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Hi! This is a story about how I got a concussion while horseback riding.

Over the summer, I went to a horseback riding camp. We would tack up and ride our horses in the morning and clean tack in the afternoon. My favorite horses were named Raven and Maximus. Raven was sweet and gentle, while Maximus was easy to ride, but quick to get scared.

My instructor told me I would be riding Maximus that day. The other girls were riding Raven, a well-behaved chestnut named Heidi, and a temperamental bay named Paddy. We get tacked up, mount our horses, and ride up to the field. My instructor warns us that horses are more likely to spook in the field.

With that, we start riding around, trotting at a brisk pace. The girl on Heidi shouts, “Race you down the hill!” We canter down behind her and stop at the bottom. My horse pauses for water, and I watch as the others race back up the slope. They stop at the top, chatting with one another about their horses while I trot Maximus back up. The girl on Raven suggests we race again, and the girl on Heidi quickly agrees.

We start cantering down the hill yet again. Suddenly, Maximus is galloping, bucking wildly as he whinnies. I catch a glimpse of Paddy bucking as I grab fistfuls of hair in an attempt to hold on. A yell lodges in my throat as I’m thrown into the air. There’s half a second where I’m pressed against his side, holding on for dear life as sweat slathers his flank. Then, in the blink of an eye, I’m on the ground.

My vision goes fuzzy, my breath sucked from my body. I hear my trainer’s voice, but it sounds distant. I’m acutely aware that my helmet’s visor has broken, and that my head throbs like it’s been run over by an elephant. A scream finally escapes, ten seconds late. I’m confused, looking for my trainer. Spots flare in my vision as I try to sit up. Slumping limply, I turn my head to see my trainer crouching over the girl who was on Paddy, the girl screaming that she can’t breathe over and over. Her yells slice through my mind like steel, and I wince. Turning my head, I see Maximus and Paddy cantering down the hill towards Heidi. The girl on Raven has dismounted, leading her away from the chaos. The girl on Heidi panics, hyperventilating as her horse takes control, calmly trotting away from the chaos. The girl continues to sob hysterically, dropping her reins and clinging to Heidi’s neck.

My trainer is on the phone, but I can’t hear much through the ringing in my ears. My vision goes blurry, spots glaring brightly. The girl who was on Raven is comforting the girl on Heidi, holding her horse while she panics. My trainer puts her phone away, helping the other girl stand up. The other two trainers come running up, one of them rushing to calm Maximus and Paddy while the other comes towards me. She helps me sit up and asks how I feel. For some reason, I say that I’m fine, and after testing me for a concussion, she believes me.

She takes me down to the lounge, and I eat a popsicle while I wait for my parents to arrive.

After going to the doctor, we found out I did indeed have a concussion. So, in case anyone was wondering, that’s why I lease Raven instead of Maximus. I think it was for the best that it worked out this way, since Raven is the sweetest pony I could have asked for. Anyway, that was my third time falling off, and it was also when I learned that you’re supposed to get a new helmet every time you fall off. Hopefully, I don’t get another concussion anytime soon.