Had my first horse riding lesson!!

OMG, it was wonderful!! I have been wanting to do lessons for such a long time.

I love horses... been wanting to get involved somehow, someway, etc... for the past few years, but just never got started. I rode as a kid and some as an adult... but never really had official lessons.

Sooo... when my boyfriend and I took our bike trip through Montana/Canada this past July... there were soooooooo many beautiful horses and ranches I vowed to make this horse riding/lesson thing a reality when I came back home... and work my way toward possibly buying one or leasing one.

So last week I met a man on a horse while running the trails with the boyfriend. It was the perfect meeting. I have been looking at stables with lessons but the feeling just never clicked with the personnel at the stables. So this man told me of this private stables and gave me a name to call. I called her and she told me to come in yesterday and I had my first lesson with her.. her name was Mona and she rocked and she has 16 horses!!... and it was a great 1st lesson!

I rode Lady... a beautiful (prior) show horse... for a whole hour!! I first got to brush her:D I learned how to hold the reins, how to steer the horse, how to "ho", and I even trotted and cantered some... and I have my 2nd lesson next Saturday.

I love it!! Now I have to get riding boots and a helmet... maybe I will post a 2nd post on what kind of boots and helmet to buy.... hmmm??

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Originally Posted by chicago

I vowed to make this horse riding/lesson thing a reality when I came back home... and work my way toward possibly buying one or leasing one.

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Danger, Will Robinson!! You are approaching a very slippery slope!! :eek:

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Originally Posted by chicago

I love it!! Now I have to get riding boots and a helmet... maybe I will post a 2nd post on what kind of boots and helmet to buy.... hmmm??

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Uh oh, I see that my warning came too late. ;)

Seriously, I'm glad you had a good lesson. Your enthusiasm comes thru loud and clear in your post. Aren't horses lovely creatures? I was fortunately enough to own and show a couple of horses during my high school years.

I love horses! I rode every summer as kid, at "horse camp". I really miss it :(

Are you riding english or western?

So glad you're enjoying the horses. They are beautiful animals. These tough economic times, some people are having a difficult time supporting their horses, and some can't even sell them because the market is down. So by paying for lessons you may be helping that nice gal keep her horses fed and healthy.

Agreed - quite a slippery slope indeed! I grew up on a ranch and rode my entire childhood through high school. I was SO lucky (something my pre-teen daughter reminds me of all the time). ;)

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Originally Posted by chicago

I love it!! Now I have to get riding boots and a helmet... maybe I will post a 2nd post on what kind of boots and helmet to buy.... hmmm??

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Look around on line:

http://www.doversaddlery.com/

I really love Ariat boots - very comfy.

I've been buying these for my daughter (not real leather, but they look great and are nice budget boots for growing feet - or for someone who may be buying a whole bunch of stuff at once ;) ): http://www.doversaddlery.com/saxon-e...1-38507/cn/11/

I did the horse riding thing for 20 years, from the mid-70s to the mid-90s. I even had my own horses for 10 years of that. After my last horse died of colic, I rode other peoples horses for a few years. Then I got into going to college (at 33!) and got away from horses. I sold all my tack 5 years ago and bought a nice road bike.

I still love horses and look at them out on bike rides.

I have a friend from college who is getting into bikes and we have been riding bikes together. She also rides jumpers and event horses. She has a horse, a Russian Warmblood, Max, who is a semi-retired show horse. I have gone horse riding with her a few times.

She really likes to teach riding too, so I can get instruction from her if I want it.

The horses I ride there are trained in dressage and jumping. They take work to ride. I'm in good shape for hiking and biking, but riding horses takes a whole new set of muscles and balance. I can't hold my seat for too long yet before getting tired. Last time I made it all the way around the arena at the canter!

That's cool. I've always wanted to ride a horse but always afraid they would since my fear and throw me off.

thanks everyone for your nice comments and encouragement.

I'm going to be getting some boots this week and a helmet :D. Not going to get any gear other than that right now...

can't wait for my next lesson. I already ran into two people at different stables who are interested in me leasing their horse as soon as I get a few lessons behind me :)

When I lived in Maryland, I rode English hunter/jumpers and participated in fox hunts with Elkridge Harford Hunt Club. It was an expensive sport, but a fun one. I helped around the barn and cleaned the horses and pulled manes,etc. in exchange for reduced rates on lessons and such. In addition to boots and a helmet, I would buy a pair of chaps - they will save your clothing bill! I went on a trail ride in Montana last summer on a huge horse and rode Western. I was very uncomfortable and didn't like it - I hadn't been on a horse in almost 20 years. Not as flexible as I used to be, so enjoy!.....Bekki

So glad you got to ride!! I am actually a trainer, so it is how I make my living(which is why I haven't been on the boards lately, got back into the horse world a few months ago after a year off and have been sooo soo busy with lessons and shows while finishing my last semester of school and fitting in bike time). If you have any questions feel free to ask! and yes check out Dover,also look at SmartPakequine.com and Statelinetack.com