Well that was embarrassing!

Captain Bridget

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I'm currently in Australia, just outside Sydney, it's just coming out of summer here so still pretty hot.

I had my first riding lesson here today. Riding a lovely 15.2 fleabitten grey Arab gelding called Luke. It was going really well although I did have to stop for breaks quite often until suddenly I felt really unwell...

Thankfully I got off or I think I would have fainted off the horse! Ended up throwing up as it was so made a great impression there!

Moral of the story.. Take sugary/energy drink with me instead of just water! :(
 
Oh dear, I hope you feel better now?
Its easy to under estimate how much water you need to drink here. Its not just hot, its humid at the moment as well, which makes it 10x worse.
Is it possible to ride in the early morning or in the evening ?
Kx
 
Unfortunately it's not, they only do lessons at certain times of day.

I felt fine almost as soon as I'd thrown up! I took my hat off which let all the heat out I think so felt okay. I got back on to walk back to the stables and felt fine. (I had put my hat back on!)

I drank 700ml of water during the lesson, which I don't think helped much!
 
You're just trying to make us jealous 'cos we have snow and 700mL of water would turn to ice while we ride :cool:

Still, least you have a plan for next time to stop you throwing up mid-ride! It must be pretty awesome over there though.
 
I'm really sorry! I'm not actually trying to rub it in! (Any more!)

It's great over here but I'm missing the english countryside! Can't wait to get home, ride the ex race horse for a gallop up the fields and be glad it's not all sand getting in my face!

I can't wait til next time, I'm riding the same horse so don't have to worry about getting to know another horse.
 
Aw no ! Poor you. I had a similar experience when I moved to Dubai to be a riding instructor, my first lesson full of kids and it was 35'..... Ended up running out the arena to the nearest bin!!!! Unfortunately the parents thought i was hungover :( good first impressions and all that :p
 
I'm looking forward to it cooling down here soon. I can't cope any more! It's lovely when it's sunny but I just don't want to do anything!

I feel much better now thank you, plenty of water and some food. I felt so stupid at the time and kept apologising, the instructor must have been thinking 'typical english person'!
 
I had another bottle with lemon squash in it, stupidly took the water to the lesson instead! Reckon I'd have been okay if I had the squash! Next time..!

Wow, 42! That's crazy! I wouldn't be able to cope with that heat!!
 
When I used to work in Italy, when we had to school/ride in the heat I would wet my hair or inside my hat first, and my t shirt if need be too. Keeps your temp down a little bit.. Would be even more effective if you used a tea tree/lavender shampoo to cool you (like the cooling shampoos you get for horses!).
 
I've almost done this twice... in scotland! :eek:
I have a high metabolism and was constantly munching on food at the yard but once in an hours lesson I worked so hard I had to ask for a break as I thought I was going to pass out off a 16.2hh horse :eek: and last summer I schooled a pony for one of the liveries and got we got so hot we had to stop and I had to have a 5min lie down in the shade because I was feeling like I'd throw up and then went and put my head under the tap to cool down - we were only at it 20mins max! Livery lady sponged down the pony as I recovered but I think the pony came off better than I did on that occasion :rolleyes::D
 
I joke, much as the snow is a bit dull now after months, I can deal with that a lot better than heat. I don't do heat. I melt :cool:

Pretty cool experience though. Any nice pics to share?
 
Thanks for the suggestions on how to keep cool, I was tempted to stick my head under the hose when the horse was getting hosed off after the lesson! I don't have any horsey photos yet. All I can offer is this one of the beach at Bondi which is about 10 minutes in the car.

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Or maybe this one. It's a 20 minute drive from where I'm living into the city.
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