Adult new or returning riders up for a chat?

[Hereforthedramaz]

I have recently returned to riding after a very long gap.

I was a very casual rider as an early teen, happy hacking on plodding ponies rather than technical riding. I am thoroughly enjoying having proper lessons now.

I thought it might be nice to chat with other newbies or returners, all non-horsey people in my life and there is only so much they want to talk about it!!!

Also the stables I'm going to is so lovely and welcoming but, in their own words, aimed almost entirely at 8-12 year olds so it would be nice to talk to some adults!

I fell off last night during a group lesson. We were in a lovely forward going trot and the poor horse tripped and almost went to his knees, I lost my balance and almost saved it, but then he panicked and off I came. I hit my head quite hard and it hurt a lot even with my hat.
I had to leave my car at the yard as they wouldn't let me drive and have only just got it back. I think I am ok, but my head hurts when I touch where the impact was and my neck is sore. I haven't fallen off since about 1993 - what a shock!

Oh you poor love. It’s a shock when you come off isn’t it and I’ve found a few of the horses stumble and when their shoulder goes down it does off balance you. I’ve been off twice. Did you get back on in the lesson?

@Artygirlghost all the horses seem big to me and I am most unelegant getting in and off! Getting off I just can’t manage to swing my leg over their back so always bump their rump and then slide down. I’ve learned to bounce off away from the stirrup! I watch the young ones and they make it look so easy!

@Artygirlghost
I stopped comparing myself to others because let's face it I will never be as good as someone who started riding at a kid and who has the stamina and body of a young person.

I am grateful every lesson when I don't fall off

your message above is def me. My aspirations are realistic. I’d like not to be just a passenger and to be able to walk trot and canter competently on a hack. I have no interest in jumping or competing. I’m just in it for the pleasure. But how it’s hard to get to that point!!

@hennipenni brilliant so pleased you had a great lesson.

@DrHildegardeLanstrom oh, you poor thing. That sounds painful. Have you had it checked out?

@Gremlinsateit finally decided to get looked at today as my neck is still so very sore. Just sitting in urgent treatment centre waiting now.

@DrHildegardeLanstrom Oh no, so sorry to hear this! Was it the horse Larry by any chance? He has a tendency to stumble and go to his knees at times. Happened to my daughter as well a few times when she was riding him

That he stumbled*

Hi @XelaM no it was Bruno. We reckon that most other horses would have stopped after the stumble and allowed me to regain my seat. He just completely panicked - he can be spooky.

@DrHildegardeLanstrom
Really sorry to hear you are still suffering.

I hope you don't have too long a wait at the hospital!

That was a long day! I have whiplash so have got naproxen and codrydamol as no other painkillers were touching it. Hope they work!

Oh no! That's awful! Poor you. My daughter has ridden Bruno once before I believe. Haven't been up for awhile though.

@DrHildegardeLanstrom
Oh, I'm so sorry. I do hope that you're on the mend soon. Sounds so painful.

Thank you! I feel completely pathetic ending up quite injured after a relatively simple fall. I must be old...

And I'm SO annoyed that I will need a new hat 😫

I hope you feel better soon @DrHildegardeLanstrom . I’ve got to get a new hat before my lesson on Friday too which is gutting as the hat I was wearing at the time of my accident was only a few weeks old ..

@cakeforme

''your message above is def me. My aspirations are realistic. I’d like not to be just a passenger and to be able to walk trot and canter competently on a hack. I have no interest in jumping or competing. I’m just in it for the pleasure. But how it’s hard to get to that point!!''

I know!

I think so many instructors are not really used to adult beginners so they just treat us the way they would kids who are likely to want to do competitions, jump and so on.

It is a hobby for me and it has to be pleasurable. I always try my best but I also want to enjoy the experience.

I did trot over poles though which I thought was fun, but I wonder if I will ever try jumping! maybe once just to experience it.

@Artygirlghost so pleased I am not the only one! I really like pole work. Makes it interesting and the direction and pace control (or lack) is a good marker of where I’m at.

@Artygirlghost I have done a little bit of jumping and hope to do some more once I’m back up and running. I always used to say I was never going to leave the ground but my instructor pointed out that sometimes you might come across a small log out hacking and it would be good to have the skill set to be able to go over it without having to find another route.

The first time I tried jumping a x pole I fell off 😳but after that I found it really helpful in developing skills of control (speed, direction, staying straight after the jump etc) and was a very useful barometer of how much I’d improved each time as we only did it every few weeks.

The sense of achievement I felt after the first time I managed to pick up canter when I wanted to, not cut the corner, not let the pony take over as soon as he realised we were jumping, making sure my leg stayed still, coming back quickly after the jump and riding away in a straight line after it was amazing.

I have done a few tiny cross poles, horse barely had to pick his feet up to get over them and it was ok but not my favourite thing. I do love pole work though, especially when they are set out at different stride lengths so you get to practice a bit of collection and extension.

@DrHildegardeLanstrom I’m glad you got it checked out - you only get one neck!

I managed to get DHorse to rein back today so I am feeling quite chuffed.

We have been doing some trot poles, which he quite enjoys, for the last few weeks. Would people suggest getting really secure in canter before starting to trot over a pole with one end raised etc, or would it be ok to work on both things at once?

First lesson back and I didn’t fall off 😉

I had a lovely, encouraging instructor who nevertheless pushed me to be better. The horse I was on was a chunky cob who I’d seen plodding around in the RDA session I was helping with earlier, but she turned out to be absolutely lovely and not at all ploddy! She was beautifully responsive but very safe so I just had to do a little squeeze to get her going and pretty much just think halt and trot. My right hand was being a bit wayward so I got given cups with beanbags balanced on top of them which I had to hold with the reins and keep them in place while trotting in and out of cones. We got there in the end 😂

I thoroughly enjoyed myself and didn’t feel at all nervous so mission accomplished and I’m looking forward to the next lesson 😊

Oh well done @Pleasedontdothat , so happy to see that you are already back on board :)

That sounds like a great lesson @Pleasedontdothat

I had my first lesson in a few weeks, with a different instructor who picked something for us to really focus on for the full hour, transitions. I really enjoyed it.

She also had a more positive and less shouty teaching style which I really liked. (It turns out I do respond best to a good amount of positive reinforcement!)

I was on the stable lazy old boy and he was "reluctant" to do much but I really felt I'd made progress with him.