redmone
Well-Known Member
Hi everyone!!!
Well I think I'm long overdue updating you fine fellows on my riding progress! I've had four more lessons since my last update (oh, that sounded a bit "alcoholics anonymous" didn't it! well I suppose it should, as it is sort of an addiction!!!) so I've lots to tell!
Are you sitting comfortable?
Well I'm not. I've got sore bits on top of sore bits!!!! I really thought I'd have stopped hurting by now!!!
Anyway, here goes. Lesson 4. After two lessons on "Steady Eddie" I bounce onto the yard and confidently head for his stable, to be told I'm not riding him this week
I check the board, and I'm down for Humbug. Or Mr Bug as I call him 
Now Mr Bug is awesome. He's a grey steam train of a pony - yes PONY! He's about 14.2 I think - so I'm officially a pony squisher!!!! But he's a stocky strong boy and I'm a little worried because I've seen many a young girl tear arsing to the "back of ride" on Humbug!!! he he he!! He is a fantastic pony, but quite fast and very strong!
Then to top it off we're in......dun dun duuuuuuhhhhh....the outdoor school! I've only ridden in the indoor before. Which for some reason, I feel safer in. Oh well, more ticks in the "done" box. Me and Mr Bug get ready and head outside. I get on ok (getting better!) and we're off - Humbug's walk is about as fast as Eddies trot and he's so much more forward. When it's time to trot, I give a little squeeze and we're off!!! Humbug is AMAZING!!!!! He's like a little grey rocket and he deserves to be ridden much better than I can. But he looks after me, and gives me precious opportunity to practice my rising trot without worrying about kicking. I lose my stirrups a lot (bloody left ankle) and get the giggles still far too much (WHAT is up with me???? Must stop wearing the feather knickers for riding!!!) but I have a fantastic lesson. I dismount with no problem (well, I am a LOT nearer the floor on Humbug 
) and that's lesson 4 done. BIG smiles from me, but lots to work on.
Lesson 5 arrives only a week later - I was much sorer (sp??) after last week's lesson - even though I didn't have to kick as much, all the rising took it's toll on my knees (which are not in good shaper after falling over a table a year ago - don't ask!!!) and my arse hurts!! But I'm game, and raring to go!
I check the board, secretly hoping for Humbug again (sorry Eddie, but I think I like my ponies like I like my cars - fast and sporty, and errrrrrr grey???!!!) and YES there he is with my name next to his. I resist drawing a love heart around our names
and go get his tack. I arrive at his stable, to see with horror, A GIRL grooming him!!!! MY HUMBUG!!!! So I chuck her out and take over Off we toddle to our lesson, in the scary outdoors again! Now THIS lesson was fantastic!!! I hop onto Humbug like I'm 15 again! I don't know if I'm losing weight or getting back in shape, but I feel none of my 12 stone today!!! After warming up, we spend 20 minutes trotting, changing the rein, doing centre lines etc... and I learn to check my rising diagonal, and somehow, I understand it and can do it first time 
yey me!!!! Daughter is amazed and mystified (it took her ages to understand diagonals, but I keep my secret safe - 2 years of watching her ride has taught me more than I'm letting on!!!) so I'm pleased to have impressed her!!!
The 1/2 hour passes way to fast, I end the lesson on a serious high. I CAN RIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!! OK. I'm still fat, and still crap, but I did I. I trotted round, on the right diagonal and I'm finally getting used to giving a squeeze when I sit, when I feel the pony slowing down. It IS coming back to me after all. I think I can possibly say that Humbug is the pony that taught me to ride again!!!
Lesson.......errrrr 5??? Losing count, that's a good thing!!! I wake up in a dodgy mood today and not feeling too great. Nothing to do with riding (that was a week ago, and I recovered really quickly from my burst of new found energy!!!), just not feeling 100%. Bad week in work etc...
I check the board and I'm riding Eddie. I'm happy with that. Humbug is brilliant, but I need to learn to use my legs. I'm quite keen to see how I get on with Eddie now I can do rising trot and kick!!! And I am a LOT more confident than I was last time I rode him. Off we go to the outdoor arena.
Eddie wasn't too happy with me getting on in the outdoor. He just didn't really want to stand still. I pick up a few feelings of unease from him - perhaps he's not as happy outdoors as inside? Anyway, we're on our way and walking round warming up. It's time to trot and, nope, he's not playing ball. I think he's quite "looky" outside and I wonder if he prefers group lessons with other ponies? Anyway, a tap with the whip to back my leg up is in order - so I give him a quick tap and am met with a big swish of the tail - cheeky, so I TURN AROUND (mistake!!!) and give him a bigger tap. Well next thing I know, I'm eating sand!!!!!!!!
Oh SSHHHHHHHxxxxxxxTTTTTT!!!!!!!! I do a full on superman and face plant into the (frozen) arena surface!!!!!! Daughter tells me I cartwheeled too, how she knows peeping out from behind her hands, I don't know!!! I'm on my feet quickly and a bit dazed - us big girls don't bounce to well you know!!!
