How many "Horsey Ladies" are here?

[Brandi]

Awww I wish I could be! I love horses but I am deathly allergic to them! If I get within 5 feet my face swells up. I have been this way since I was little and I hate it. what i wouldn't give to be able to ride without feeling like cr*p. I have to watch from afar and dream!

[Michelemarrano]

Hi Kris--I'm glad you like your lessons. Me and DH ride English--I'm an old "saddleseat" rider and DH rode "hunt seat". I had a five-gaited American Saddlebred mare (excellent trail horse); DH had a huge bay Saddlebred gelding he rode as a hunter. We rode together before our children came along.

I stopped riding in 1994 as we outlived our horses and started our family. Our girls are now 13 and 17, and we are both back in the saddle. There is a wonderful Saddlebred barn near our house--the trainer is the best caretaker in the world. She has a really neat niche of affordable lessons, affordable leasing, reasonable board. She makes riding attainable for us middle-class folks. She's trained and shown world champions but would rather have a barn full of truck drivers and nurses than work for rich folks.

I started riding back in November. I take 1-2 lessons per month and lease a wonderful lesson horse. I really find that posting a trot English style really works my core muscles and is making me a stronger cyclist.

Keep up with the English riding lessons--your cycling self will thank you!

[copperlegend]

Me me! I've been riding hunter/jumpers since I was 6 (wow, 21 years now, sheesh!), rode Western for a bit when I was in college because our IHSA team needed some spots filled. Unfortunately I had to put my horse down in November, and it's taken a while to get back in the saddle, but I have a great friend with a few lovely OTTB's for me to ride.

The barn is a mere 3 miles from my house, and I have a feeling I'll be riding my bike there from now on.