[Jeff Higgins]

Another fun horse story. This time I was riding Primo, out back in his own darn pasture. We were in a light canter, just enjoying the day. Laura was inside the house doing something, so I figured we would go between the barn and the house and check on her. Next thing I know, Primo has locked 'em up - full on stop as fast as a horse can stop. Caught me completely off guard. I was riding him bare back, as I mostly did with Primo, with just a blanket on his back and no saddle. So, with no pommel in the way to slow me down, my chest hit the back of his neck and head and over I went. Full somersault to laying flat on my back on the ground in front of him. Wind knocked out of me, wondering what might be broken, gasping for air. Primo standing over me like nothing had happened.

Next thing I know, Laura is standing over me asking if I'm o.k. I was, thankfully, but now I'm wondering "WTF???!!!"

Well, her and my brother in law, Allan, were going to put up a greenhouse between the house and the barn. They had it staked out, with stakes and string. We've all seen that - white string, about 3-4" off the ground. So Laura points at the string and says "oh, he won't go over those strings. They scare the hell out of him. Probably should have told you..."

So, yeah, white string, close to the ground. Something new in his pasture that he had never seen before. Terrified. A 1,200 pound god damned animal, over 20 years old, a very experienced horse. And a piece of string.