Hi - 1st lesson tomorrow!

[mirror]

Hi everyone,
My first post - having found this site about a week ago, after booking my riding lesson(eek!)
I am 40, I rode once a week between the ages of 9 - 11 and loved it, and have wanted to get back and have another go for years! I have 4 kids, and not enough money! I am treating myself as they are on holiday and with a new job I couldnt get time off to join them!
My daughter (14 ) was going to come with me and ride too (1st time) but we went to look at the stables on the weekend , and she has bottled out, says the horses are too big, and what if she falls off.. she is coming to watch and if she wants to have a go she can.
I am so excited though!!
I know I have probably forgotten what little I knew (when I stopped I was just starting pre jumping stuff) but am so looking forward to it. When we went to watch a group lesson I heard the teacher asking the kids - what rein are you on, but I cant even remember what that means!
I am not sure what to wear - tracky bottoms ok?
I have some boots which are flat with a small heel which I was going to wear and after digging them out the flipping dogs have chewed a hole in the toe!!
I probably may still wear them (no shame me) as the alternative is trainers.
I will look like a down and out to the teacher, but my money is as good as anyones isnt it!
Any words of encouragement?
I will let you know on Thursday how it went!

[Abserd]

Oooh, good luck for tomorrow mirror and keep us posted!!

WELCOME to NR!! It's extremely addictive LOL

You'll get loads of help and support here for sure :)

[emiemi]

Good luck I hope you have fun =]

[mirror]

Thanks:):D

[Peanut]

You'll be fine in tracksuit bottoms or anything without seams.

It's great that your daughter is going to be starting with you, so just go and enjoy yourselves and let us know how you get on. :)

[elaine@dow-evan]

Welcome to NR. There are lots of us on here who are just starting out/getting back to riding, as well as lts of more experienced people too.
We like to hear how you are getting on...so keep us all updated!
And warning - NR is addictive!!

[coverblown]

way to go girl, you will love it I am sure, do let us all know on Thursday....

I started riding at 43 to accompany my (then) 8 year old daughter ... she has now just done her GCSE's and the riding is still our favourite activity....

[NicP]

How exciting!

Hope it goes well and look forward to the update.

Stock up on radox too!!

[cwb]

Just relax and enjoy it - I found that a lot of the skills are still in there, subconsciously, just a bit rusty!

They have changed a few things from when I learnt to ride 20 years ago so I would expect you to need to unlearn and relearn things like not to grip with your knees!

I have found the RIs and yard staff really supportive and keen to get us oldies back in the saddle. I also help out at the yard so that I can learn more about horse care and get to know the horses better, I also get free riding in return for the help! - perhaps your RS does something similar?

[happy haffys]

Welcome to NR. There are lots of us on here who are just starting out/getting back to riding, as well as lts of more experienced people too.
We like to hear how you are getting on...so keep us all updated!
And warning - NR is addictive!!

How true!!

Wouldn't be without everyone on here. Can't wait to hear how you get on. I'm looking forward to my 1st lesson, when my horse is sound again!! :rolleyes:

Good Luck & enjoy:D

[Joyscarer]

Have fabulous time. Loads of us on here have taken up riding again after very long breaks so you are in good company.

The first thing I found when I got back on a horse again was my passion for it :D

After settling it I then had to get to grips with not gripping :rolleyes: Things had changed a lot in the 18 years or so when I last rode.

