Topic: fan-blooming-tastic!

[aquilegia]

I rode again yesterday! Only the second time since I fell off and sprained my ankle (nearly six weeks ago).

I had a 30-min lesson and it was so good. Rode a fantastic horse - yard owner's special boy, only ridden by 'good' riders ;D. He was so good. didn't put a hoof wrong and after my initial nervousness, I soon relaxed and enjoyed myself. We even ended the lesson with a couple of canters - absolutely f-l-e-w round the paddock.

I've been in a bit of a grump lately, but the lesson cheered me up so much - so I think I was just miserable because I couldn't ride. That'll (hopefully) put an end to the people who say I should give it up just because I've hurt myself from falling off again.

Still  ;D, if a little stiff!

[tim]

The last time I fell off - 56 years ago - I broke a shoulder at the thick end. Had to catch the animal, climb back on, in front of wife & 2 young children, without showing the agony!!

Lucky you didn't sprain your head?? And join the club of being in plasters for 2 weeks, having done the silly thing twice - once on the pavement & once into our favourite rose, Jude the Obscure - he's the patron saint of lost causes!!  Now waiting for the 3rd thing to happen. = Tim

[rosebud]

  Well done Aqui all power to you girl.
   
  WELL DONE.

[aquilegia]

Tim - yep done the shoulder (humerus) too a few years back. I couldn't get back on because I couldn't move my arm. You brave (silly?) man for getting back on - I know how much that hurts.

Luckily these days they don't do plaster for sprains anymore. I was told to gently exercise it. Riding seems like gentle exercise to me!

I don't think anyone would notice if I had sprained my head!

[Jesse]

Hi Aqui, glad you're back to riding again. I rode for 10 years when I lived with my parents, luckily never hurt myself riding, a sheer miracle considering! Never give up because others feel its dangerous, if you're a sensible rider you're more likely to get an injury from everyday activities - like working for a living, ever heard of repetitive strain injury?! Did you watch The Horse Whisperer on TV last night, fantastic movie.

[eileen]

Great feeling isn't it to get back in the saddle again and just know everything's going to be alright.  ;D

I remember once being pitched right over the neck of 'my' horse - headfirst into a snowdrift. Poor animal slipped on some ice that was hidden under a layer of fresh snow.
That didn't do my complexion any good I can tell you! Face blew up like a balloon, had two fat lips, two black eyes and a broken nose. :o  Everyone said it was a VAST improvement though. Cheeky devils!!!!!  
Every step Sundance took back to the stable, with me on his back, made me feel as if my head was about to blow off.
Must admit I felt like wearing a paper bag over my head when the bruising changed from black/prurple/red to green/blue/yellow.

Did it put me off riding - did it heck as like. Just like you and Tim I just couldn't resist getting back in the saddle. :P

Gluttons for punishment aren't we?


Eileen.

[aquilegia]

Tis addictive, that's for sure!

I know after all I've been through something as silly as this won't make me stop. I've spent years building my confidence up and am not about to allow myself to have wasted all that time by being scared again.

gawd Eileen - that does sound painful. At least my bruises were somewhere hidden!

Jesse - I sprained the same ankle walking along the street. I still walk along streets! Why did you stop?

There seems to be an awful lot of us horsey types on here!

[eileen]

Great isn't it???

I love talking 'shop' about horses. Just wish I could still ride.  :(  Miss it something awful.  :'( :'(

Eileen.

[aquilegia]

I beat you do Eileen. I couldn't cope with five weeks without riding. Even when I went and played with 'my' horse a few weeks back (lunged him, then turned him out and chatted with him while he grazed), it really gave me a boost.

It was wonderful yesterday - I was supposed to be having a group lesson on a young, nappy pony who can be a bit of a g*t. But then yard owner said I could ride her dressage arab in a private lesson - a real priviledge. Grey, Arab gelding - every girl's dream! We practised a dressage test (they're holding an unaffliated dressage comp there in a couple of weeks) and then yard owner said she's like me to ride the arab in it!  :o I'm really looking forward to that.

