DreamingIsBelieving
Well-Known Member
I had my first gallop today!! It was amazing!
I was having my weekly group riding lesson and we were going on a hack. I was riding a lovely little forward-going but reliable pony called Freddie. We were trotting and the horses in front started cantering, so I assumed we were supposed to be. I let Freddie go into canter and took two point position as I usually do on hacks as the ground can be pretty uneven in places.
The cantering got fiercer and faster and, thinking that the instuctor (our usual instructor wasn't here this week) had just decided to rev things up a bit more than usual, I went with it
.
We all got a bit spaced out, but that didn't matter as the track was straight and wide. That's when I saw Misty, another of the ponies, speed past me, getting a bit more excited than she should have, with her rider clinging no for dear life
. Freddie got a bit excited about this and sped up some more. That's when I felt his legs tuck up underneath me and his gait turn so smooth, swallowing up the ground with each stride.
I shortened my reins a little for good measure (
) and let my arms go a little more forward. I had lots of space in front of us and the horses in front so I let him! It was amazing! I felt totally in control and Freddie loved it! I slowed back down to a canter when I started to realise that things had probably got a bit out of control and we might not be supposed to be galloping, as everyone else didn't look quite as thrilled as we did...
I'm definately getting a soft spot for this pony. He's a speedy little thing but he listens to his rider like a dog listens to it's trainer. I have no doubt that I could of pulled him up sooner if I'd wanted to, he only galloped because I let him. He didn't get silly at all even when the others did. After the lesson I had just finished putting his rug on in the stable and he shoved his nose into my chest and stood like that for a while. Honestly I'd buy him if I could (and if he was bigger!). At 6 years old he's worth his weight in gold.
I was having my weekly group riding lesson and we were going on a hack. I was riding a lovely little forward-going but reliable pony called Freddie. We were trotting and the horses in front started cantering, so I assumed we were supposed to be. I let Freddie go into canter and took two point position as I usually do on hacks as the ground can be pretty uneven in places.
The cantering got fiercer and faster and, thinking that the instuctor (our usual instructor wasn't here this week) had just decided to rev things up a bit more than usual, I went with it
. We all got a bit spaced out, but that didn't matter as the track was straight and wide. That's when I saw Misty, another of the ponies, speed past me, getting a bit more excited than she should have, with her rider clinging no for dear life
. Freddie got a bit excited about this and sped up some more. That's when I felt his legs tuck up underneath me and his gait turn so smooth, swallowing up the ground with each stride. I shortened my reins a little for good measure (
) and let my arms go a little more forward. I had lots of space in front of us and the horses in front so I let him! It was amazing! I felt totally in control and Freddie loved it! I slowed back down to a canter when I started to realise that things had probably got a bit out of control and we might not be supposed to be galloping, as everyone else didn't look quite as thrilled as we did...I'm definately getting a soft spot for this pony. He's a speedy little thing but he listens to his rider like a dog listens to it's trainer. I have no doubt that I could of pulled him up sooner if I'd wanted to, he only galloped because I let him. He didn't get silly at all even when the others did. After the lesson I had just finished putting his rug on in the stable and he shoved his nose into my chest and stood like that for a while. Honestly I'd buy him if I could (and if he was bigger!). At 6 years old he's worth his weight in gold.
the funniest part was when we stopped and there was a tiny cob huffing and puffing and looking like he was about to expire who had somehow managed to hold on despite his little stumpy legs.
