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Today I was scheduled to have yet another private riding lesson, but 'cause of circumstances it got cancelled and I was asked if I instead wanted to join a group in the evening. I did want.

It was different, the others knew each other, had different levels, and of course being in a group of four is something other than being alone with a teacher. Not only that, I got the biggest horse there was. 1.78, had to stand on a thingie to get up.

But it all went reasonbly well, even though I much prefer to have a horse that is not taller than me. 50 minutes of riding takes a toll on me I tell you. Even though I'm fairly fit by now, it is a long time trying to manoeuvre half a ton (?) of a living creature.

Jumping off I nearly fell backwards, but managed to compose myself. Probably because I didn't want to look stupid in front of others.

Afterwards I wanted to give the horse his carrot, but he had another lesson with a new student, so I went to his box to put it there for him to enjoy for later. Only the barn was closed and it was dark, so when opening the door I hurt myself quite badly. Cut my thumb. It was bleeding like hell. But a bit in shock I still went it in, sucking my thumb, and emptied the carrots in his food bowl.

Coming out I realized I needed help, but there was nobody there. No staff, and the next lesson had already started, so I pressed my other finger against my thumb, held it high and with my left hand fished out my mobile phone and called a friend. And lo and behold, he was home on a Friday evening.

Ten minutes walk from the barn, holding my thumb high up while still pressing (haha, a taxi that passed by slowed down, thought I was flagging him down), and my friend had gotten out the plasters.

First he opened a bottle of spirits to clean the wound, then we put on three plasters. Then he gave me a glass of water and glass of wine, and immediately it felt better.

But by the time I got home it had blead through, so now I'm sitting with eight plasters, the last three extremely tightly wrapped around my thumb. It was actually a pretty deep cut. Like you could flap over a piece of skin. Oh dear.

It won't stop me from riding again, but it might stop me from bringing carrots.