ive just booked my first lesson - what do i need!?!

[ThatVikRinA22]

im very excited!
first ever proper riding lesson booked! 1 to 1 tuition so i wont make an arse of myself.....

i do not own wellies, or joggers, and am thinking i may as well buy a couple of things to start me off.

there is an equestrian store close by that sells jodpurs for around £20 and proper boots for about £20.

the stables will loan me a hat for now.

any one have any tips?

Well since you aren't 6 years old you are probably pretty sure you will be going for a while, so why not get yourself some jods and boots? You can get the pull on legging style jods for about £20 and you can either get short boots and half chaps which are v comfy or rubber riding boots which are practical and good for winter.
Top half go with a sports bra (ordinary ones tend to come off the shoulders in trot) a tee shirt and a zip up hoody you can whip off after 5 minutes once you are sweating like a pig. It's harder work than it looks is horse riding!

I'm currently wearing a pair of these which are bargainacious at £9, and are lasting really well.
I'd pick up a pair of cheap stretchy riding gloves in the riding shop - the woolly sort with a sticky grip pattern - your hands can get sore on the reins otherwise.

bugger! they are out of stock in my size. but i will keep looking! thank you for the tips - i am so looking forward to it!

They also do these which are fab for the price - I have beige ones for best which have been much admired

thanks CM....they look good and have my size!

Just hijacking! Best of luck with your lesson Vicar, I've recently got back into riding after 15 years away from the saddle so am looking for some jods - CMOTDibbler are those sizes generous before I order and have to return?!

I think they are pretty accurate - I wear a 14 in everything else too

good to know - im a 14....do you think the beige is the best colour to go for?

and
which boots - i only really want 1 pair for everything - would i be better going for long boots or jod boots? i always think long boots look so much smarter....

(i am so looking forward to it! )

I tend to go for black for regular riding as beige stains so easily from horsey loves.

IMO chaps and jod boots are best unless you are going to compete and spend mucho wonga on them. I have dublin jod boots and a pair of Muck boots riding boots for wet and cold weather

Definitely short boots and chaps when you start riding, they give more feel, and it's too easy to have 'flappy' legs in long boots. Hope you love it, come and tell us about it, won't you!

Jod boots and chaps, IMO.

Zip-up hoody so you can take it off if when you get hot.

Heavy-duty sports bra if you are large of nork especially - I use the Bertex Shock Absorber 4.

Lots of Radox so you can ease those aching thigh and arse muscles

Apples or Polo mints to treat your horse, as you will fall in love immediately (though check with the instructor first, of course)

(As an aside, the DCs were chatting one day about relationships, and one of them said 'Mummy doesn't have a boyfriend, she's married to Daddy, you don't have a boyfriend if you're married.' To which DH replied 'Oh yes she does, his name's Henry, and she's much nicer to him than me.' Henry, of course, being the beeyootiful Irish Draught horse I borrow to ride)

jod boots and half chaps would be my advice too. And most definitely not beige jods. A dark colour is far more practical. Nobody I know wears beige other than to compete in. PLUS my arse and its VPL looks extra big in beige ones.

I forgot the other thing you need. Big pants. This is very important.

thank you all - this is really useful! im making a list....

Hi, I wouldn't buy too many things until you know you want to carry on with your lessons. I think the main things to buy would be boots with a heel to stop your feet going through the stirrups. I don't know what your budget is but if you go on a site such as Equestrian Clearance you can get bargains. If you get short boots you'll need half chaps. Other than that there's not too much you need to buy as your riding school will provide a hat (although you may want to get your own as they're sometimes not very clean!!).

Hope you enjoy your lesson!!

God yes, big knickers. Please for the sake of your future sex life do not attempt to ride in a thong. I did it once and spent an hour in a hot bath with my knickers on tryin to soak them off the rubbed and bleeding nightmare that was my arse crack.

owwww!

i will be wearing my big running knickers and my sports bra! thank you for the tips - i will get chaps and boots, perhaps a cheapo hat, some gloves, and that will be it.

thanks

You had that first lesson yet, Vicar? How'd it go?

not yet - had to cancel (bloody work made me work my day off!) it but rebooked, i have a lesson booked for next tuesday.

actually, while im here, how do you chose a school? i have the choice of 2, phoned both up and booked a lesson with both, but one is a lot nearer than the other and that will probably swing it....

also the nearer school does group adult lessons which are much much cheaper - ive explained that i may need to "mix and match" depending on whether or not my work pattern fits with group lessons but means that some weeks could be much cheaper than others.....also means i could get hour long lessons rather than pay for 30 mins.....group lessons are only £8 for 30 mins or £16 per hour.

but - the nearest school did not ask me any questions about ability or age, height or weight.
i guess they will ask me that when i get there?
would that put you off?
the school further away told me which horse id be on, asked height, weight, etc etc....but didnt do group lessons and that means i would be paying £20 per week for a 30 min ride....

im confused now.

I do groups rather than one-to-one lessons mostly, because I ride for fun and it's often more fun in a group (though the poor teenage lad who was riding with a group of cackling witches on Sunday might not think so ). I don't know who I'm riding till I get there, as the yard owner allocates horses based on how much work each animal has done over the last few days, though I do know it'll be one of 4 horses as I'm a lanky git who cannot ride the little hosses. He also tries to change you over the weeks as riding different horses can be good for you.

I would probably have expected the yard to ask you for ability and height/weight so they could allocate your nag in advance but perhaps they have a couple of plodders that they start everyone on till they see what your ability is like. I would also expect you to have to fill in some sort of rider registration like this when you get there.

cheers for that.
i would prefer the group simply as its so much cheaper and i would get more time.

i have not told them that i used to ride as a child but have not so much as sat on a horse for over 30 years. i would really need to start again as i did not have lessons back then - i just used to get on and go. im sure my posture and balance will all need work.

I prefer a private lesson for actually developing, and a group for just enjoying riding.

Go to both schools and see how you feel - many places aren't that organised on the phone, but fine when you are there

i wonder how many one to one lessons i' ll need.....its quite expensive. im off to get kitted out tomorrow - god im sooooo excited!

DH has said if i love it i can have a hoss! long way in the future i suspect.....but nice to know he has no objections!

vicar how are the feet ?

my feet - no better. stopped the treatment - foot healed but still not got rid of the original problems.....

podiatrist phoned to tell me about the wonders of needling....ill give it a miss for now.

i put my back out because i wasnt weight bearing on one part of my foot. i can at least now walk again.