Recap

At the end of my lesson, the instructor, Anna, asked me what I thought. I told her I wasn't sure if I was just really out of practice, or if Kaibab's trot was really very bouncy. She replied, "Yes, both." At least I'll be able to work on the practice part.

I wasn't nearly as sore the next day as I feared I might be. Not nearly as sore as I've been after some karate classes, though I'm not sure if that's saying I didn't hurt much, or I REALLY hurt after some karate classes. :)

I've got quite a few things I need to try think about next time I get on a horse. From the pictures, it looks like I was sitting too far back in the saddle, and that was the first thing Anna corrected after I mounted. I'm going to have to consciously sit further forward, my ankles are supposed to be under my hips, which should be under my shoulders. A straight line.

Also related to my seat, Anna was having me try to slow and halt Kaibab by tensing my stomach and seat. I don't think I actually did so well at that, more that Kaibab just didn't mind stopping when we didn't keep telling him to go.

There's trot.... Well, obviously staying on without a death grip on that strap needs to be worked on. I'm not sure what Anna has scheduled for next Saturday. In her place, I wouldn't let me touch the reins at a trot yet, but we'll have to see.

I don't think I specifically mentioned before, but Anna does specialize in dressage. I don't know that I will want to stay purely with dressage if I actually do advance in my riding, but dressage is the foundation for anything else I could want to do.

The First Riding Lesson (in 12 years)

It was a wonderful day for a ride in Tucson. Yesterday it rained, so this morning was still cool (mid-70's counts as cool in Tucson summer), and damp.

When we first arrived, we got to meet Pia, the little rodent hunting dog. She also ran through the small arena we were in during my lesson, to go attack some gopher holes (or whatever kinda hole it was). Very cute little dog, and all the horses were completely calm around her.

Then we went to get the horse I would be riding. And when I say horse, I certainly don't mean a little pony like Sundancer. Oh yeah, and I changed my mind about the jodhpur boots... Jeans fit into the regular boots ok.

After we convinced Kaibab that no one would steal his hay in his absence, I got to say hi, and groom him.

Oh! It's kinda high up here.

I was being longed, and didn't quite know what to do with my hands. I'm also sitting too far back in the saddle here I think.

I also got to do some trotting. It's been a while, I had forgotten how tiring it can be... or maybe it's just more tiring now I'm not 10 anymore.

Oh, and did I mention bouncy? If it looks like I'm holding on for dear life here... well, not quite, but if it had gone on for much longer I'd have blisters from holding that little strap. I'm glad I didn't have reins to yank.

After some walking and trotting, I was done for the day. Another quick groom for Kaibab, and he got to go back to his hay. But I'll be back next week. :)

Things Are Looking Up

My lesson is scheduled for tomorrow. My mother wants to take me shopping next week for a new helmet and a new pair of riding pants (we're going to see how the lesson goes first). My old jodhpurs from when I was about 10 actually still fit, but I had to throw them out when the zipper broke. That, and they were bought in Scotland, where warmth is a good thing, not Arizona, where oppressive heat is an omnipresent thing 9 months a year. I still have a pair of jodhpur boots that fit, and a pair of regular riding boots that fit. I think I'll be wearing the jodhpur boots tomorrow with jeans.

My boyfriend, who was laid off 3 months ago when his job got outsourced to India, starts his new job next week, so I don't have to worry about spending the money on lessons (as much). He is also planning on getting me four lessons for my birthday, not just one. Now I just need to see if I like the instructor, and I have a month's worth of weekly lessons before I need to pay.

Did I mention that the Google Ads on the right hand side of the page are part of the Subsidize-Tam's-Riding-Lessons-Plan? Click on things that sound interesting (and they are content driven, so should all be horsie related), and eventually Google sends me a little money. At least, that's the theory.

Lesson Scheduled

My lesson is scheduled for Saturday, May 28th, 6:30am (I did say early morning would be good because of the heat in Arizona... why did I say that?), at the Aim High Equestrian Park, Tucson, AZ. That's... here (that's a dry river just to the northeast by the way... for those of you who aren't used to the desert).

I should have some new pictures to post afterwards... assuming I can move... Now I'm all excited, and still have a whole week to wait!

Old Pictures!

I dug up some old pictures of me riding back in Scotland. These come from a "Pony Week". During summer, we would be assigned a pony, and care and ride for that pony for the entire week. I took part in three Pony Weeks, and these pictures are from the second. I was about 10 years old, and was assigned the fast little grey pony, Sundancer.

Is it just me, or are my stirrups way too short here? Maybe that's what I'm looking at.

Poor pony. Sundancer did like to go fast, but it looks like I'm about to pull his head off here.

I have this picture mostly because the bay pony closest to the camera is Twinkle, the first pony I ever had a lesson on.

Here we are both falling asleep. I guess this is why the instructor Mr. Gilbert kept telling me to sit up straight. :)

But we woke up. Blurry, but I could jump!

First Ride, 22 Years Ago

My first lesson, on my 6th birthday, I rode a pony called Twinkle. He was a nice friendly bay pony, though I later found out he was almost impossible to try and catch in a field. I didn't even know how to hold the reins at the time (it's not as simple as it may sound, your hands are held in a loose fist, with thumbs on top, the reins come from the horses mouth, go between your pinky and ring finger, and come back out under the thumb).

After being shown how to mount, and hold the reins, I got to walk and trot around a very small indoor arena. I was so excited I was trembling for the full half hour lesson (the next day my legs were so sore I could barely walk). I don't think I talked about anything else until my next lesson. I loved every minute of it.

Riding History

I started horse riding on my 6th birthday. I'd loved horses since before I can remember, and at 6 I was finally old enough for lessons at the local stables. Glenrothes Riding Stables, in Fife, Scotland. My mother told me we were going to pick up my cake, and I believed her, even after we got there and I smelled the place. I thought I was in for some pretty bad cake.

I continued taking lessons once a week at Glenrothes Riding Stables, being taught by the owner, Mr. Gilbert, until my family left Scotland three months before I became a teenager. We moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where I managed to befriend a girl with her own horse. I managed to ride at her house occasionally, but without any instruction.

My friend was also a member of the Desert Riders Pony Club, which I joined. The club was instructed by Frederic Bouland, who rode in an Olympics on the French Three Day Eventing team. I had very limited instruction from Frederic, as that club fell apart a few months after I had joined.

Then there was a long dry spell. I moved down to Tucson, and have not been on a horse in about 12 or 13 years. My 28th birthday is fast approaching, and I'm going to take the opportunity to try get back into riding. It's something I used to love so much, and I let it go. Ideally I'd like to be able to actually work with horses, and ride competitively in eventing. I should probably see how the first lesson goes before I make those kinds of decisions though. :)