Anyway, I'm back on "steady Eddie" momentarily and we're off again. I'm faring quite well, but if anyone can find my confidence somewhere on the arena floor, I'd quite like it back!!!! Lovely instructor runs round with me for a bit so I'm not on my own and I end the lesson and hang my head in shame at my complete lack of skills and balance.
What I DO have though is a good sense of humour, so I share my misfortune with anyone that will listen, and wear my experience as a badge of honour!!! Only 5 more falls til I'm a good rider (I'm counting my fall of a cheeky shetland as 1!). NOTE to self - DO NOT TURN around when tapping a pony with a whip! Completely put myself off balance, just as poor Eddie got upset by something outside - daughter said he just jumped to the side and it was unlucky timing. YEAH nothing to do with my COMPLETE LACK OF ABILITY!!!!
I creep home and nurse my banged up body, secretly a little bit proud to be able to tell my colleagues tomorrow that I had a riding fall. I wake up a little sore and bruised, but not too much the worse for wear!!!
Well it's a week on, and today I'm back in the saddle, and yes, back on Eddie!!! I was really pleased because today I arrived early enough to be able to get Eddie out of his PJs myself and groom and tack up alone (with daughter's help!) - somehow it really makes me happy to get him ready myself. I like to pretend he's mine for half an hour!!! Off we go to the outdoor again. I've not got the same confidence I had two weeks ago, but I sort of feel a better rider now that I've fallen off! I feel like it's another box ticked and something less to worry about what it will be like. I feel like a grown up rider!!
We walk around for a bit, warming up, and I ask the instructor to take it easy on me today. My knees are not good again (my fall didn't help, but certainly didn't cause it) but more to the point, my mind needs healing. I want to take a little step back (bloody hell, if I go any further back I'll be in Narnia!!!) so we work on circles and I just enjoying riding around in the cold sunshine. I trot a little bit, and daughter and instructor says it's my best trot yet. I'm more balanced and landing much more lightly. I feel so much more able now, but today I just want a nice quiet lesson, to convince my brain that I CAN DO THIS!!! Eddie is a superstar and looks after me perfectly, and I reward him by showing off the fact that I can get off without kicking him in the arse anymore!!! YEY!!!!!
In short, it's going GREAT!!! I am SO lucky to have so lovely family to support me, and to have such a great instructor and riding school putting up with my quirks and looking after me so well. I love riding, it makes me happy and for the time in the saddle I can let go of everything else in my life that I have to worry about. It's all my time. Mine and Eddie's!
Thanks everyone who got this far!!!
I've got cherry bakewells and lambrini (CLASS ACT!!!!) for all - it's a BIG bottle so please do take some!!
Well I think I'm long overdue updating you fine fellows on my riding progress! I've had four more lessons since my last update (oh, that sounded a bit "alcoholics anonymous" didn't it! well I suppose it should, as it is sort of an addiction!!!) so I've lots to tell!
Are you sitting comfortable?
Well I'm not. I've got sore bits on top of sore bits!!!! I really thought I'd have stopped hurting by now!!!
Anyway, here goes. Lesson 4. After two lessons on "Steady Eddie" I bounce onto the yard and confidently head for his stable, to be told I'm not riding him this week
I check the board, and I'm down for Humbug. Or Mr Bug as I call him Now Mr Bug is awesome. He's a grey steam train of a pony - yes PONY! He's about 14.2 I think - so I'm officially a pony squisher!!!! But he's a stocky strong boy and I'm a little worried because I've seen many a young girl tear arsing to the "back of ride" on Humbug!!! he he he!! He is a fantastic pony, but quite fast and very strong!Then to top it off we're in......dun dun duuuuuuhhhhh....the outdoor school! I've only ridden in the indoor before. Which for some reason, I feel safer in. Oh well, more ticks in the "done" box. Me and Mr Bug get ready and head outside. I get on ok (getting better!) and we're off - Humbug's walk is about as fast as Eddies trot
and he's so much more forward. When it's time to trot, I give a little squeeze and we're off!!! Humbug is AMAZING!!!!! He's like a little grey rocket and he deserves to be ridden much better than I can. But he looks after me, and gives me precious opportunity to practice my rising trot without worrying about kicking. I lose my stirrups a lot (bloody left ankle) and get the giggles still far too much (WHAT is up with me???? Must stop wearing the feather knickers for riding!!!) but I have a fantastic lesson. I dismount with no problem (well, I am a LOT nearer the floor on Humbug ) and that's lesson 4 done. BIG smiles from me, but lots to work on.Lesson 5 arrives only a week later - I was much sorer (sp??) after last week's lesson - even though I didn't have to kick as much, all the rising took it's toll on my knees (which are not in good shaper after falling over a table a year ago - don't ask!!!) and my arse hurts!! But I'm game, and raring to go!
