Horses sometimes don´t stand up! 8th February 2011

Hi Everyone,

Just the latest incident in my life .....................

I went for a Cabalgata with some friends on Sunday. We were all kitted out with hats and delegated our respective horses. This was where we had galloped home my moonlight on the previous occasion. We set off in a sedentary fashion - most of the gang couldn´t ride. Milagro, our gaucho just kept a eye on us all. After a while the track widened out and I asked if I could go on ahead a bit faster. Fine. We were cantering along, if a bit reluctantly on behalf of my steed, when she suddenly stumbled and fell tipping me off over her right shoulder. I was so winded that I couldn´t breethe for what seemed like ages. It hurt - especially my right shoulder which had taken the brunt of the fall. I know have an arm which is black and blue. After a relatively short while I decided to remount and continue the ride with the others but at a walking pace! Milagro was very attentive and just kept me going till the end. I was OK - just sore. The gauchos on returning to the Estancia decided that I should go to hospital to be checked over, which I had also been thinking would be a good move. The medical kit came out and I was cleaned up and iodined. Gonzalo came to the hospital with me and kept on miraculously meeting friends who were doctors which seemed to speed up the process. He also said it was the first time that he´d had to put someone´s earrings in and out! Sweet guy of probably 25! Anyway the long and the short of it was that after being X-rayed they decided that I hadn´t broken anything which is a great relief. On returning to the hostel Pablo who is on the staff cut some Aloe Vera out of the garden and gently rubbed this on to speed up the healing process. This happened several times and the following day. The hospital had given me an injection to numb the pain and help me sleep - which it did. Luckily I had taken my arnica so I have been dosing myself with that on a regular basis too. I have also had 2 massages from a friend of the family so I have tried to attack the pain and bruising from lots of angles -and it is working. I hope that it´s going to like the 8 hour bus trip to Bolivia tonight! It is now 3 days since it happened and I am in good spirits if still a bit sore - yes I know it will take time to heal and I have to be patient hey ho!

Yes I am going to Bolivia to get my passport stamped before Sunday so shall be out of Argentina for a short while. Unless I love it and decide to stay longer. I´ll let you know.

For all of those of you who have sent me messages via Facebook I am sorry that I haven´t replied but I am having difficulty with my password so at the moment prior to Bolivia I have given up but will try again later. It has been lovely that so many of you have written and kept in touch. Email is still good.

Big hug and fondest love to you all

Sal xxxxxxxx