Finally started riding!

[Tangle]

Hello,

After 20 odd years of looking wistfully at horses I've finally got round to taking lessons - great fun, but I'd never realised quite how much work made the difference between "riding" and "being taken for a ride" ;). I've had two lessons, and the day after the first one I had to try and walk around the office without looking as though I was in pain ;P. Have to see if I'm any better tomorrow!

2 lessons down, many more to go......

[virtuallyhorses]

Ahh yes, the discovery of muscles that you never knew existed - fun isn't it! :) Yes, still 'learning to ride' and taking lessons myself, its one of the wonderful things about riding - its a never ending journey of 'enlightenment'

[kedwards]

Ooh boy, I've felt that pain. It really is more difficult once you have to start "doing things correctly," but it's also great fun, isn't it?

Welcome to the board and congratulations on finally starting the lessons. It took me many years to start too, so I can sympathize with that longing.

[Crazy horse2601]

oh talk about longing! I've wanted to ride sinse I was 5 and know at 14, I have finally got a job and I've been going for about five months. When u are in control it's the greatest feeling in the world, but like you I feel it the next day!:D :rolleyes: Well done for going! keep me posted on how you go! good luck!

[Rachel C.]

One of riding's only down sides is that STILL, after 10 years of riding, riding lessons will make you ache (perhaps not as badly as they first did) but all the same, riding is great for toning your thighs :D

[Tangle]

to all of you - so many talk about the pleasures of riding and so few about the pain! Reasuring to know it's not just me that goes through it.

as for progress - having ridden Lightning (dark bay mare, perfect school horse, age? would be rude to ask as she's a lady ;) ) for my first lesson and made it as far as doing Donald Duck impressions while she stood still, on Tuesday I got Zak, who's a "real" (ie hasn't been in a school until recently) horse and 15.3h/16h part shire to boot (try doing round the world on that! - especially when he decides to rest the other back leg when you're halfway round :eek: ) with a much bigger stride. After a bit more of me looking daft while Zak slept and a false start (dont' ask! - although at least I stayed on top), actually made it to a rising trot where we were (roughly) in time :D All that bouncing up and down in the kitchen when no-one was looking paid off in the end :D

Rachel C. - sorry to hear about you're pony. What was he (?) like?

[Rachel C.]

My Avatar is a picture of my old pony , she is called Penny :)

She was a lovely pony , with a cheeky personality, and bucketloads of ability! I outgrew her though, and she wasn't all that dependable...

I now have a big gray horse called Ferdinand who is fantastic :D

I have attatched a cute piccie of Penny...

[Tangle]

Penny looks really lovely - and sounds like she's got loads of character! Have you any pictures of Ferdinand?

Had another lesson last night - think I didn't run up the buckles on the stirrup leathers far enough as, after 3/4 hour of work on rising trot I've got some immense bruises :eek: That'll teach me

[Rabit]

I remember my first lesson. The bruises. The pain. The satisfaction.;)

[Gracie]

I find if I take a couple of days off and I go back I have pains all in my back! I HATE THAT!lol
But theres no place I'd rather be then in the saddle, well the saddle of a sane horse anyways!lol

[jonto]

Keep at it Tangle, after a few months you will do what I did on monday. Nearly a whole hour's lesson in rising trott and feel great, then the next morning when you can stand up straight you will feel on top of the world. Now for some more canter practice.

[Tangle]

Canter? I haven't made it to the steering wheel yet :p

[FreedomStar]

lol, but riding is so fun, you want to move ahead, right? Cantering is...uplifting on a nice, foward horse.

[canterqueen977]

I HAVE FELT THAT PAIN B4. BUT LET ME TELL YOU THIS, BE GREATFUL FOR THAT PAIN. WAIT UNTIL YOU POST WITH NO STIRRUPS, CANTER, AND JUMP. OUCH!
DARCI

[Tangle]

Originally posted by FreedomStar
Cantering is...uplifting on a nice, foward horse.

Don't tell me what happens if it's not a nice, forward horse - probably put me off for life!:p

Had another lesson on Friday (I only managed two by myself before my husband decided he wanted to start again so we go together now) I was allright a Lightning's a sweeetie at heart and someone had kindly put her tack on (the only time she's twitchy is when you try to do anything with her girth - I can avoid getting bitten while doing it up, but trying to put the saddle on might be a bit complex :eek: ). Unlike poor Matt. They obviously didn't fancy putting Henry's saddle on so they left it over the stable door. Which gave him the chance to pull the whole lot into the stable, tread on it and don't want to know what else. By the time we got there the numnah was soaked and the saddle was a bit messy. Out with the hay......

Anyone got any good tips for sitting trot? I seem to start bouncing and then concentrate so hard on trying not to bounce off I can't get into any kind of rhythm (other than "thump thump thump" poor horse)?

Also, what's the difference between a numnah and a saddle cloth? They all look about the same in the catalogues?

ttfn

[Peace]

Tangle - good for you! And lucky you, having a husband who rides with you! Mine hasn't so much as been to meet my pony yet, let alone ride him - can't complain too much, though, as he's supportive about my horse habit, even if from a distance.

About sitting trot - I try to completely relax my lower back, and let it act as a "shock absorber." Seat and legs have to be really relaxed, too - tense muscles bounce more!:D

When I was first learning, I would actually roll my hips forward as the horse's feet hit the ground, then roll them quickly back and forward again as the next pair of feet hit. Although I was learning on the proverbial "square-wheeled" horse - you probably won't find it necessary to do all that to absorb the horse's motion.:)

[snailspace]

My instructor liked to joke that if I wasn't in pain at the end of the lesson, she wasn't doing her job right! (she was only joking, but there's a grain of truth in that!)

