3rd lesson and still having fun

[RichardL]

Yesterday my wife and I had our 3rd lesson. I was again on Monte while my wife was on Jet this time. Jet just wanted to follow everyone else which made my wifes ride quite fun. Monte was his usual self, leading the ride and looking after me very well.
We had a different instructor this time which was quite interesting hearing someone else describing what we should be doing. Got some good tips on judging stirrup length, i.e. 'arms length. We did quite a lot of rising trot. Isn't amazing that just when you think you have got it right it all goes pear shaped?

Can anyone tell me about the measurement of a horse. I know its done in 'hands' but what does this mean? does it equate to inches? where did it come from? When I'm standing next to Monte I can only just see over his back if I stand on tiptoe and I'm about 5'6".

We are both still having a great time and looking forward to when we are competant enough to go on a hack which sounds like great fun:D

[galadriel]

One hand is 4 inches. My 17 hand mare is 5'8" at the shoulder, and I can just see over her if I try; I'm 5'10". (There is a horse out at my stable who is taller than me at the shoulder. Big loving boy, but clumsy...he stepped all over my heels leading him the other day. He was trying to hide because the barking dog scared him.)

So Monte is probably 5'4" at the shoulder, so 64 inches, so 16 hands :)

It's wonderful that you are both enjoying riding. Getting different viewpoints from different instructors can be very helpful, and practice helps very much. Hopefully next week your wife will have a horse who listens better ;) and everything you learned this lesson will stick with you, too.

[kedwards]

I'm so glad you two are having fun. It's always lovely to hear about new converts to riding.

Each hand is 4 inches. A 16h horse is 5'4" to the heighest point of the withers (meaning the back is somewhat lower, the withers is the bump at the base of the neck). Keep in mind if you have 1 inch heels on, you will stand about 16.3 hands.

[galadriel]

Originally posted by galadriel
[...] at the shoulder [...]

Okay, my brain stepped out for a walk while I wrote this. Sorry. Kedwards' description of where the horse is measured is much better (and more correct) :)

(Here, brainbrainbrainbrainbrain...)

[Cochise]

Thats great! well done for choosing to learn to ride! I missed your first posts. May I ask how come you decided to start? Keeps having fun!! Its great learning a totally new skill :)

[RichardL]

Cochise,

My wife and I were looking for something to take up together, especially something where we could operate on equal ground, i.e. we both new nothing and strength, speed etc were secondry to learning to communicate. I also read a great article in Mens Health magazine concerning the health benefits of riding which surprised and pleased us both. So we decided we would give riding a try, and we are both now bitten by the bug and loving every lesson. We have our group lesson once a week for 6 weeks then we plan to have private lessons to help our progress so that we can go out on a hack when the weather is better (apparently the schools hacking fields are so wet and muddy that no hacking is likely until April/May) We are slowly getting our 'proper' gear together and are looking forward to riding together both here at the school and also we are looking at holidays which involve horse riding.
As for our lessons we have had two good instructors who show patience and enthusiasm (always helps) The most surprising thing from my pont of view was how little the hands are used for control and how much the legs are used, maybe that explains the aching legs, thankfully a hot soak minimises the aches and pains.

[floppy]

to make it easier say you have a 13 hh pony. then that means it lies on the 130cm mark. if you have a 17hh horse its 170cm big. make it easy to remember. but if you have a horse that is 139cm like mne then i have no idea how much that is in hands so i just say 14hh

[Peace]

The most surprising thing from my pont of view was how little the hands are used for control and how much the legs are used

That is wonderful to hear!:) Sounds like you're at a really good school, then! (Some either allow or actively teach students to haul the poor horses around by the mouth - bad, bad, bad.:( )

Sorry to hear about the aches and pains, though.:) But just think of those rippling leg mucles you'll be showing off come summer!:D

[jUmPingIsLifE]

sounds like you guys are having tons of fun, and thats what its all about!

keep it up, and its great to hear they arn't teaching you to yank and pull on the reins all the time (i have seen a couple schools that seen to ONLY use rein:eek: )