding a horse, being aware can be the difference between safely avoiding a crisis and getting an ambulance ride to the hospital. According to Katherine Blocksdorf in her article “How to Fall Off Your Horse”, a rider should “try to see the spookies before your horse does so you can divert its attention.” This can prevent the horse from spooking or reacting badly, which can lead to disaster. An aware rider will most likely notice anything unwonted that could spook their horse beforehand, giving them a chance to divert the equine’s attention or go a different direction and ultimately avoiding a potential catastrophe. Valerie Netto also suggests in her article that a rider should “never assume that your horse ‘would never do that.’” This is part of being aware because if a person trusts their horse too much, they would be less likely to stay alert and aware while riding, which could allow them to miss something that, if only the rider had been paying attention, could have easily been spotted and avoided. Another important assumption that people make is that they can ride just any horse. However, a responsible rider makes sure that the horse that they will be riding fits their skill level. For example, a person who is inexperienced at riding and being around horses should not ride a ferine, rambunctious, rowdy, rodeo-worthy horse. Just as Hal, Mercedes, and Charles tried to control and maintain Buck’s skilled team of dogs with very little knowledge of dog sledding in Jack London’s “The Call of the Wild,” some people try to ride and control a horse whose skill level is way above their own, ultimately leading to disaster. Being aware of not only the surroundings, but also the skill level of both the rider and horse can play a large role in having a safe, fun horseback riding experience.          

     Furthermore, a responsible rider learns how to survive when the hard ground summons them and will not take no for an answer. “If you know you are going to fall, try to kick your feet free of the stirrups” and “roll out of the way of your horse’s legs,” Blocksdorf encourages. If not, the person caught on the saddle could be severely injured or dragged by a frightened horse. Breaking the fall with their arms could result in the rider sustaining broken or fractured limbs. YoungRider.com, the website of a popular horseback riding magazine, insists that a rider “let go of the reins” when they fall. What to do with the reins when a fall is unavoidable is a very controversial subject among riders. Some, such as Katherine Blocksdorf, state that “if you are out on trail, you [should] try to hold on to the reins.” However, this could lead to the rider having a broken arm or injuring the horse’s mouth due to the reins yanking on the bit that the horse is wearing. “Many horses put down their heads and graze after you fall, and if your mount runs off someone will catch him eventually. (YoungRider.com)” Being able to fall properly can give the rider a higher chance of survival and can ultimately lead to both the horse and rider returning safely after a ride.         

     All in all, riding a horse is a very dangerous activity to participate in and staying safe while doing so can be an arduous task. Good riders will do everything in their power to possibly lessen the threat of death or injury to both themselves and the horse. This can only be accomplished by being prepared, both physically and mentally, and by staying aware of themselves and their horses at all times. Next time you ride a horse or even consider riding a horse, think about what you can do to make the ride as safe as possible and lessen the chances of anybody getting hurt.

Works Cited

             Blocksdorf, Katherine. "How to Fall Off Your Horse." About.com Horses. About.com. Web. 14 May 2012.                                       http://horses.about.com/od/learntoride/a/falloffhorse.htm.

           "Falling Off Your Horse." Falling Off Your Horse. YoungRider.com. Web. 14 May 2012. http://www.youngrider.com/young-rider-magazine/january-2007/falling-off.aspx.

             Netto, Valerie. "Horse Safety." Horse Safety. InfoHorse.com, 2007. Web. 14 May 2012. http://www.infohorse.com/horsesafety.asp.

             Rashid, Mark. Considering the Horse: Tales of Problems Solved and Lessons Learned. Boulder: Johnson, 1993. Print.