Riding Lesson TODAY!

[Grey Haven]

It went really really well! Joined an established group who could walk, trot, canter and do small jumps.

Rode a lovely, slightly cobby, mare called Meg who was lovely, but she was used for novices and so knew all the tricks like cutting the corners and falling in on the circles, but we soon understood each other!

Really nice group I was riding with as well - they made me feel really welcome and were lovely when I told them about what happened with Perks and my plans for Echo and why I was there.

So it went really well, did exercises with really short stirrups so I'm gonna ache tomorrow.

The instructor didn't really pick me up on too much - so I was quite pleased, although I need to work on the following:

1) not enough contact - thanks to Perks being so steady and riding in a bitless bridle I'm not used to taking up too much of a contact. Then I went the other way....

2) when I apply leg aids I can tend to put my lower leg too far back instead of on the "go buttons", ie on the girth and just behind the girth. Keep making a mental note to myself to do this.

Then we moved onto jumping - I was pooing myself as I haven't jumped for 10 YEARS!! I told the RI this and she said "that's fine we'll do what you want first lesson".

We did canter poles and Meg was a bit iffy at first, again lack of contact from me so she wasn't really getting up on the bit. Woke her up a bit and did it much better. RI also complimented me on riding well between the poles, ie recognising when I was too far/too close and adjusting Meg to make sure we got through.

Then a tiny tiny cross pole, which again we flew.

Then a straight bar - 2'6"! The others jumped it and the RI said "shall I put it down" and I looked and I thought - Christ Perks and I used to FLY those, so I just went for it.

RI pointed out I was a bit tense in my shoulders and contact again and wasn't letting Meg run on now I had got her going...so our last jump I put her into a nice active canter, then as instructed relaxed and just kept her straight and POW!!! she popped it lovely.

I was sooooo happy to be jumping again - I remembered how much I loved it.

Just need to work on my position as I felt I was standing a bit over the poles, rather than folding, but the RI didnt' mention anything.

Really nice lesson - going again a fortnight!!!

[Smurf]

Yay, well done. Bet you cant wait for the next lesson

[doodledoo]

nice to hear some good news, glad you enjoyed your lesson-let us know how the next one goes.

[amandaxx1]

It sounds great, glad you enjoyed it xx

[Catg]

So glad to hear you had a good lesson! Check you out jumping 2"6 in your first one!!!

[gem]

Sounds brilliant!! You'll need a radox bath tomorrow So happy for you

[Grey Haven]

Originally Posted by Catg

So glad to hear you had a good lesson! Check you out jumping 2"6 in your first one!!!

I KNOW! I didn't really believe it so I nipped over to have a look and there it was between the 2ft and 3ft mark!!

Mind you it WAS just a single pole, not like a spread or with fillers or anything...

[sazzy925]

Well done! Sounds like a lovely place to learn.