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?

[PenisColada]

Glad you are walking. Enjoy the riding. I am jealous I would love to ride again.

[ThatVikRinA22]

i am irrationally excited....im off to get kitted out tomorrow at the equestrian store.

and dh has said i can have one of my own....that would be a child hood dream come true! and worth carrying on working for!

lots to learn first obviously....but i will keep this in mind! ive been on the horse rescue sites, so many hosses in need of a loving owner.....

[Poledra]

Exciting! DH has never said I can have a hoss though he was the one who encouraged me to go back to riding after I had the children. If you don't mind me asking, Vicar, what general area are you in (just wondering if I'll see you about) ? I'm East of England.

[ThatVikRinA22]

i used to be east - now ooop north. (yorkshire)

[ThatVikRinA22]

tada! all kitted out. i have jods, boots, gloves and a hat. i really wanted a proper velvet riding hat but my head is the wrong shape so i ended up having to get a skull cap which isnt nearly as glam.... apparently my head is round and velvet hats are for oval heads.

anyway! i am really ready now. just got to get through the next week! Lady at stroe asked me if i was nervous.....im not - just very excited and cannot wait! a little apprehensive about getting on in the first place...hope they have a mounting block!

[SrirachaGhoul]

Let us know how it goes, Vicar. I've been thinking about getting back in the saddle now that kids are in school; I'm scared!

[ThatVikRinA22]

will do! im wishing i could go sooner now im all sorted!

[Pixel]

You can always buy a velvet cover for your skull cap if you want.

[ThatVikRinA22]

i bought a cheap silky cover for it -in navy - matches my jods!

[Alameda]

oooh want some new things too, what boots did you get?

have never heard that about velvet hats! But skull caps are great and very customisable, you can change the silk whenever you like

[ThatVikRinA22]

i have a unnaturally small head - a 54, so can get away with kids hats, but i tried quite a few on. the skull cap fitted better as it was deeper....she said i have a round head....anyway - she seemed to know what she was doing so i let her get on with it.

the boots....i just got some jod boots but they were reduced from £39.99 to £20. someone on here said jod boots would allow me to feel what im doing better to start with. the brand is Orich?? not spent a fortune on any of it - the hat was only £46 plus £6 for the cover....i could have spent way more! when i get long boots im going to get a decent pair.

[ThatVikRinA22]

oh just realised i didnt get chaps or half chaps.....but i can go and get them later cant i to wear with the boots....

[Alameda]

Or even some long socks (there are sort of hurty bits of tack pressing on your calf when you curl it round, I find anyway) I think you can even get socks that double up as half chaps!

[Pixel]

Sounds very smart! I must make more effort to be colour-co-ordinated .

Am just about to choose a new hat for my birthday (mine looks ok and I haven't fallen on it but suppose it ought to be replaced as five years old ). I'm going for Harry Hall as I know they fit the shape of my head and what size to get which means I can order online (nearest saddler is rip off merchant a bit pricey). After changing my mind several times I thought I'd made a decision on which colour to get, only to find they've introduced about 3 new colours! arrgh!

[Alameda]

oh stop it, I want some new stuff too now

have got bumble bees on my hat (Barnaby - Barney Bee) was a present, they are quite discreet

otherwise I just wear whatever, we seem to have accumulated a lot. Have noticed that horse WILL stage severe lameness if am riding in something ridiculous like a very short stretchy dress and I will have to walk all the way home feeling and looking even more daft than usual - only for him to trot up sound as soon as we get back. Grrrrrr.

[ThatVikRinA22]

cheers for that alameda - i will bear that in mind, ill probably need some half chaps or socks....

my hat is Charles Owen....the array of colours is great now isnt it! i was colour coordinated by accident....the only pair of cheap jods was navy, the only cheap hat cover was also navy....and ive got a blue zip up fleece which ill wear.

i tried it all on when i got home looked rather smart! im glad i got my own hat now as if the stables had lent me one its doubtful it would have fit, at least ill be safe. (and colour coordinated!)

[Alameda]

and you won't get nits from their hats!

[ThatVikRinA22]

always a bonus! my hair is bleached to within an inch of its life so i doubt theyd survive.....saying that, if i do get a hoss, the hair will be the first casualty! i get £100 a month to spend on me.....i have a feeling that it wont go very far!

[ThatVikRinA22]

had a lesson tonight.

the school i had booked with was shockingly bad - they asked me to let them know if i couldnt make but they couldnt extend me the same courtesy! i turned up to be told that no one was available to take my lesson - i asked why they hadnt let me know and got a piss poor excuse - the bloke said he had been trying to phone - he hadnt and i said so - i have had no missed calls or anything - then he changed his story and said he couldnt get into the house to phone me....quite pissed off with their lack of professionalism - i wasted petrol and time to get there.

so i rang another place and they got me in tonight (i was all dressed up with no horse to ride) and i loved it!!!

to say ive not sat on a hoss for 30 years i did ok i think! part of the learning curve was keeping my little hoss going but i got to a trot and loved it. bit nervous about getting to a canter - id forgotten how bouncy it all is!

legs will ache tomorrow i think! but i love love loved it! booked again for next week.

[ThatVikRinA22]

i did wonder whether or not i should have been lunged until my technique is better?

or is it better to learn to control the horse and learn technique at the same time?

i had a lovely lovely placid old boy who knew the ropes better than me but i was trying to concentrate on technique at the same time as trying to keep him going....

id appreciate thoughts on the best way to learn?
or is it just practice practice practice?
my balance isnt great (tired to stand while riding to find my balance but kept toppling over! found it easier in a trot strangely) but my instructor said id done really well to say ive not ridden for so long, i do need to relax more in the saddle.

i really enjoyed it so much though and im hooked.

[Alameda]

I don't know the answers but am so glad you liked it! :) that's so terrible about the first place though, really shocking

[ThatVikRinA22]

the one i ended up going to is further away (double the distance in fact and takes 20 mins to get there) but i dont really feel like giving my business to the other place after the way they let me get ready, get there and then decide to tell me it was off. pissed off was not the word

i wouldnt mind if they had phoned at any point to apologise but they havent.

liked it - i loved it. absolutely loved it. the smell and everything - omg im hooked.

[NotGoodNotBad]

I hope you have reconciled yourself to the idea of waving bye-bye to a huge wodge of cash every month!

[ThatVikRinA22]

oh yes....i waved bye to some of it tonight! the stables do loans....

[ThatVikRinA22]

loans of ponies i mean not cash! ha! that would be good! this is a steady descent into having no money left...