The Deer Did It!!

I once again am paying for my impetuous nature! On Monday the girls & I rode with a group. It was Amanda's first time there and you have to go with a guide the first time so they can see how you ride, etc. Barney & I stayed to the back of the group. He was getting ansy and really wanted to run. We were waiting for our guide, Blane, to finish helping a couple other riders. I decided to take Barney up ahead and take a little run. The minute I gave him the signal he opened up and was flying. It was sweet! Until a baby deer jumped out from behind a fallen tree and sprinted accross the trail in front of us. Barney reared up and did a complete turn around before coming back down on his front feet. When he came back down we were very close to a tree and I was leaning right, which put my head in direct line with that tree. I immediately swung myself to the left, while Barney veered right to go around the tree. So you can see where the problem occured. I went left, and he went right. I knew I was going down, but other than grabbing his mane to help slow me down, there was little I could do. I landed on my back, hitting my head and left elbow on tree roots and hard packed Georgia clay! I had an ostrich egg on my head and a major bruise and pain on my left elbow. Despite that, I was determined not to go back to the group walking my horse because I couldn't get back on! I found a big chunk of a tree they had been cutting, so I hefted it to an upright position and used it as a step up to get back on Barney. He is over 16 hands, which is 8 feet tall at his withers. I am 5 foot 2 inches.. a tad short to reach the stirrups and heft myself up! We rejoined the group just as they had come looking for me. I didn't mention being thrown until we were back at the barn and they could see the back of my shirt covered in clay! Marei teased me that they will have to put velcro on me and my saddle! I reminded her it wasn't my fault or Barney's.. the deer did it!! Of course I was told to "watch out for the deer!" the rest of the trip!