Michelle73
Well-Known Member
So yesterday this "Happy Hacker" who rides a fat hairy carriage horse extremely well headed for a try out at a large racing stables. How hard can it be, I was a racehorse groom 10 years ago it can't be that difficult can it?!
So I arrived at the yard, got given a horse already tacked up so no time to meet him, got told its name three times but couldn't understand what the head lad was saying! Rode out to the gallops on a 17.2hh thoroughbred feeling apprehensive as I've never gone on the gallops before! I asked if there was anything I needed to know about riding racehorses? Whats the difference as I normally do dressage/showing type stuff. Was told to shorten my stirrups a bit more and enjoy! OK that doesn't sound difficult. Except I have a fear of bolting and jumping so what the hell am I doing sat on a racehorse???!!!
We got to the gallops and off we went and what an amazing buzz. I did struggle to hold the horse back and I got to the top of the gallop and thought ok thats fine but can I do it again. Off we went again up the gallops this time I struggled a bit more to hold the horse back but I managed. By now my thighs were feeling the strain and I realised this is not for me because there's no way on this planet I would be able to ride three horses up the gallops three times in one day!!!
But we went up a third time and this time I was told to come along side the horse I was behind and stay beside him. Ooops, we kind of went whoooosh straight passed him. But I felt so confident and it was such a buzz. On the way home, horsey relaxed and I found myself thinking, that wasn't so bad I could do this but maybe start off with one ride per day instead of three.
As we got closer and closer to the yard I could feel the horse starting to fizz up and I thought - don't take any notice and he'll calm down again. But I could feel something brewing and yes I did start to feel apprehensive and I said to the bloke looking after me - he feels like he wants to go up the gallops again!! With that the 17.2hh horse reared up. I put my hand in the neck strap and everyone shouted for me to give the horse his head and push him on in front which I did. But we were leaving the group behind and I was ending up on my own so I thought that circling him back to the group would calm things down but I was told to point him forward and keep him going forwards to which the horse reared up again and I thought he was going to come over backwards this time. By now all I'm thinking is f**k this I want to get off but I couldn't could I as there were about 30 other riders out!!! I couldn't lose face. So I ploughed on, I managed to get the horse calm again but I was alone there were no horses around me but there were people who could see me. I'd reached the last leg home and the horse started again and I really wanted to get off but I persevered. I got off in the yard and could barely walk!!! But I was still buzzing from it all. I knew that at this time I wasn't capable of riding racehorses but was proud of msyelf for giving it a go.
I did feel a bit tearful last night at the thought that I will never ever get to go on the gallops again. But if you're a capable rider get yourself out there it was truely amazing!
So I arrived at the yard, got given a horse already tacked up so no time to meet him, got told its name three times but couldn't understand what the head lad was saying! Rode out to the gallops on a 17.2hh thoroughbred feeling apprehensive as I've never gone on the gallops before! I asked if there was anything I needed to know about riding racehorses? Whats the difference as I normally do dressage/showing type stuff. Was told to shorten my stirrups a bit more and enjoy! OK that doesn't sound difficult. Except I have a fear of bolting and jumping so what the hell am I doing sat on a racehorse???!!!
We got to the gallops and off we went and what an amazing buzz. I did struggle to hold the horse back and I got to the top of the gallop and thought ok thats fine but can I do it again. Off we went again up the gallops this time I struggled a bit more to hold the horse back but I managed. By now my thighs were feeling the strain and I realised this is not for me because there's no way on this planet I would be able to ride three horses up the gallops three times in one day!!!
As we got closer and closer to the yard I could feel the horse starting to fizz up and I thought - don't take any notice and he'll calm down again. But I could feel something brewing and yes I did start to feel apprehensive and I said to the bloke looking after me - he feels like he wants to go up the gallops again!! With that the 17.2hh horse reared up. I put my hand in the neck strap and everyone shouted for me to give the horse his head and push him on in front which I did. But we were leaving the group behind and I was ending up on my own so I thought that circling him back to the group would calm things down but I was told to point him forward and keep him going forwards to which the horse reared up again and I thought he was going to come over backwards this time. By now all I'm thinking is f**k this I want to get off but I couldn't could I as there were about 30 other riders out!!! I couldn't lose face. So I ploughed on, I managed to get the horse calm again but I was alone there were no horses around me but there were people who could see me. I'd reached the last leg home and the horse started again and I really wanted to get off but I persevered. I got off in the yard and could barely walk!!! But I was still buzzing from it all. I knew that at this time I wasn't capable of riding racehorses but was proud of msyelf for giving it a go.
I did feel a bit tearful last night at the thought that I will never ever get to go on the gallops again. But if you're a capable rider get yourself out there it was truely amazing!