Have fun and don't try too hard your first time. Just go back to get the feeling you used to get from riding and worry about the technical stuff later. :)

By the way, an update on how your lesson went is obligatory ;) :D

[cwb]

Just a thought - if we are not now supposed to grip with the knees, why do they still put knee patches on jods :confused:

[mirror]

I can only come on here at work (shhh!)
So thanks for your messages guys.
I am riding this afternoon, and as far as "Dont try too hard" Joyscarer - that made me laugh, as I have desperately been trying to remember what I need to do, and thinking about how hard I am going to try! I hadnt realised we arent supposed to grip with our knees now - it was one of the main things my memories of my old teacher include - "Heels down" "Hands down" and "Grip with your knees" :D

[ANN H]

Hi Mirror, and welcome from another Merseysider! You'll have a ball and probably end up hooked. I wouldn't try too hard on your 1st lesson - just try and enjoy it. The RI won't expect too much. I rode as a child and got my first horse at the age of 43. I've never looked back, and never been poorer or happier! Where is your lesson? PM me if you like. Ann

[horse_converted]

welcome to NR! :D Good luck for tomorrow! look forward to hearing how it goes :D :D

[NoviceNic]

Ahh the day after the first lesson, I remember it well. I refused to cook and OH wondered why I was walking around like a bus between my legs.....:eek: But really it all turned out the be worth it. I am more than just a wife and Mum now. I have my own MOI time. :D

[mirror]

pm'd you Ann

[sancho]

Welcome and good luck!

Get ready for the pain, but you'll love it. Oh yes, dont expect to 'grip with your knees' these days!!!!:rolleyes:

We want to hear all about it!

[PurpleUnicorn]

So is your lesson today? Have you had it yet? Are you excited/ scared/ worried/ throwing up/ smiling?! Really excited for you- we should have a bouncing-up-and-down smiley- don't forget to let us know how it went!:D

[mudcakes79]

Loads of luck!

[magicalmac]

Hello and

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u7/magicalmac2007/24.gif

Good luck with the lesson hope you enjoy it.

[ANN H]

Well - how was it?

[mirror]

I have had the lesson!!!!!

I was really excited and nervous, but I had a lovely horse called Charlie who luckily knew the ropes(!)

I had the luxury of a mounting block which didnt exist in the stables when I was a kid!

I had forgotten most of what I knew, but the lesson went well, I relearnt how much flippin' work your legs do! At walk everything was great - I could get him to go right into the corners, not follow the track, and we did 20m circles, and various different routes in the indoor arena. Trotting was cool too - I felt very comfortable doing the rising trot, and changing to the right diagonal when changing rein, - I did have a bit of a problem with my feet occasionally losing the stirrup when trotting, and keeping Charlie going the way I wanted when trotting was definitely harder! I said to the riding instructor that I thought my stirrups were a bit long (as I kept losing one) but she just said "They would be fine if you kept your legs a bit stiller!" (oh well...)
I think it went really well actually, and was a very positive experience! She said I would be ok to go in the adult novice group lesson which apparently everyone can control their horse in walk and trot, and they are just starting to canter (oo er!!)
It is an expensive luxury for me to ride, and I am not sure how often I will be able to go, and obviously the group lesson is a bit cheaper (£19 group 45 mins, £26 private lesson, 30 mins) so I am undecided what to do at the moment. I havent re booked yet. I would probably have to do fortnightly at the max (unfortunately).

The thing that really took me back was the smell - walking past the stables, and toward the arena I got a big whiff of horse smell (there had just been a group ride, so plenty of hot horseflesh around) and a big dose of nostalgia!

Love it Love it Love it!!!

[ANN H]

Ooh - well done. There'll be no stopping you now! Ouch about the cost, but its worth it. Our RI comes to the yard and charges £10 per half hour, and £15 per hour (all one to one). I have what she calls motivational lessons approx once a month (she makes me work harder than I would if I was schooling on my own!). Keep us updated on your progress. This time next year you'll be posting about looking for a suitable hoss!

[Abserd]

That's brill.........glad you had such a great time and i know what you mean about the smelly memories LOL!

[NicP]

Glad you had such a good time, sounds like you did really well.

[cwb]

Mirror, really well done!

It is addictive, isn't it?

My group lessons are £16.80 for 30 mins, private is £37.80 for 45 mins.

But as I said earlier, I help out at the yard and get free lessons in return.

If you have the time, why not ask the RS if they would do the same for you?