Hi Im new Here

[Retty]

Hi, just thought I'd introduce myself. I am 34 and have my own horse a lovely 16hh TBX who is such a sweetie that my 9 year old daughter rides her aswell! I started riding about a year and a half ago and had a string of disasters and falls. I started out as v. confident but now have had to start from the beginning again after a nasty fall last year that put me in A & E with a back injury. I bought my horse with a view to having her as a pet but not riding her myself as I still wanted to be around and involved in horses. Now, however I have started to ride again and the process of gaining confidence is slow but rewarding. I am now at the starting to canter stage which I find very hard and very scary! I have tried different instructors but the best help that I have found is with a friend! For the last 3 days she has stood in the arena with me and encouraged me, making me laugh and for once I am not having to swallow my own vomit (yes really I was that nervous before even in walk!), I have been cantering on the lunge for 3 days and am feeling much more confident but am having problems relaxing my lower back and going with the movement (today my lower back aches and I know this is due to tension even though I am trying to relax.. I did have a couple of strides where I felt like I was really moving with her and it was great so I will keep on trying for that again!).

[sallym]

Welcome to NR.

There's a bunch of very kind, wise and supportive people here. I hope you enjoy it.

Internet speed is appalling tonight, otherwise I'm sure you would have had more replies to your post.

Best wishes

Sally

[floppy]

welcome to the board :)
i use to live in Essex :D

[Debby Riley]

welcome to new rider.

Your not alone with your cantering fears it may help you as it has me to read [/B] is it time to give up..... i mature riders section

cantering has and will be a struggle for alot of people, what has helped me is to post my questions and there are alot of people on here that are very experienced and understanding.

As you may read on the above thread i am scared of canter although as time goes by i am getting there with perseverance and like you aching muscles too, today after my first full on canter yesterday my back is so tender and sore through not relaxing but it is only muscle and it has made me ensure that i try and relax next week so i don't ache and radox has and is my best mate since starting to ride back in sept 02.

I am sorry to hear that you had a bad fall and ended up in hospital, this was why i stopped riding when i was much younger and @ 32 years old i do question if now was the right time to start again but what the heck horses are great and the best thing i can do is learnt to ride them the best i can and realaxing will make it easier for them too.

Good luck with your cantering and keep us all posted on your success :D

[Jo]

Hi and welcome! One of the great things about this site is that you get to share people's good experiences, empathise with their bad ones and learn a lot about your riding along the way.

I remember starting out almost 4 years ago and, although a mature rider, I had so much (misplaced) confidence that I was willing to take on anything. Nothing held any fear for me. Then the inevitable happened - a pearler of a fall! It shook my nerve and now I realise it possibly saved my life! I am now a shy rider and far more sensitive to my horse. And as for canter - huh! I thought I could do that after two lessons.In truth, it was the horse that achieved canter, no thanks to me! Many lessons on, I am still rather a passenger in canter - one day maybe I'll learn to canter along with my horse! I guess the message is: all in good time!

Have fun!

[Retty]

Hi!
Thank you all so much for your lovely replies! Debbie I was laughing reading your post as I have a bath run and yes is full of Radox!! I sure hope it helps as I am trying to relieve some of the aching as I intend to try the canter again tommorrow!

I do wish that I had started to ride at a much younger age! My 9 year old daughter has bags of confidence and is already jumping, cantering and has even had a few gallops! Mind you I make sure that she always wears a good hat, gloves and back protector!

Look forward to "getting to know you all better", I think this site is great as already I have learn't heaps of new stuff from reading other peoples posts.

Retty x

[kedwards]

Welcome to the site Retty!

I must say, reading your story, that I am struck by your courage and persistence. Enjoy your riding and horsekeeping. I look forward to seeing you around the board and hearing some updates as time passes.

[Retty]

Hi thanks for that, yes I am persistant if nothing else! My dream is to be able to do 2 things.. Firstly to ride with my daughter and canter over a field together as she's always talking about that - she really encourages me and will stand in the arena and say to me "dont be scared mummy, breathe!"
Secondly I would love to be able to just tack up and go out for a good ride and not be thinking "I hope she doesn't try to canter", "I hope my friend/s don't get fed up with riding with me in just walk and trot".
Yes, I love my horse to bits. I went to Liechtenstein last year for 7 months and took her with me, people say I'm mad and could've bought 2 other horses in the amount it cost me but she's not just a horse she's my friend aswell.
I will let you know how I get on with the canter tommorrow.
Retty :)

[Peace]

Hi, Retty - Welcome to New Rider!:)

That is so sweet, that you paid for your horsefriend to accompany you out of the country. It sounds like the two of you have a wonderful relationship!

I, too, admire your courage and persistence! Was it your relationship with your horse that made you decide to try riding again after your fall?

I'm sure you'll reach your cantering goals - you've come a long way towards them already!:)

[Jane Williams]

Hey Retty. You're not alone. I only just registered last week. So hi to everyone else and I hope you enjoy the forum Retty.

FYI: My horse is called Zarley. She is an anglo Arab, 16.1 1/2 hh. I mainly do trial riding but trying some dressage.

I am 20, live in South Australia. My horse agists at my boyfriends house which is in the Yorke Peninsula area.

I have a post in EE at the moment, if anyone can help me with that it would be great.

[vala]

Hello Rettie,

I know what a problem sore backs can be from my own experience. One aspect of riding that I always found hard to understand was the idea that I should relax and 'go with the movement'? I never understood this until recently.

Having only started out recently to learn classical riding (August 2002) I was naturally quite tense at times. This gave me a nasty jolt on occasion - especially when negotiating the sitting trot (which incidentally came after I had achieved the rising trot). One day I decided to trust my excellent instructor when she said "think of yourself as being like a big jelly flavoured with Grand Marnier in a narrow container". Well, I can tell you that I roared with laughter imagining such a thing and guess what... I achieved - albeit - a few strides in sitting trot. Since then there has been no going back.

I don't know if it will work for you but maybe it is worth a try. If the jelly idea does'nt do it for you try something else that makes you laugh.

Best of luck Retty

Vala

[Retty]

Hi, I can imagine that the jelly thing made u laugh:)
My cantering is coming on, albeit slowly! I must admit that the weather isn't helping v much, Promise can be a bit jumpy in the wind and makes me feel a bit nervous! I am still on the lunge line but keep taking both hands of the saddle of a couple of seconds. One of my friends videoed me the other day and I wasn't as bad as I thought although my bum is huge:rolleyes: Next time I'm filmed I'm gonna wear a longer sweatshirt!
I think Promise is getting fed up with being lunged in the arena as now she has started to buck on occasions! I've had all the usual things done such as saddle checked, back checked, teeth done and all within the last 5 months so the only thing I can think is that she is protesting at the work and possibly the hideous weather aswell which means no turn out! Oh well I suppose if we can conquer this than in the summer it will all seem so much easier
:p