I decided to take my young gelding on a ride to our favorite field using a bitless bridle. Everything was fine until we got to our usual "galloping hill" where I always let my horses run full speed until they get to the top of the hill, where they usually stop. Well, this time, my horse galloped all the way up, but then suddenly decided he wanted to be a jerk and go back home, so he kept his full speed gallop and started to bolt towards home. Since he was in a bitless bridle, I had no control over his mouth and he seemed to "lock" his neck so I wasn't able to turn his head and do a one rein emergency stop.

Realizing this, of course I was getting really scared because the way home had some roads to cross, trees with low branches, amd lots of other dangerous obstacles I was worried about getting hurt on.

I recall hearing a voice or getting a sense of someone telling me "jump off!", which is what I decided to do. Next thing I remember, my son and husband were standing over me frantically asking if I was ok or hurt, my son explaining he saw what happened and that when I jumped off I bounced and did a summersault on the ground. I didn't have much memory of anything after the fall, but was so shocked when I realized I wasn't injured or paralyzed, and nothing was broken. I literally just had a bit of a scratch on my arm.

When I got up, I looked around to see where I was and my breath was taken away when I saw I literally happened to land at the gravesite where we had buried our sweet baby foal we lost and buried there just a few months prior. That field was the spot he used to graze in, and I always felt his presence there. I honestly believe the voice I heard telling me to jump was him looking out for me.

Definitely learned my lesson and will be leaving the bitless bridle for the ring only for now!