Just booked my first riding lesson for about 15 years!!

[Freddiebump]

I had regular lessons from the age of 6 until 16 when I started competing a friends horse. I then had my own horses (a collection of loopy ex-racers) until I got pregnant 7 years ago. I let a friend ride her while I was pregnant, and she ended up keeping her as I split with ds's dad and couldn't afford a horse anymore :( I can count on one hand the amount of times I've ridden since then!

Anyway, I've missed it like mad and I'm getting towards a point where I may soon be able to afford a horse agin (plus the yard over the road from me has recently expanded and is doing stabling and grazing, including all hay and straw for £24 a week - that's cheap isn't it? I'm a bit out the loop!) so I've just booked my first hour long private lesson tomorrow!

Tell me it's not going to hurt too much please! Lol I'm so excited :)

Fantastic! I started riding again after a 30 year gap and now have my own horse. You'll ache a bit, but that will soon pass. You'll be amazed at how it all comes back.

Let us know how you get on

I'm going to feel like I've run a marathon aren't I? I'm considerably older, fatter, heavier and a lot more unfit than I used to be! I'm just craving having a horse again, but think it would be sensible to have a few lessons before I even think about buying one! I used to do BE and have competed at advanced dressage level in the past so I'm hoping it all comes flooding back once I'm in the saddle. Although what is worrying me the most is actually gettingon the horse in the first place!!!

You are brave booking an hour though! Best make sure you've got plenty of hot water for a soak afterwards. Welcome back to horseland. What sort of horse wil you be looking for do you think?

Good luck and congrats !

The riding school near me only does it by the hour else I'd have gone for half an hour!

I really don't know what I'd be after; I've always had TB types in the past but not sure whether that would suit me now. I'm not really interested in jumping again as I had a nasty accident several years ago and lost my nerve a bit, but I would love to get back into dressage again, so would like something that's not a complete plod!

Ooh, let us know how it goes, Freddie - am really excited for you, hope it goes well... I think you'll be happily surprised by how much it's still in your system and all comes back intuitively. Please let us know, though,