Horsing Around!

The big day arrived, the day I was going to put my bum back in the saddle after four long years. I was as excited as a kid on Christmas eve.
I got to the posh equestrian centre far to early and had to sit in the car for ten minutes until I was only a respectable ten minutes early. It gave me time to look around the yard from the comfort of my car and take in the surroundings.

I had chosen an equestrian centre in preference to a bog standard riding school as I really want to learn to ride as a skill as well as a hobby, I also want to ride proper responsive well schooled horses rather than the tired 'Duff donkey's' that you get at riding schools. It looked very promising, a very neat tidy well kept yard, a well fenced and marked outdoor school and I could also see an indoor school as well. What I could not see was any horses! There were a few chickens (all healthy and not sneezing) a cute black cat stalking the chickens and being told off by a large speckled hen and a few stable girls pushing wheelbarrows of steaming manure to a hidden heap somewhere.

Once in the office I had to fill in an impressive form with all my personal details, next of kin, doctors name etc. It was also pointed out that riding is a risk sport and I should consider personal insurance. I was becoming a little worried at this point, What WAS I going to be riding!

I was introduced to Amy my tutor and we went to get my mount.


My first thought was I saw Molly was "oh my God she's enormous!" She was however very pretty but I detected a little glint of mischief in her eye. We led her out and her first act was to balk at the sight of the overnight snow, it was a case of "I am NOT walking on That" and she stopped dead and dug her hooves in. A little encouragement got her into the indoor school where she then bit my arm as I adjusted her reins. It was a definite case of her trying it on as she sensed I was a little nervous. It was then decided I needed a step ladder to mount her (I am not joking!)but once ensconced in the saddle I suddenly felt at home!

We pootled around the school for a few minutes so I could get the feel for her, then tried some rising trot, then sitting trot and going from one to the other. She was a bit of a Madam to start with and tried to shortcut circuits or not respond to my commands. However as my confidence grew she pricked her ears and did my bidding. We were flying around the circuit doing 20 metre circles, 40 metre circle, figure of eights. Trotting over poles, trotting up to poles and making her halt with the pole between her front and back legs. All was going tremendously well until a workman banged a wheelbarrow on the wall of the corrugated iron wall of the school, Molly leapt six foot in the air and took of across the school at a fair rate of knots. I was startled but kept control, sat into the saddle and persuaded her stopping would be good at this point! Amy was dead impressed and complemented me on my control and that I had relaxed into the saddle rather than panicking and tensing up. Believe me I have had plenty of practice with bolting horses, I just had not expected it to happen on my first lesson.
Anyway, Molly seemed to gain confidence in me after that as I had reassured her straight away when we had stopped, and she was an absolute star it was truly as if horse and rider were completely in tune.

Amy was impressed with my position and line of body in the saddle and I learnt more about schooling in that half an hour than I ever knew. I have not had a proper riding lesson since I was about ten years old. It is like riding a bike a skill once learned never leaves you. The only thing being bikes usually have brakes!

My tutor, Amy was an excellent teacher the right amount of praise and encouragement, with the skill of pushing you just far enough to stretch you without making you think "I can't do this." I can't wait for next Friday when me and Molly meet again.

My new hobby has cost me dear as I had to go buy a new riding hat as My old one no longer meets British Standards, then I felt compelled to buy a riding jacket, where will it end? (probably with buying a horse again) No, Barry don't worry not really!