I cantered today!!!

[TheWorldOver!]

Ok, this maybe a total "been there done that" moment to seasoned riders, but I am so excited!! I have only done 6 lessons so far and have managed to stay on the saddle during sitting trot and today I actually stayed glued to the saddle when my horse started to canter!!! Even my RI couldn't believe it! At first I was petriefied as I thought I was going to fall off, but when the RI told me not to doubt myself, it just happened. I cantered.

I can't believe it! today I CANTERED!!! :D:D:D:):)

Now, if I could only get to put on a bridle with my eyes closed that would be the cherry on the cake. The girl who helps out always speaks her usuall toon of "I will put the bridle on the horse myself today so we don't get late and you will do it next week", and basically I said a firm "NO, I will do it" and I did it! Not very easy especially if the horse doesn't cooperate but I (sort of) did it.

[PonyGirlAsh]

That's great!! The first canter is always scariest...now you have an idea what it feels like so it will be even easier next time!

Good job telling that helper that you will do the bridle yourself...otherwise when will you ever learn? I hate riding schools that tack up for riders. It doesn't do the rider one lick of good...my old riding school ALWAYS used to make us do it ourselves...if we needed extra time, we got there early. If we didn't get there early and didn't finish in time for the lesson, the lesson started without us. Let me tell you, we all learned veryyyy quickly how to tack up fast!

[cwb]

Yay - well done you on both counts - canter is just soooo special!

[KAB]

Well done you!! I bet you are feeling on a high, and have a smile on your face when you think about it! I hope to be cantering again one day.

With regards to tacking up - a lot of Riding Schools dont allow you to get involved anymore because of their insurance. But if that isnt the case with you, you go for it, the more practice the better - and that girl shouldnt be rushing and telling you "next time", how are you ever going to learn.

Well done!!!!! :)

[Nazdaq]

yaaay well done. :)

[vonandiz]

Thats great - you'll always remember that first canter. :)

I tack up every time I ride (3times a week) and I'm not sure I could do it with my eyes closed. Out of interest is there any reason why you want to be able to put a bridle on with your eyes closed?

[PonyGirlAsh]

With regards to tacking up - a lot of Riding Schools dont allow you to get involved anymore because of their insurance.

Are you serious?? So, you can get on the 1200 pound animal and run round with it, but can't brush it or put a hunk of leather on it's head? Makes no sense in my mind! And it makes me mad! Being a rider is one part riding and one part horsemanship....riding schools who get that kind of insurance are not doing their students justice imo!

Also was wondering about putting a bridle on with eyes closed...

[Tally.]

Well done!!! Thats great, and im not suprised your RI was shocked after just 6 lessons! :eek:
And good for you telling the helper that you are going to tack up yourself, how can you ever learn whe every week is always a next week?

[gemkat]

Well done.. and keep the the canter going...:)

[kiwigirl]

I think that is fab that is happened by accident and I totally know how you will be feeling after - grinning from ear to ear:D

I think the build up to canter can make it worse so its great you experienced it without having to think about it.

What have you decided re your two schools? I think it is wrong that you don't get to bridle your horse. I think you need to do a bit of ground work first with your horse prior to a lesson as it starts to establish a bond and create some trust/respect between you and the horse. I also find it very calming rather than arriving and just jumping on. I try and get to my lessons early so I can groom, do thier feet and tack up. In fact at one school I do all of this and mount by myself and take them out to the arena to warm up without and RI in sight - great for you confidence:)

[TheWorldOver!]

Also was wondering about putting a bridle on with eyes closed...


Figure of speech ;) I just want to be that good. :D

[PonyGirlAsh]

I was thinking that's probably what you meant!! :)

Don't think I could put a bridle on with my eyes closed, haha!

[TheWorldOver!]

I think that is fab that is happened by accident and
What have you decided re your two schools? I think it is wrong that you don't get to bridle your horse. I think you need to do a bit of ground work first with your horse prior to a lesson as it starts to establish a bond and create some trust/respect between you and the horse. I also find it very calming rather than arriving and just jumping on. I try and get to my lessons early so I can groom, do thier feet and tack up. In fact at one school I do all of this and mount by myself and take them out to the arena to warm up without and RI in sight - great for you confidence:)


Kiwigirl, I tell ya it drives me crazy regarding the tacking up. I always arrive a good half hour early just to tack up and now although I have gotten better, I still have a hard time with the bridle, and when I call the girl to critique my work, she will either give me a tip and then go back to what she is doing, or say "I'll do it for now and you can do it next time". The same s**t every time. And what's hilarious is that the girl is more than half my age!! :D Oh well, I don't go there for her bur for my RI.

On the riding schools, for now I will stick with my first school (the one I just cantered, the one with the pain in the a** teenager) because I love my RI's instruction and I find it a bit confusing to work with two different RIs. The other school is very nice too (their tack shop rules and they take all the time I need to tack and un-tack) but I just don't "click" with the teachers. One of them is the defensive and sarcastic type, eventhough she does correct true mistakes but perhaps not the way one wants to hear. The other one is nicer but I've only seen her teach kids and have seen "very little" out of her during her lessons. Today for example with my 8 year old - who has had a few lessons - 25 out of the 30 minute class the RI just walked the horse VERY slowly around the arena. My son has done walking and posting on trot at my original school and did it fine. I would have wanted to see a bit more out of his lesson today other than just slooooowly walk and learn a bit about the reins. At his other school, they would have had him do more.

