Diary of a Rusty Rider

Sorry, meant to update this earlier but I was bouncing around too much!

Yes, he was vetted this morning - passed the 2 stage with a couple of minor comments, but nothing unexpected.

And then my offer was accepted!

Haven't written the report yet but I had a private lesson on him yesterday, and he was fabulous.

Saddler is coming on Friday morning, I'm handing over the cash then as well, and starting shopping for tack etc...

I'm so excited - 20 years after I started riding, I'm finally a horse owner!!!
 
Congratulations!! Now you're going to have no spare time and no spare money, but you will have a horse!! Is he entirely yours or do I remember rightly that this is a 'share' situation with the school? So does that mean that you won't have to do him every day? Will he be in at night? There's so much to organise!! Have you any more pics to share?
 
He will be entirely mine, but I'll be keeping him on working livery, so the school will use him for lessons/hacking/hunting 3 days a week, plus it then covers full livery, so frees up my spare time for fussing over him and riding. I don't have enough time to go to the yard every day at the moment, so it seemed the best option. Plus as he'll be the first horse I've owned rather than shared, it'll mean there's still plenty of support around if something goes wrong health/injury wise. Once my situation changes I can look into other livery options, but certainly for the short/medium term, I'll go with the working livery.

I was going to share a different horse with the school, but then Ronan came along...!

I'm going up tomorrow morning to pay for him and the saddler is coming out to fit him with a new saddle, so I'll get some more pics then.
 
Wow that is so exciting!! You must be thrilled. I know the feeling as my friend and I have just taken on a new horse hence why I'm awake at 3am!! I'm just too excited to sleep xxx
 
Just a thought, but will the school be using your sparkling new saddle or the one they have for him? Difficult, cos possibly the one you purchase properly fitted may fit better than theirs which will therefore be better for him, but will mean that many other people will be using yours. And if they are using it, (and Ronan) as well, how will this affect your insurance for both him and your tack? Probably all this kind of stuff is in the contract you have drawn up with them, and you've got it all covered, so just tell me to mind my own business!
 
Congratulations:)

Wow – it took me some time to ride your diary, a very interesting and insightful read. I can see a lot of people relating to your experiences. I was surprised you thought yourself losing confidence after a ride/lesson. You come across as a confident and relaxed rider. I think you are just rediscovering yourself as a rider. I know what I used to be able to do, jump 4ft and novice dressage. Maybe I will get to that level again, I don’t know and to be honest I don’t mind. But getting back into the saddle is one of the best things I have done, in the past year. I have done and learnt a lot too such as western riding and a 6 day 120km trial ride in Turkey.
Sometimes I do feel I could off ridden better after a lesson. Riding in a group can seem daunting even in an experienced group you get mix of levels and different combinations of horse and riders. One week you get an easy horse like Sol and next time you get a lazy horse like Ernie.
D is of the best instructors I have had. Her lessons are very enjoyable and varied. I look forward to you joining our group lesson sometime in near the future.

I rode Ronan for the first time on Wednesday’s lesson. He was very well mannered in the stable to tack up. Yes you are right he is a bit lazy but nothing like Ernie. Once you have has attention he is forward going and pleasant to ride. He really was not interested in the small cross poles, he just stepped over them. I think he thought they were just too small to make the effort:). A little higher that got his attention and he popped over them. I do look forward to riding him again.

I think you will work well with Ronan. You are both as you say ‘Rusty’ but will have a wonderful journey of rediscovery together.
 
Jen,

I have an idea! How about if you want a name cahnge calling him Rusty! Fits in with this ongoing thread rather nicely and relates to his colour! lol.
 
Just a thought about a couple of things I wish I had done when I first had My current horse. I wish I had taken several pics of him 'naked' from different angles - these come in useful for comparison as he muscles up, if you are concerned about condition, or when he gets older and you want to check back conformation etc against him when he was younger. I also think it is a good idea to have a pic of identification marks - freeze marks, whorls, odd snips and blazes etc.
Hope the saddle fitting went well.
 
Congratulations, Well done, Whoop Whoop - over the moon for you!!!!!! Have loads of fun horsey shopping and sorting things out and my very best wishes for a long and successful, happy relationship together, I'm sure it will be the best decision you have ever made! x
 
Aaargh, just lost a long reply. Stupid technology.

In a nutshell...

- handed over the cash on Friday and renamed him Jack

- saddle fitter came, found a lovely saddle that fitted him, then I jumped on and trotted round the school

- he then bucked me off

- I haven't seen him since then, as we had to dash off on Friday afternoon for the race I've been organising, and only got back this evening. But I'll see him tomorrow - my very own horse!

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