Happy lesson report :D *Bareback!!*

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Thelwell_Girl

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Evening everyone! Sorry this report is a bit late, I am absolutely shattered :o

Had two lesson today, so I was a very happy bunny :)

First, my weekly group.

Was riding Dawi, and he was quite forward, but steering just went *FOOM!* out the window!

We had a few smaller kids in our lesson today, which made for some interesting moments... I really wanted to just hop on and make that stubborn pony GO but I wouldve crushed him! We were doing some pole work today, and in trot all went fine, but as soon as we went into canter I froze :( I was so tense, couldnt steer properly... It wasnt good :( Got some nice trot work out of him, and finally got a decent canter after really making myself stop tensing. Any tips on how to remedy this? I normally love his canter, he really goes for it, but for some reason, I rode like such a numpty :o


BUT! I did have a fab fab FAB helpers lesson in the evening!

At our stables, being a helper is to be part of a family :) We all stick together and are really good friends, and today was so lovely :)

Was due to be on Albert, but he was being used in a lesson before, so was swapped onto my beloved Bonnie :) She was ok!

We had a bit of a struggle at the beginning (Yes, B, you DO understand bending! And no the mounting block is not a monster :rolleyes: ) but after a while, we got some nice trots (god, I LOVE her trot! So so comfy for me :)) and some nice speedy (for her...!) canters :) Steering was iffy, but I put this mostly on me for being tense and generally riding like an idiot today :o :(

Then we took our saddles away :D

Bon is SO comfy! Being a bit of a fatty-boom-boom, she is nicely padded, shall we say ;) Worked on a little bit of calm trot with another girl, and did ok. I didnt fall off!

Then we started getting brave :cool::rolleyes::D

A couple of the others took away reins, I just sat on B and watched in amazement! Now obviously I would be keeping my reins today! But with a bit of persuading, I prepared to follow another of the girls for my first ever canter bareback :eek:

It was amazing!! :D

By some miracle, I managed to stay on :D I really need to relax, though!

Then we had some bareback round the world, full scissors and vaulting races. Suffice to say I failed wonderfully at all these :D I wish I had a video of me trying to get on B :D

Finally, as I sat on my squidgy pony, watching the sunset, crying with laughter as various friends fell off, got back on, and fell off again, I thought, I am so lucky to have all this, and I am one very very happy TG :)

Thank you all for reading my ramble! A few pics to follow :)

TG xx

P.S. Watched/helped one of the grooms help change a poultice today... Very icky but very interesting!
 
Sounds fun and like you're improving immensly and its good to hear you're trying to ride other horses then Bonnie but you seem to be drawn to each other! :)

Its nice just to have a mess around sometimes and you couldn't have been that tense bareback or you would have fallen off sounds like your not giving yourself enough credit :D
 
Aw what a lovely post!! So glad you had an awesome day. Anyway, stop putting yourself down, i've seen videos and you ride much better than you give yourself credit for. As above, you would have bounced off if you were tense. Like i do. :p
 
A lot to be said for some time riding bareback. Everyone should do it. Now take the bit and bridle away and do it with a single rope and halter!

I hack my cob out bareback in the woods all the time - at all paces too, and jump logs bareback. I've never found a more comfortable saddle for him than no saddle.:D He's taught me a huge amount about balance and fluidity.

I ride Cob in a rope halter, bareback and have been referred to as a "p*k*y" by a woman who thought I was well out of earshot! Mad bag!

Things to remember when riding bareback are - sit slightly further back than you think you should - where your bum would be if you had a saddle - many folks who try bareback sit too far forward and then it is easy to become unbalanced and tip - so slide back a bit and let your legs drape around the pony.

Other thing is to sit on the pockets of your jeans - don;t try to sit like a dressage queen. balance yourself on your jeans pockets and you'll be much more stable!
 
sounds like a great day :) i used to love riding bareback, used to do it all the time...now i have idiot horses who would kill me if i tried to ride them without a saddle! :rolleyes:
 
Kokopelli said:
Sounds fun and like you're improving immensly and its good to hear you're trying to ride other horses then Bonnie but you seem to be drawn to each other! :)

Its nice just to have a mess around sometimes and you couldn't have been that tense bareback or you would have fallen off sounds like your not giving yourself enough credit :D
Click to expand...

It was :D And thank you! :o

It was really nice to to have a 'proper' lesson, just to have fun :)

Heh, I suppose so! :) x

somethingorother said:
Aw what a lovely post!! So glad you had an awesome day. Anyway, stop putting yourself down, i've seen videos and you ride much better than you give yourself credit for. As above, you would have bounced off if you were tense. Like i do. :p
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Thanks :D

I was VERY bouncy... But it was fun bouncy :D

Snowysadude said:
Aww sounds like you had a great time :)
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I did! Am currently plotting how to get to you and The Snowy One now :p x

brucea said:
A lot to be said for some time riding bareback. Everyone should do it. Now take the bit and bridle away and do it with a single rope and halter!

I hack my cob out bareback in the woods all the time - at all paces too, and jump logs bareback. I've never found a more comfortable saddle for him than no saddle.:D He's taught me a huge amount about balance and fluidity.

I ride Cob in a rope halter, bareback and have been referred to as a "p*k*y" by a woman who thought I was well out of earshot! Mad bag!

Things to remember when riding bareback are - sit slightly further back than you think you should - where your bum would be if you had a saddle - many folks who try bareback sit too far forward and then it is easy to become unbalanced and tip - so slide back a bit and let your legs drape around the pony.

Other thing is to sit on the pockets of your jeans - don;t try to sit like a dressage queen. balance yourself on your jeans pockets and you'll be much more stable!
Click to expand...

Aaargh! Bonnie without a bridle?! :eek:

Hmm... Might try that! Thanks :)

diggerbez said:
sounds like a great day :) i used to love riding bareback, used to do it all the time...now i have idiot horses who would kill me if i tried to ride them without a saddle! :rolleyes:
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Bonnie did NOT look impressed when I had to take a running jump to try and vault on... :D
 
Finally, the pics!

Me on the big ginger one :)
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One of the little girls' poor poor abused pony! :D
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Little girl and her sister are doing a mini tack shop sale every other week or so now, next to the office... I couldnt help myself! Its PINK!

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Ooh is that a keyring snaffle? I've had one of those for YEARS it's so handy for keeping lots of keys separate! Sadly, mine is broken now - what does the tag on it say, I'd love to get another one and will help me locate it!

On another note, glad you're having fun and enjoying playing ponies :D
 
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