First ride in 5 years - yay, but eek!

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IsabelleJ

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A bit of my history. I rode from the age of 4 until 17, when I had an injury/went off to University/took some years off. Rode again a few times 5 years ago (so age 24 or so) but didn't really like the place I went to so gave up again. With my 30th birthday on the horizon, and the fact that I've regretted giving up ever since, I decided to get back into things, and managed to find a riding school that would take me, as I'm fairly heavy.

So off I went last Thursday for my first lesson. I wasn't expecting much (call me a pessimist) in the way of horses to ride, but had a lovely and quite chunky 17hh Hannoverian. Got on, and walk was going well, managed to get him working in quite a nice outline so I was feeling pretty chuffed. Then we trotted.

Uh oh!

I have never experienced a trot like it, it was so bouncy that it literally bounced me off balance! OK, my position needs a little work, but I was only managing rising trot for a half circuit or so before it all went wrong! I have never been so embarrassed in my life. I would at least have expected to be able to do a trot!

So, please help! Is this unusual? Is it due to the 12 years off? I know that my body shape has changed in the mean time, which would probably affect my balance, but I honestly have never felt a horse trot like that! I'm definitely going to persevere, and learn to ride this trot, but I was hoping that some of you could reassure me that this is relatively normal after a few years off and that I didn't look like a complete muppet who had never trotted before
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I honestly thought that I'd never lose my ability to this extent, and I was fine 5 years ago! But apart from that, it was a fab lesson, and a lovely horse. The instructor was really encouraging, and I liked the way that she did things. Definitely going back next week, if only to work on my rising trot!

Isabelle
 
Don't feel bad!!!! I started riding again quite recently after a 12 year break... and it wasn't pretty! My lower leg just would not go where it was told no matter how hard I tried, and my balance was just embarrassing. I was mortified actually, and really wished I had told the instructor that I was a complete novice - lol! A few months later I am certainly not back to the standard I was at before I stopped riding regularly, but am getting there, slowly.

Btw, I walked like John Wayne for at least 3 days after the first few lessons - have you been feeling the pain??
 
Oh, thank you both of you, I feel better now.

My position was all over the place, but I was really most shocked at not being able to keep a trot going. TROT, of all paces!

I am waddling a little - had to go the supermarket yesterday, and I was wondering what people must have thought seeing me walk so funny! LOL!

Isabelle
 
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Good luck with your next lesson and enjoy! Its always a shock to find how much you have lost when you have had a long break from riding.

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Oh, tell me about it!

Why does it work with bikes but not horses?!
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Isabelle
 
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My position was all over the place, but I was really most shocked at not being able to keep a trot going. TROT, of all paces!


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Sounds like when I re-started riding years ago, I'd gained a lot of weight in the meantime and totally lost my balance when it came to riding, and couldn't do a rising trot to save my life! It does come back to you tho', once your riding muscles wake up!

I'm hoping to re-re-start riding again soon, I've been doing Jane Fonda Step Aerobics to get my legs in shape LOL
 
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