Call me picky I don't mind. But for what I pay every week for lessons, I tend to over analyze things that others perhaps find trivial.

Did I talk you to death? ;):o

[Anna-Marie :)]

ah well done
it wont be half as scary when you come to do it intentially

and well done about putting the bridle on


i love it when you make loads of progress
make the most of your confidence boost :)

[Cat@3]

Yay! I've only just started to canter and find it incredible, good for you :)

[Nazdaq]

About the bridle, I just wanted to say I was more pleased when I managed to do this (on a really fidgety pony) for the first time all by myself then I was about cantering, trotting or anything else I have achieved on horseback. So WELL DONE its a big achievement. :D :D :D

[pikefoldpixel]

well done

[Mistertron]

Well done! your first canter is so great isn't it :D feels so much faster but smoother that trot.

Well done with the bridle too! the RS horses are always tacked up so i've never had chance to do that at the school but my lovely mentor Est has showed me how to do it on her two ponios - although i think i'm a way off doing it with my eyes closed!

[Bubbles1989]

You're lucky you get to put the bridle on! I don't! The horses are normally tacked up when i get there and i just have to take him out of the stable and into the school. I do untack though :S Take the saddle off in the school because i ride quite late and they want it done there and then for some reason! and then take him back and take off his bridle and then hand it to one of the many munchkins that work there!! (Seriously its like santas work shop all these little kids running round, helping out! They might aswell be the RI's elves!!) I wish i could tack up but i've got no clue how to do it!

[Shire Monster]

Hey never mind the bin there done that people, I don't think anyone thinks like that on here anyways to be honest, if your all anythin like me its more a case of awww that was so much much fun when I first ... you've achieved somethin great today well done you and as far as putting the bridle on, I'd been riding for about erm .... (starts to count on fingers) 9 years at one school, walk, trot, canter, small jumps, leg yield blah blah but the closest I got to anything to do with tack was to tighten my own girth and run stirrups up.
Second school I rode at I was taught to tack up and put a rug on, rode there about 4-5 years, before I stopped for about 5-6 year break. I recently had a mare on part loan, didn't ride her so no need for tack but even her headcollar confused me occasionally, I had to sort myself out before I got to her, put it on inside out once and thats after a total of nearly 15 years of riding so you are doin pretty damn good!!!
You must be really lookin forward to your next canter now :D and keep tellin this girl you will do it yourself, you'll get to do it blindfoled one day ;)

[old mare]

I know just how you feel .It is a great feeling the first time . It took me much longer than you , but im so pleased with myself today. when the ri say are you going to canter. i usualy say no . today I was feeling confident after some lunge lessons .I said yes trying not to let the fear show .Am i glad it was brilliant . I asked Him if I could have another go at the end of the lesson . also know what you mean about tacking up your horse. I always arrive very early explaining i want to do it myself.

[TheWorldOver!]

Hey never mind the bin there done that people, I don't think anyone thinks like that on here anyways to be honest, if your all anythin like me its more a case of awww that was so much much fun when I first ... you've achieved somethin great today well done you and as far as putting the bridle on, I'd been riding for about erm .... (starts to count on fingers) 9 years at one school, walk, trot, canter, small jumps, leg yield blah blah but the closest I got to anything to do with tack was to tighten my own girth and run stirrups up.
Second school I rode at I was taught to tack up and put a rug on, rode there about 4-5 years, before I stopped for about 5-6 year break. I recently had a mare on part loan, didn't ride her so no need for tack but even her headcollar confused me occasionally, I had to sort myself out before I got to her, put it on inside out once and thats after a total of nearly 15 years of riding so you are doin pretty damn good!!!
You must be really lookin forward to your next canter now :D and keep tellin this girl you will do it yourself, you'll get to do it blindfoled one day ;)



---------------------------
Oh yes I am looking forward to lots more cantering! :D as far as tacking up, what drives me nuts is that the girl who's supposed to be teaching me that stuff, isn't, because she has no patience it seems. Plus she has this snobby prissy look on her face of "oh people you are so clueless. We horse people have to show them everything?". this is what drives me bonkers. Soon I shouldn't need her help though.

[TheWorldOver!]

You're lucky you get to put the bridle on! I don't! The horses are normally tacked up when i get there and i just have to take him out of the stable and into the school. I do untack though :S Take the saddle off in the school because i ride quite late and they want it done there and then for some reason! and then take him back and take off his bridle and then hand it to one of the many munchkins that work there!! (Seriously its like santas work shop all these little kids running round, helping out! They might aswell be the RI's elves!!) I wish i could tack up but i've got no clue how to do it!


OMG bubbles you are so funny with the elves thing you mentioned on your post! I laughed out loud, because it's exactly that at my other school that I occassionally go to. Those girls must be a third of my age, LOL.:p

[horse babe]

Congrats

x