I check the board, secretly hoping for Humbug again (sorry Eddie, but I think I like my ponies like I like my cars - fast and sporty, and errrrrrr grey???!!!) and YES there he is with my name next to his. I resist drawing a love heart around our names
and go get his tack. I arrive at his stable, to see with horror, A GIRL grooming him!!!! MY HUMBUG!!!! So I chuck her out and take over Off we toddle to our lesson, in the scary outdoors again! Now THIS lesson was fantastic!!! I hop onto Humbug like I'm 15 again! I don't know if I'm losing weight or getting back in shape, but I feel none of my 12 stone today!!! After warming up, we spend 20 minutes trotting, changing the rein, doing centre lines etc... and I learn to check my rising diagonal, and somehow, I understand it and can do it first time yey me!!!! Daughter is amazed and mystified (it took her ages to understand diagonals, but I keep my secret safe - 2 years of watching her ride has taught me more than I'm letting on!!!) so I'm pleased to have impressed her!!!The 1/2 hour passes way to fast, I end the lesson on a serious high. I CAN RIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!! OK. I'm still fat, and still crap, but I did I. I trotted round, on the right diagonal and I'm finally getting used to giving a squeeze when I sit, when I feel the pony slowing down. It IS coming back to me after all. I think I can possibly say that Humbug is the pony that taught me to ride again!!!
Lesson.......errrrr 5??? Losing count, that's a good thing!!! I wake up in a dodgy mood today and not feeling too great. Nothing to do with riding (that was a week ago, and I recovered really quickly from my burst of new found energy!!!), just not feeling 100%. Bad week in work etc...
I check the board and I'm riding Eddie. I'm happy with that. Humbug is brilliant, but I need to learn to use my legs. I'm quite keen to see how I get on with Eddie now I can do rising trot and kick!!! And I am a LOT more confident than I was last time I rode him. Off we go to the outdoor arena.
Eddie wasn't too happy with me getting on in the outdoor. He just didn't really want to stand still. I pick up a few feelings of unease from him - perhaps he's not as happy outdoors as inside? Anyway, we're on our way and walking round warming up. It's time to trot and, nope, he's not playing ball. I think he's quite "looky" outside and I wonder if he prefers group lessons with other ponies? Anyway, a tap with the whip to back my leg up is in order - so I give him a quick tap and am met with a big swish of the tail - cheeky, so I TURN AROUND (mistake!!!) and give him a bigger tap. Well next thing I know, I'm eating sand!!!!!!!!
Oh SSHHHHHHHxxxxxxxTTTTTT!!!!!!!! I do a full on superman and face plant into the (frozen) arena surface!!!!!! Daughter tells me I cartwheeled too, how she knows peeping out from behind her hands, I don't know!!! I'm on my feet quickly and a bit dazed - us big girls don't bounce to well you know!!!
Anyway, I'm back on "steady Eddie" momentarily and we're off again. I'm faring quite well, but if anyone can find my confidence somewhere on the arena floor, I'd quite like it back!!!!
Lovely instructor runs round with me for a bit so I'm not on my own and I end the lesson and hang my head in shame at my complete lack of skills and balance.What I DO have though is a good sense of humour, so I share my misfortune with anyone that will listen, and wear my experience as a badge of honour!!! Only 5 more falls til I'm a good rider (I'm counting my fall of a cheeky shetland as 1!). NOTE to self - DO NOT TURN around when tapping a pony with a whip! Completely put myself off balance, just as poor Eddie got upset by something outside - daughter said he just jumped to the side and it was unlucky timing. YEAH nothing to do with my COMPLETE LACK OF ABILITY!!!!
I creep home and nurse my banged up body, secretly a little bit proud to be able to tell my colleagues tomorrow that I had a riding fall. I wake up a little sore and bruised, but not too much the worse for wear!!!
Well it's a week on, and today I'm back in the saddle, and yes, back on Eddie!!! I was really pleased because today I arrived early enough to be able to get Eddie out of his PJs myself and groom and tack up alone (with daughter's help!) - somehow it really makes me happy to get him ready myself. I like to pretend he's mine for half an hour!!!
Off we go to the outdoor again. I've not got the same confidence I had two weeks ago, but I sort of feel a better rider now that I've fallen off! I feel like it's another box ticked and something less to worry about what it will be like. I feel like a grown up rider!!We walk around for a bit, warming up, and I ask the instructor to take it easy on me today. My knees are not good again (my fall didn't help, but certainly didn't cause it) but more to the point, my mind needs healing. I want to take a little step back (bloody hell, if I go any further back I'll be in Narnia!!!) so we work on circles and I just enjoying riding around in the cold sunshine. I trot a little bit, and daughter and instructor says it's my best trot yet. I'm more balanced and landing much more lightly. I feel so much more able now, but today I just want a nice quiet lesson, to convince my brain that I CAN DO THIS!!! Eddie is a superstar and looks after me perfectly, and I reward him by showing off the fact that I can get off without kicking him in the arse anymore!!! YEY!!!!!
In short, it's going GREAT!!! I am SO lucky to have so lovely family to support me, and to have such a great instructor and riding school putting up with my quirks and looking after me so well. I love riding, it makes me happy and for the time in the saddle I can let go of everything else in my life that I have to worry about. It's all my time. Mine and Eddie's!
Thanks everyone who got this far!!!
I've got cherry bakewells and lambrini (CLASS ACT!!!!) for all - it's a BIG bottle so please do take some!!
