An exhausted, but happy, lesson report :)

Thelwell_Girl

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 March 2010
Messages
4,156
Visit site
Evening everyone!

Today has been absolutely exhausting :o

Was picked up by my friend and her mad Danish dad :D I have never laughed so much in such a short journey!

First lesson was good, if tiring. I was riding Dawi again, and he was nicely forward today :) I was struggling with my keeping my stirrups on the ball of my foot though! (as I always do)

Then we took away our stirrups... Dawi is the bounciest horse we have! I am very bruised (theres a whopper on my knee :( ) but I did feel a big improvement throughout the lesson, and my instructor saw it too :)

Then, as we were about to go back to walk after a last trot, I went and came out the side door! (landing on my ample backside :D) Dawi was so good, made sure he kept himself out of the way, and waited for me to recover my senses. Seeing his legs coming towards me was scary :eek: Luckily, not very bruised, but sore, and my back has seized up again :(

After we took our stirrups back, we had one more canter. And WHAT a canter! It was controlled, with good impulsion, and we both loved it :D

Next ensued a VERY long day of helping. I think I led in lessons for over 2.5 hours! Eventually I managed to grab lunch, then back on to the yard. 4pm rolled around and I was so knackered that I was forcibly sent to the boot room for a break before I did anything else. I then hobbled back to lead again, along with 3 other helpers.

Finally managed to untack the ponies and legged it to the boot room, threw on my stuff and went to get Albert :) I REALLY love this horse, so I was well pleased to be given him for the helpers lesson!

Did a few gymkhana games, then we all channeled our inner cowgirls, and tried barrel racing! (or jump block racing :cool:)

SUCH a fun activity :D Really got Albie working, and it was nice to see that he could actually MOVE! Out of our 50 or so horses, he is well recognised as being the slowest by far :rolleyes:

Then, we all got a chance to really let them 'go', and boy can that coblet fly when he wants to!

I really believe that these helpers lessons are just as god for my riding as the normal, structured lessons :)

Overall, a tiring, painful but good day :) Had a lovely time with all the stables girlies, and feel very lucky to have the mad bunch in my life :)

Big thanks also to the two grooms who forced me to breathe and calm down! You guys are amazing :)

Things to work on:

  • My wandering toes!
  • Checking my girth... :o (The saddle slipped in a gymkhana race, and I REALLY wrenched my shoulder :()
  • Rembering how to sit to canter :o Trying to really relax and go with the movement
  • Working on that darn trot without stirrups!!

I'm off to go and soothe my seized up back :(

As always, thank you for reading and commenting, I appreciate your advice :)

Will put pics up in the morning.

TG xx
 
Sounds like a hard work, but fun day. Your post reallys shows that you enjoyed yourself! Of course the helper's lesson will do you as much good as your normal lessons. Me thinks you need a nice hot bath and a chill out now!x
 
You know what - I bet that last session was an absolute ball and that is what riding is all about - its all very well and good worrying yourself to death about your position, but hell, it all goes to pot when you are racing around in gymkhana games ;) And that is real fun :D

Glad you had a good day ;)
 
Ohh I've missed reading these :)

Glad your riding's going well!! Dawi's my possible fave out of your lot :D

Hope you're not too sore and have recovered TG - at least it wasn't serious like mine :p Looking forward to the next one :) xx
 
aww sounds like you had a fabby day!! Reading that took me back to my riding school days!! :Dx

Did the same for me! :)
I used to work at weekends in an RDA centre and if i worked all day Saturday and came and mucked out and tack cleaned on a sunday I would get a hack out or a lesson.
When we were leading ponies in lessons we had a few ponies who knew the games better than we did and even the slow ponies would perk up when we played "what time is it Mr wolf!" One pony used to wait till the instructors back was turned and go charging off to the wall she was stood at then stop dead right in front of her! :D
 
One of the highlights of my day yesterday (though it may sound silly) was being asked by one of the instructors to cool off this one pony, just leading her around till she'd stopped puffing. Now, this instructor and me dont always get along, but I was really chuffed to be asked to do this, and it was lovely to just walk the pony round, give her a pat, and let her calm down a bit after a hard lesson :)

Sounds like a hard work, but fun day. Your post reallys shows that you enjoyed yourself! Of course the helper's lesson will do you as much good as your normal lessons. Me thinks you need a nice hot bath and a chill out now!x

It was! I slept so deeply last night :o x

You know what - I bet that last session was an absolute ball and that is what riding is all about - its all very well and good worrying yourself to death about your position, but hell, it all goes to pot when you are racing around in gymkhana games ;) And that is real fun :D

Glad you had a good day ;)

It was amazing! We get to relax and have FUN rather than worry about exactly whats good or bad. Albert is well-regarded as the slowest horse or pony on the entire yard, but I love him, and it was nice to really let him 'go'! I even managed to get a time of 40.1 seconds around the 'barrels' :D

aww sounds like you had a fabby day!! Reading that took me back to my riding school days!! :Dx

I love my RS :) x
Ohh I've missed reading these :)

Glad your riding's going well!! Dawi's my possible fave out of your lot :D

Hope you're not too sore and have recovered TG - at least it wasn't serious like mine :p Looking forward to the next one :) xx

I am absolutely knackered, but less damaged than you! You'll heal quickly anyway, and all that mandated sleep will help :D

Aww, you either love Dawi or hate him, but he is a good lad :) xx

Did the same for me! :)
I used to work at weekends in an RDA centre and if i worked all day Saturday and came and mucked out and tack cleaned on a sunday I would get a hack out or a lesson.
When we were leading ponies in lessons we had a few ponies who knew the games better than we did and even the slow ponies would perk up when we played "what time is it Mr wolf!" One pony used to wait till the instructors back was turned and go charging off to the wall she was stood at then stop dead right in front of her! :D

Aww! Wish our ponies did that :D We always play that one, and grandmothers footsteps, the kids love it (as do we!) and it helps them have fun as well as just going around.
 
Pics from the lesson :)
DSCF0320.jpg

DSCF0321.jpg

DSCF0324.jpg

DSCF0325.jpg


No stirrups!
DSCF0326.jpg

DSCF0327.jpg


Aren't we cruel :D
DSCF0331.jpg
 
Last edited:
Top