Adult new or returning riders part 2

[theferry]

I thought I’d start a new thread seeing as the existing one is full.

I’m due to ride tomorrow. Maybe I’ll jump. I’ll see.

@pinkpjamas1 are you having private lessons or groups as you would likely learn more on a 30 minute private than in an 1hr group , providing you have the right instructor of course .

Not private, but there's very few of us. I think the most has been about 5. I might ask about private ones.

Absolutely loving all these pictures photos! I'm living vicariously through you all owning your own!

@LunaNorth no advice to add other than I happen to know an instructor who specialises in new horse rider partnerships if you happen to be in south east uk!

I had a lovely hacking lesson today, beautiful crisp cold morning and Mr Hairy was KEEN to canter which is lovely for a 20 year old mini cart horse

Me too! About you with your horses. So lovely.

I'd absolutely love my own, however I live alone and have a high energy, demanding large dog who is petrified of horses. I work 30 hours a week and just can't see how I could make it work really. I'd have to go and see to/ride said horse and then walk dog separately And it'd be something of a very tiring nightmare!

I can't afford full livery but I'd not want it either, if I had a horse I'd want to be involved with caring for it more so than that.

Maybe one day but not practicable at the moment!

Timmy is officially a saint in equine form! We took him in the indoor arena to try out a couple of saddles and despite being in a new place, with different tack on and the wind being really scary, he didn’t put a hoof wrong. My daughter rode him (she’s a pro rider) just in case he found it all a bit too much but he was so willing and sensible. The saddles we tried weren’t quite right so will try a couple more options - the saddler is coming to the yard next month but I need something in the interim. My daughter is pretty good with saddle fitting so I trust her to find something that will work for now. All in all very happy with him 😊

Hello new and old posters, been some lovely pictures recently, always nice to see.

I gave been out of action for a few weeks having knackered my knee doing too hard yoga but restarted today with a special Sunday morning jumping session with the best coach, a group of nice adults and patisserie.

I took one of the big horses, couldn't get him to canter at first then stupidly got him trotting faster and faster so when the canter came it was like a rocket and I promptly fell off. Big ouch but luckily landed on my hip so not too bad and forgot to attach my airbag so it didn't cost anything! All in the first 10 minutes.

We then did several courses of jumps at a record for me of 60cm. Frankly I was trying to keep the speed down the whole time and get the monster round the corners so didn't have the space to worry about the jumps. Got to the very end of my courage just in time for lunch so didn't have to cry off the final round which I am now pathetically pleased about.

Not looking forward to the bruises tomorrow but we have wine for tonight!

@Pleasedontdothat is Timmy yours or your new loan? He looks and sounds lovely.

@Tupperwarelid I’m having a post-bereavement/mid-life crisis and I’ve decided life’s too short and I’m not getting any younger so I thought sod it, I’m buying a pony just for me! He’s a 7-year old, 15.1 cob and a very cheerful little dude. My daughter’s schooling him for me for the first few weeks as he’s quite green but he tries very hard and he listens well so I’m looking forward to getting on him soon. I’m enjoying spending time with him - he loves being groomed and generally gives off very calming vibes 😊

@Pleasedontdothat good for you and at least you have loads of support with your daughter able to sort out any issues . Hope you all have a lovely Christmas .

@Pleasedontdothat that’s lovely, I hope he continues to bring you happiness.

Timmy sounds wonderful, @Pleasedontdothat Enjoy getting to know him.

I’m about to introduce Curly to my regular weekly group lesson, as I’m lucky enough to keep him at the riding school/livery where I had been riding for years. He’s been a champ so far, with the exception of the in hand hack we did, that he didn’t quite understand, so hopefully he’ll take this in his stride too.