He's a such a fantastic ride - really light and sensitive, if a little lazy sometimes. But he likes me because I'm soft and goes quite nicely for me! He bends a lot to the left, so I had to constantly correct that. And he's always saying 'what was that?', 'that looks interesting', etc so you have to keep his attention.

He usually canters like Pepe-le-Peu (cartoon skunk) - really dainty and not really going anywhere, but he was really striding out yesterday.  8) I want to be back there now!

Tell me about Sundance. What did you do?

[Jesse]

Aqui, I stopped riding when I left home and moved to UK. I did go riding a few times with a friend (paying to use horses for casual hacking) but I missed having my own horses right on my doorstep. I did a lot of showjumping in SA and was lucky to have a couple of very good ponies (who I still miss stacks) stabled on my parents farm. Since having children there is just no way I would have enough spare time to look after my own horse fairly. My daughter who is nearly 3 is animal crazy so maybe I'll be back on the horsey scene when she is a little older. I belonged to the Pony Club in SA and it was great so if my little girl gets into horse riding she will no doubt join our local pony club.

[eileen]

Ah Sundance now he was a horse in a million!! Big, raw-boned bay, stood around the 17 hand mark, with the sweetest character once you got to know him. The most surprising thing about him was that he was completely blind. He didn't know that of course and led his life like any sighted horse. He could recognise your voice before the other horses even got wind of you!! He hardly ever put a foot wrong (well apart from that time!! Used to tell him all my problems and, do you know, I like to think he understood exactly where I was coming from.

I was an escort rider for the Becks place at Lasswade. I went along as a teenager and muck out at first just so that I could exercise one of the horses at the end of the day. Took about six months, mind you, of hard graft before they realised I was serious about wanting to ride.  Back breaking work but oh was it worth it.  :D

Mrs Beck used to ride Sundance herself on hacks but when she saw that I was what she called 'a natural' she asked if I'd like to take on the escorting as she was just too busy in the teaching rings. Would I??? Daft question!!

Later I was entrusted with taking small groups out on all-day treks and then on holidays.

Oh Aqui this is making me fill up. I really miss not being able to ride.

After I married and moved to Mid Calder then I used to ride at Davie Cowan's place at Balerno. Now there was a character and a half. He dressed up as a cowboy - really- spurs, chaps - the lot!! Nutty as a fruitcake but his horses were all in tip-top shape. I was taught how to ride bare-back there and western style.  First time I'd ever actually had a lesson.That was fantastic fun.

OMG I'll have to stop here - that's Ian driving up and guess what - nothing's ready for his tea!!!

Speak again soon.

Cheers Eileen.

[Ozzy aka Pothead]

Yo Aqui

Am well pleased for ya......... has been ummmmmmmmmmmmm lots since I last rode horsey.... it was an arabaian one in Tunisia..... yummmmmmmy..... just had a loverly flashback to galloping along the beach full pelt.... anyways now you has gotten got back on is maybe time for upside down dancing it is....

............ ........................ ................ .

and if your not up to up side down dancing then perhaps a lil wiggle will help things alongy....



Oz

 :-* :-* :-* :-*

[aquilegia]

Jesse - wow showjumping. I love jumping, but am scared of anything over about 18inches! Fallen off far too many times doing that.

Eileen - that's pretty much how I started too. Worked weekends for rides, ended up taking out hacks and teaching :o (for many reasons this riding school was awful!) Then didn't ride through uni and started again at another place, where I still ride. Sundance sounds like my kind of horse! He sounds like he was a real gent. I've never met a blind horse. I'm so sorry you can't ride anymore. I know how I'd feel if I couldn't.  :'( big hugs.

Oz - fantastic! My dream. I love Arab horses. I'd love to ride them in the desert.

[CotswoldLass]

Aqui that's fantastic news, well done! I haven't ridden for ages, but I have a standing invite to ride near Windsor, so I must chase up on it. I used to compete quite seriously - no Sunday lunch for YEARS! - and I'd never go back to that, but a nice hack out on a well-schooled horse is about right for me these days.

Here's to horses and the fun (and tears!) they give us!

Love CLx
 ;)