Hot weather

The hot weather has arrived at last.  It's fab but the paddocks have little or no grass in them so Hunter is back on hay!  He's doing brilliantly.  We've done the 7 games, so we are using them in the school to move around objects and people and the like.  Not long before I will be riding him again - yay!

I've ridden Lara in the meantime - even had a lesson on her today.  It was great, one of those lessons where it all clicks into place.  I was so happy!

I have to go to the neurologist next week - my headaches are still troubling me.  Especially when I'm tired, and I also find my words get muddled and I get very forgetful.  There's probably nothing wrong - just making sure.

xx

Success

Well I woke up very apprehensive about today's riding lesson. Last week I couldn't get to grips with canter at all. Trotting was fine, but canter - nooooooo. So I arrived at the yard full of nerves, I just wanted to ride well.

Bev had decided that I'd ride Lara today - I love that horse. She is bouncy in trot, much more bouncy than Murphy, but it seems to suit me. Even sitting trot on her is really comfy. Bev had us doing all sorts of trotting, including her own invention : 10-1 trot. This is doing each of the four trots (rising, sitting, standing and light-seat) for 10 counts each, then 9, then 8 and so on down to one beat of each. Absolutely knackering. And yes, I did say standing trot. Now standing trot was a challenge, but as I went through the reps my balance slowly came and by then end I was (fairly) comfortably doing it all (with just a few collapses back into the saddle as my core strength is non-existent).

Then straight into a right rein canter - no time to think - and she is so very comfy in canter. The canter didn't last long before we went to trot, and I found out that her downward transitions are pretty immediate. So position and balance are crucial. Left rein canter was fab - 3 maybe 4 laps of the school. So pleased.

Lara is a star.

So my next lesson is next Wednesday, and Bev has said that if the weather is ok we will hack out for a long straight canter, and in a Western saddle. Yay...

No joy so far

on the job front. I have applied for several and have been phoning and chasing, and as promising as they may seem, it's all leading no-where at the moment.

The weekend was good - busy. We dropped our younger son at the stables on Saturday morning and then carried on into the city. I needed an eye-test and found that my prescription has altered. So I have two pairs of glasses on order now.

Yesterday the weather turned foul - wind, rain, sleet and snow. And it was cold. We went to Old Buckenham airfield to see someone my husband needed to talk to, and then headed home! Not a day to be out.....

I've not ridden today, the weather has continued to be horrible. I am planning to ride in the indoor school tomorrow if it is free.

I have just got back from the dentist tho with the kids. No treatment needed for any of us, and see you again in 6 months! Lovely.

Plans for this week? Well I want to ride a couple of times before my next lesson which is on Thursday. I have a mountain of ironing to do, and some washing too. And I could really do with getting on with some proper photography for my OCA course. And try and nail a job would be good too.....

Pancakes

It was pancake day yesterday, and boy did we eat some ! I made the batter in the afternoon so that we could all eat them when my husband got back from work. But the kids couldn't wait. So by 4pm I was making pancakes and they were piling them high with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. They did look sooooooo yummy.

Then I had to do it all over agin when my husband got home. They are lovely but I can't get the smell out of the kitchen yet as it's too windy to have the windows open. Ah well...

Anyway I'm just back from my second riding lesson. I was on Murphy again, and we did loads of trotting, rising and sitting, controlling the speed of the trot (or trying to) and 20 metre circles (which weren't particularly circular). My legs are aching now already.

Bev also told me about the benefit of Pilates and how flexible it can make you. So I have been looking on the web and there is a book, Pilates for Equestrians, which I may buy or download. I am also going to keep a track of my weight and try and lose a few pounds, and hopefully tone up a bit. And as it's Lent, I think I may try and give something up - possibly chocolate which does appear in most of my meals, snacks and treats...

So pleased with myself

I'm back. I had a fab time and I am really pleased with myself. I got there and there were loads of cars parked up, so I realised that I wasn't going to be keeping this a secret! A couple of the girls had been to McD's and got pancakes and were sitting in the barn eating. Bev came along and got me the indemnity to sign, and off I went for my lesson in the indoor school. Murphy (piebald? skew bald?) is lovely and solid and not too bouncy in trot apparently. And while he's not as tall as our horse (Lara) it's still a long way down when you are sitting on him.

Bev led me round the school in walk for a couple of laps so I could get used to being on a horse again, then I was walking him on my own. Then we trotted - rising trot which felt quite smooth and natural and Bev reminded me how to make sure I was on the correct diagonal. Sitting trot was next, which was more comfy than I had remembered from those long distant lessons many years ago. We changed rein and trotted some more. Then on to serpentines in walk, rising trot and sitting trot, and again on both reins. More trotting on the large track on both reins, then it was time to do some exercises on Murphy. Feet out of the stirrups, lifting my feet up and pointing my knee down to stretch the thigh muscles. Bliss! Attempting box splits and leaning forwards. Not bliss. Lying back flat and then sitting up again. Comfortable in lying position, but getting back to sitting without a winch was a challenge! Feet back in the stirrups for a bit of trotting in light seat. Now that was fun, and the weight of my bum acted as a counterbalance so I didn't tip forwards ! We had covered downward transitions, with varying degrees of success. Walk to stop was ok, but trot to walk will take some more practice! Bev had warned me that my legs would be wobbly as I dismounted, and sure enough I landed on my feet then on my knees!

I had a great time. I was so pleased with what I could remember from when I last rode. My legs ache now, well the insides of my thighs do. But it's that nice ache from when you know you have worked hard, like after a run or a swim or a bike ride.

I'm there again tomorrow and Thursday for more lessons. I think I could quite easily be bitten by the riding bug again...

I'm ready

I'm up and in my jodhpurs, drinking coffee (of course). Just have to wake up my older son who has a driving lesson this morning and then I can go.

I'm quite excited, although I think I shall be making a right t*t of myself!

We'll see......

Lessons

I have arranged to have riding lessons this week. Three riding lessons. Now I haven't ridden since my younger son was 3 months old. He is nearly 13 now. That's a long time. I will be like a beginner again. An older, creaky and slightly overweight beginner. I learnt to ride all those years ago to overcome my totally irrational fear of horses. It worked and I love to be around horses even now. But it's just that I've not ridden for so long. But the plan is that we are going on a Ranch holiday this summer to Arizona.

Wish me luck...