Piccies, second side saddle hack :) :)

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BringoutheBest

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Have now sat on my "new" side saddle 3 times! The first time consisted of wandering round the yard a few times, the second I was persuaded to go on a short hack with a friend (in the dark arggg!) and today I turned brave and went for a toodle down the drive on my own! It is also the ponies third ever time carrying a side saddle so very very proud of him!
It has taken us months and months to find a saddle that fits him so I'm glad he has so far taken well to it!
Ignore shoddy riding/position etc, I am a novice at this there is no denying!!!

And you may say surely going in the school would be more advisable seeing as pony and I are so inexperienced, but I don't have one and the fields are absolute mush so hacking it is! All mine is off road so at least I know we won't leap on top of any cars!
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I am so excited to improve and get more adventurous with all this, and of course to get kitted out with a habit etc ;)
 
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I am sure there will be many more pics to come :) :)

Yeah it does feel quite secure, I have done it once on a schoolmaster and that felt easy peasy. It is slightly more disconcerting on a pony who has never carried a side saddle but to be fair he has been very chilled about it! I felt a lot better today than I did the first day! And spud felt really chilled today, if anything more than astride:)
3 rides done and I am still not dead, very satisfied!!

xx
 
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We haven't bought it yet, it is on a months trial but hopefully we will be buying it :) I had been wanting to hire but the only person remotely near us that hires them out never got anything in small enough unfortunately.

Hacking very fun with it, I live near this huge old estate with ornaments in the gardens etc so as soon as I am braver I want to go hacking round there all dressed up to get photos beside the garden temples and things hehe!!!
 
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Your pony is lovely, very unusual. I have never seen white hooves with black legs before!

RE the side saddle - What are you aiming for.. showing? Theres an old lady round here who's near on 70 who hunts side saddle!!
 
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Mr V The Red Nosed Hooligan said:
Your pony is lovely, very unusual. I have never seen white hooves with black legs before!

R
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Now you mention it - neither have I! :O To be honest I had never even noticed how unusual that is until now! He is even odder under the excercise sheet, he has a white splodge about a foot long on his back, but clearly defined, not like your usual appaloosa blanket marking. I have no idea what his breeding is to get the small height, the stockiness and that colouring!

I don't think showing would be for me (would never be good enough!) It is my little secret dream to hunt side saddle so we shall see how we go....
Spud is absolutely push button to hunt which helps I guess - I will most definitely be waiting for hunt rides and cubbing early next season though to start off slowly!!
 
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Hi,

That looks wonderful... May I enquire as to how did you locate a side saddle schoolmaster? Did you have many lessons before trying it yourself?

Would love to have a go, have a fused ankle and keep thinking that side saddle would be the way forward - rather than drugging up to ride lopsided !!!!

Disclaimer: :) Prescription drugs only :)
 
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Muddy Pony said:
Hi,

That looks wonderful... May I enquire as to how did you locate a side saddle schoolmaster? Did you have many lessons before trying it yourself?

Would love to have a go, have a fused ankle and keep thinking that side saddle would be the way forward - rather than drugging up to ride lopsided !!!!

Disclaimer: :) Prescription drugs only :)
Click to expand...

A riding school near me does lessons - I only had one (oops!) That was in Northamptonshire and I think there are various places around and about that do it :)
Sounds a really good idea actually for a bad ankle!

And thank you very much everyone - eek so excited!
 
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What does it feel like to canter side saddle? Although thought it looks lovely but must feel bizarre, come to think about it what is trotting like????
 
sidesaddlegirl

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YAY!!! Good for you hacking out on your side saddle!!! :) Too bad you aren't closer as we could both hack out aside together as I'm the only round here that hacks out in one and I often feel like billy-no-mates :p

Don't worry about only having your field to practise side saddle in. Before I moved to my present yard in October, I only had my field (often muddy) to practise side saddle in and then we'd hack to shows and beat everyone else so it's not all bad! It trains your seat and your balance better anyways and I found jumping "clicked" this summer when practising jumping in my old bumpy field as it trained my hips to follow Hattie more when cantering over all the uneven ground.

Can't wait to see more pics!
 
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sidesaddlegirl, it is a shame! I have never seen anyone around here hacking out side saddle either! mmmm really really want a habit like yours, I can't wait to really look the part! :p
yep I am not too fussed about not having a school, admittedly I mostly just hunt my pony so we're only really good at straight lines and jumping things anyway ;) But I am used to keeping him fit and going okayish without a school :) I have taught him shoulder-in and leg yielding out on tracks and can often find corners of fields to practice the odd circle etc in! We have incredible hacking as well which helps!
once again..eeeekkkk :) :)
 
Carefreegirl

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I'm very jealous of you ! I did a bit with my old horse Inc a Boxing Day meet, one of my life ambitions. I have astride lessons with a side saddle instructor / rider but she's not suggested trying mine in one. Tbh I think the weight of me and the saddle would be to much. Is yours an appy ? On phone so pic not great ?
 
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carefreegirl said:
I'm very jealous of you ! I did a bit with my old horse Inc a Boxing Day meet, one of my life ambitions. I have astride lessons with a side saddle instructor / rider but she's not suggested trying mine in one. Tbh I think the weight of me and the saddle would be to much. Is yours an appy ? On phone so pic not great ?
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Yes he is an appaloosa or however you spell it!
oo I would love to be able to go to a boxing day meet side saddle one day! Got to master galloping and jumping first :eek:

Deefa, brilliant idea! Could have a whole group of us being "ladies" ;)
 
Carefreegirl

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Lol, that's why I put appy as I can never spell it ! Mine was an appy as well tho grey, not a single spot ! Luckily when we went out on Boxing day it was very frosty so just went for a 'hack' from the meet back to the kennels. Looked at the pics earlier - 2004, the last Boxing day before the ban came in. Glad your having fun, you look great.
 
Rosie Round The Hills

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You look great, your saddle looks like a Robert Jenkins. Is it one?

One of the good things about hacking out s/s is that you can wear your apron as an extra warm woollen layer to keep your legs cosy when others are shivering away.

BringoutheBest said:
It is my little secret dream to hunt side saddle so we shall see how we go....
Spud is absolutely push button to hunt which helps I guess
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Mine too, but sadly Rosie is not push button, she's full-on almost no brakes, so I've almost accepted that I may never hunt her aside. But One Day... I will achieve my dream!!

Muddy Pony said:
Hi,

May I enquire as to how did you locate a side saddle schoolmaster?
Click to expand...

I had my introductory lesson with a lady down in the New Forest that has S/S School masters. I can't remember her name, but if you contact the Side Saddle Association, they should be able to help.

Field04 said:
What does it feel like to canter side saddle? Although thought it looks lovely but must feel bizarre, come to think about it what is trotting like????
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Canter is lurvely - smooth, comfortable, safe, secure - just great :)

Trot is hard work if your horse is bouncy. The best side saddle horse has a smooth flowing trot. As they used to say 'A lady never trots, she either walks or canters'. Of course, this was before tarmacced roads everywhere, and when 'ladies' had their own estates to canter around!
 
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falaise

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Aw wow, he looks brilliant!!

I am going for my first side saddle lesson beginning of Jan - I'm VERY excited! Going for a few on a school master and then *hopefully* my ISH will have a go (if I can convince him he wants to!). How easily did your pony take to it? My boy is VERY laid back so I don't think he'll worry too much, I'd like to show one day :) ***far away dreams***

:) Looks great anyway, keep putting updates on!
 
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