My first horseback riding lesson plus random pictures

[Fran101]

I saw flicka on HBO, and it gave me the push I needed to finally sign up for some horseback riding lessons.
Ive been a counselor at horsey summer camps before, so I've rode a little on trails.. but never on my own. all those horses just kind of followed eachother lol

Well my lesson went well i think. the instructor was kind of.. not mean, but bossy lol It was a very hot miami day and I had a cute outfit put together, so me, being the dummy that I am, even tho I was warned in chat, decided to wear shorts. Never again.. lol

I tacked up the horse, and the bridle was really complicated but she helped me thru it. I didn't like putting the Bit in the horsey mouth, it looked like a torture device, but the horse just took it and didn't seem to mind. He was smart tho, he exhaled and puffed up his tummy while I was putting his um.. i lost the word, but the thing that goes from the saddle, around his tummy. he puffed up so it would be looser but the instructor knew how to fix that lol turns out he does that a lot

He was rather old, but thats OK he was very forgiving, even when I almost slid off trying to get on him! lol He was a quarter horse mix I think, and was a "school horse".

Even though my butt hurt at the end of the day, I really loved it and learned A LOT! I got to give him a piece of a carrot, and his lips were so ticklish but really soft against my hand. and i got to give him a bath and get off the extra water with what resembled a window wiper for a car kinda lol I could've just put him back, but I thought it would be cute to braid his mane, and he liked that even tho he was a boy. and I combed his bangs and put a bow on it. The other students were kinda mean.. the said I shouldn't have wasted my time, he was JUST an old school horse.. but w/e I like him


oh and just for fun! some pictures of me @ summer camp.

[sillysally]

I'm glad you had fun! Horses are a lot of work and $$$, but worth it!

[corgipower]

Originally Posted by Fransheska101

he exhaled and puffed up his tummy while I was putting his um.. i lost the word, but the thing that goes from the saddle, around his tummy. he puffed up so it would be looser but the instructor knew how to fix that lol turns out he does that a lot

Girth

and i got to give him a bath and get off the extra water with what resembled a window wiper for a car kinda

Sweat scraper

I'm sorry the other students were mean. Just ignore them and enjoy!!

[Miakoda]

I see you've been bitten by the bug!

And don't let the other people in the class bother you. I've been to many a camps where the other riders were complete snots and know-it-alls. All that matters is what YOU learn and how your relationship grows with the horses.

As for the shorts, we'll just say lesson learned. I'm surprised they even let you ride, though! Where I took long-term lessons, if you showed up in shorts, you got to sit and watch.

But I ride in shorts these days. Heck, it's my horses and my legs. lol. But many times I will wear chaps over them if I need to. And mainly I ride in shorts when I ride bareback. (but don't go there on all the hairs sticking to you )

[bubbatd]

Enjoy !!!! And no, never wear shorts LOL!!! Especially if you ride English ! Your knees would never be the same . Same with sneakers .

[JennSLK]

Well you learned your lesson about shorts. LOL

I love ridding. I used to compete in showjumping, but I hurt my knee. I still ride tho.

[Dekka]

Never wear shorts.. (at least until your leg position is good.. and then never wear them if anyone is loooking... nothing says nooob and bad horseperson like shorts lol) and you should wear a helmet.. I know its western.. but you can get hurt just as easily. (actually I have been hurt more often in a western saddle).. IN fact just last week the little local paper wrote about a girl who is only alive due to her helmet. She was riding western too. Her horse spooked and she got thrown head first into a gate. Cracked her helmet in half!!

I have lost 2 friends to riding accidents. It happens. Boots with heel, pants, helmet. Riding is a lot of fun, but it is one of the most dangerous things you can do.

[wcladymacbeth]

Aww I'm jealous.. I love horse back riding. I took a class in college and by the end of it I was cantering which is super fun (a lot smoother than trotting, that's for sure.) Sadly I haven't been back on a horse since June 30, 2006 when I fell off and broke my arm. Actually it wasn't even the horse's fault, I was just clumsy.

[bubbatd]

WC that year was my last ride too ..... bareback in the Caribbean waves !

[wcladymacbeth]

Ohhhh that sounds FUN Grammy. I'm quite jealous.