THE CAVALRY UNIT THAT I WAS IN HELD A HORSE SHOW EVERY YEAR FOR THE RESIDENT OF DETROIT. IT WAS A VERY NICE SHOW WITH STEEPLE-CHASE JUMPING, HORSE RACING, MACHINE GUN DEMONSTRATION, AND MANY MANY OTHER EVENTS THAT WOULD PLEASE THE PUBLIC.
I ENTERED THE COSAK JUMPING EVENT. IN THIS EVENT THE RIDER HOLDING THE REINS APPROACHES A SERIES OF THREE JUMPS PLACED ABOUT FIFTEEN APART. THE JUMPS ARE ABOUT THREE FEET HIGH WITH BRUSH STUFFED IN THEM SO REALLY ABOUT FIVE FEET HIGH ALTOGETHER.
I HAD PRACTICED THIS EVENT FOR THE HORSE SHOW MANY TIMES UNTIL I WAS DOING QUITE GOOD AT IT.
THE WEEK BEFORE THE HORSE SHOW THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER WAS THERE TO GET SOME PICTURES FOR THE PAPER. WE WERE ALL SHOWING OFF OUR DIFFERENT SKILLS AND IT CAME MY TURN TO DEMONSTRATE THE COSAK RIDING. I DIDN'T KNOW AT THIS TIME THAT THE PHOTOGRAPHER WITH THE FLASH WAS KNEELING DOWN IN FRONT OF THE LAST JUMP. I GOT MY HORSE INTO A SLOW GALLOP AND JUST BEFORE THE THREE HURDLES I STOOD UP IN THE SADDLE. WELL THINGS WENT VERY WELL UNTIL THE THIRD JUMP. JUST AS I APPROACHED THE THIRD HURDLE THE PHOTOGRAPHER STOOD UP SNAPPED THE PICTURE. FRIGHTENED THE HORSE. THE HORSE STOPPED DEAD IN HIS TRACKS AND I WAS AIRBORNE. I MEAN YOU HAD TO BE THERE TO SEE IT. THE HORSE WAS STANDING STILL AND I WAS FLYING THRU THE AIR LIKE A MISSILE.
I GOT UP, SHOOK MYSELF, WIPED OFF THE GRASS AND DIRT AND THEN PROCEEDED TO EXPLAIN TO THIS CAMERA NUT WHAT HE HAD DID TO ME AND MY EGO. I CANNOT USE THE WORDS IN PRINT BUT I'M SURE YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE SAID IN THE SAME SITUATION...