@Pleasedontdothat congratulations timmy looks fabulous such a handsome guy.
I have been getting braver with the jumps lately even managed a couple of lessons on the small cross country course and a few courses in the big arena rather than my comfort zone of the little grass one. The mare I loan 2 days a week is very strong when she realises we're jumping so lots of practicing of slowing down between jumps and listening instead of going as fast as possible.
For those of you just starting out 2 years ago when I returned to riding reguarly after no more than happy hacking for 7 years I was a sack of potatoes, could hardly sit in canter and couldn't get anyform of collection of nice flatwork but I feel like I have slowly but surely got there and if I can, anyone can!

My public service announcement for this week is be careful how you tie up your horses … I had a very traumatic morning this week. I’d just tied Timmy up with a hay net while I mucked him out, and turned round to see him with his head stuck under the lead rope. He pulled back, but the frayed baling twine I’d tied him to didn’t snap at first. He panicked and pulled back harder, going up and as he was at the top of the rear the twine snapped and the momentum caused him to somersault backwards and slam into a stable door. Thankfully he calmed down immediately he was free so I could grab his lead rope and check him over. He doesn’t seem to have suffered any ill effects but is being seen by the physio today. The lead rope wasn’t hugely long but it was a combination of a slightly lower tie ring than normal, strong baling twine even though it had been split and just enough play in the rope for him to get his head down.

Apart from that he’s doing well - my daughter’s been schooling him and he’s getting much more balanced. He’s very sensitive to aids so I need to do less to avoid over steering 😳. I’m still
riding the TB until the end of the month and having lessons at the riding school so it’s hard adapting to three very different horses. Yesterday I was doing walk to canter on the RS horse then going right back to basics on Timmy but there’s no rush!

Thank god he wasn’t injured , these things happen . Ive had some really stupid incidents over the years with ours , particularly my late thoroughbred who was the most accident prone horse in the world .

On another safety matter I hate the new swivel clips that are on all new lead ropes. I witnessed one break apart under pressure before the string snapped. What was left behind was a very sharp spiky bit of metal. I go out of my way to find the old fashioned spring clips.

Hello everyone, had my last ride of the year, we did games but my horse, which is normally quite mardy was incredibly aggressive, ears pinned right back all the time , trying to go for any horse nearby and then trying to ignore any directions. Very stressful.

Had anyone had any success stopping this sort of thing? She's much better in the summer and I'm not afraid of her as I was when I first started so I don't let her get her head down, or start digging or anything like that. Don't know if it's just seasonal!

Is that a riding school horse @NormalAuntFanny ? To be honest it sounds like that horse needs a thorough vet check - that kind of behaviour isn’t normal and it sounds like what should have been an enjoyable experience for you ended up being pretty stressful

Well @Pleasedontdothat she is a school horse but she is always a bit like that. There's three geldings she really hates and will always threaten and everyone accepts this as part of riding her, you just have to keep extra distance from the other horses.

The blanket aggression is new though, but she's as sweet as pie on her own and in her box - no sensitive areas even when tightening the girth etc.

She is also always worse in winter and when she's having her period so it might just be all those things at once.

TBH all the RS horses have their foibles so you have to get used to riding them especially when we're doing games or jumping when they tend to get a bit excited and become difficult in some way or other. A lesson isn't complete for me without some moments of pure terror, I'd just like to be able to manage this one better!

I was trying to get a festive selfie with Timmy but looking at himself on the phone screen is too fascinating to stay far enough back 😂

Love his whiskers @Pleasedontdothat .

That's slightly like the last thing the straw saw before being devoured.

Lovely whiskers!

Found the thread again!
Happy Christmas all of you.
I see that @Pleasedontdothat has got a horse!!! So happy to see that!
And yet @theferry you're not riding...I'm sorry. X
As a recap, I started riding again at age 58 last October but then had a hysterectomy this June.
Im doing half hour private lessons with the occasional 1 hour hack.
But the lessons are exhausting! Covered in sweat!!
But loving it too.
No serious injuries yet.
Yet....
Got a video of myself for first time ever.
OMG I look awful- leg not far back enough, urging forward into canter, wrong leg at times.
Will never video my fat ass again 😩

@gettingolderbutcooler are you going to put the video up so we can see ?

@Floralnomad
Can't seem to upload a video?

Riding