What really helped me learn sitting trot was to imagine that my butt was glued to the saddle - where it went, my butt went. That helped me learn to follow the horse's movement. I still have to imagine this once in a while when I feel myself getting too stiff in sitting trot. This doesn't work for everyone, but it works for me!

Glad to hear you've decided to start riding. I started at 25, and couldn't possibly give it up now - my poor husband! He didn't know he married a horse crazy woman!

[Tangle]

Hi Guys,

thanks for the suggestions on bounce reduction - I'll try and give it a try on Friday.

I was hunting around some of the old threads in "Training of the Rider" & the general consensus seemed to be relax, which is exactly where I suspect my problem may lie:( . It seems to be a vicious circle - I start to bounce, panic, tense up, bounce more......

Going with no stirrups was suggested - does this help by not giving you stirrups to bounce off? I've done this at a walk but not at a trot. I'm a bit worried that if I try this I'll just wind up getting more worried, hence more tense - at least with stirrups I can go into rising trot if it all starts going really wrong :o ;) .

All ideas greatfully received!

btw snailspace - I know what you mean about instructors and pain. Our's reckons her lessons should be like yoga on horse-back (but personally I just reckon she missed out on a bendy-wendy doll when she was little!) :D :D

[KathyT]

Try reading Enlightened Equitation by Heather Moffatt (see Kinder Way), also a seat saver is a great investment against sore bums and falling of!

[FreedomStar]

Actually, stirrups are not the problem with bouncing in the sitting trot. It's when a person tightens up their legs or calves, or starts gripping with their knees is when you start bouncing like crazy. It's the same without stirrups, so either way you'll bounce a lot if you grip with your knees. The best thing is to sit up tall, and think of yourself loosely positioned on the horse so that you relax and don't grip with your knees so much.

[Laetitia]

Tangle, its a bit like swimming, once you've got it you've got it forever.Try and relax with the trot and go with the movement of the horse. He will put you up and then you come down really gently and up again. Sing a nursery rythm quietly - if you bellow you won't hear your instructor ! This will help you to relax and breathe - it does work.
I've just started riding lessons again and my main problem is I try too hard and push on and then unbalance the horse. So always more and more to learn. Love it. Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress. L
ps... get yourself some half chaps to stop the wear on your calves. L

[Peace]

Laetitia, what a good simile! I find riding is very much like swimming in the ocean. If you tense and try to fight the motion, bad things always seem to happen. If you relax and go with the flow, everything seems to turn out all right!:)

[Tangle]

Hi Guys,

thanks for all the suggestions. KathyT - I've got Heather's book, works great on my chair at work, but I can't seem to get it all together on a horse. Then again, I don't seem to be able to stand up at the moment. In stirrups that is :o .

FreedomStar - I try and relax. I think I'm just (!) struggling to synchronise. Every so often I think I've cracked it but I can never keep it up for more than 1 stride, 2 if I'm really lucky.

I guess on the plus side the rising trot seems to behave a bit better. And I did learn to swim in the end, so maybe there's hope. All we need now is for it to keep raining so much that the arena floods and I'll be sorted! ;) :D Although given the forecast for Wednesday it may yet happen :(

relax....relax....relax....relax....relax....relax....

[Laetitia]

Now I didn't go so far as to suggest you needed waterwings, Tangle !
Seriously though, if you can relax without slopping you will find that life aboard a horse takes on a different meaning. But it is very, very difficult to let go. Early days, it will come. Keep singing the nursery rythmes under your breath. If you put some measure of trust in your horse he will repay that trust, he's not going to dump you, what for? Enjoy. L

[Tangle]

Thanks Laetitia,

I think part of the problem is that I have lessons with my husband. He (jammey sod!) managed to get sitting trot first time, no problems, but can't articulate anything about how :( .

I see the logic, but I really seem to have trouble putting into practice. I know both the lower back and the pelvis are involved, but which initiates the action?

So if anyone out there can give me really really easy sitting trot in words of no more than one sylable ;).....

Any inspiration gratefully received! :)

[Peace]

Tangle, do you think maybe the horse is giving you too fast a trot for you to sit it comfortably? I think I'd try to slow him down a bit and see if it helps. Has your instructor worked with you on half-halts?

No matter what your horse tells you, they are capable of trotting slower than they walk - you should ride a western jog sometime!:)

[Tangle]

Had another lesson last night, and the weather finally decided to play - dry as a bone but definately getting colder.

Finished in a total panic after cantering for the first time ever (aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhh...... Why's the world going by so fffffffffffaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssstttttttttt....) :o :o :D

Which I guess means I must be doing something better! :) Just wish I new what:(

Having lessons with my husband (used to ride when young) definately has advantages - having cantered in a nice big menage with one other horse who was giving me a lead and was under control, I dread to think what it must be like trying to learn in a group of 7 beginners! As the beginner, I tend to go behind, and thereby tend to go at the pace of horse in front, especially in sitting trot/no stirrups (still a slightly stressful, bouncy experience - Peace - haven't done half halts yet. If I still feel like I'm not getting anywhere next week I'll probably start asking. I'm not sure it's the speed of trot that's a problem, although I guess it's easier to start more slowly, I just don't seem to be able to flex anything at the right time.....)

But in comparison to what I could do when I started 2 months ago, I can now - get on, get off (don't laugh too much - I seriously had to have me leg given a shove over the cantle or I was stuck! :o ) and stand up at trot for more than 3 strides without keeling over. So there is measurable progress, however slight.

I think I definately need to relax more. Any recommendations on good nursery rhymes?