# Back in the saddle again ...



## 4hoofbeat (Jun 27, 2013)

I'm an off again on again rider lately. The demands of life get in the way and I stop riding for a bit. This last hiatus was 2 years.. so I had my second riding lesson yesterday and boy am I sore today. 

I knew I'd be sore, but being at an age I've never been before ( hahaha! ) muscles don't rebound as quickly as they used to 

It felt so good to be at the barn, the sounds of horses and smells of hay and shavings and that distinct 'horse' smell .. why do I keep leaving only to miss it and then torture myself getting back into it. 

It took visiting a couple lessons barns within a 30 -45 min drive of my house to find an instructor that I felt I would click with and actually teach instead of talking with an assistant the whole time. I just don't understand some instructors, it seems to be the younger ones, they chat with someone or are on their phone. Lady I'm paying you for your time..geesh! 

The instructor I found is attentive and so far is proving worth the $$ 

I hope I remember to keep up with this as I go 

Thanks for reading! 



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## 4hoofbeat (Jun 27, 2013)

No lesson this week due to rain and no indoor

Story time?

I remember my favorite ride on my favorite lesson horse like it was yesterday. I believe I was around 10 at the time and as I walked into the barn I had over heard girls complaining about a gelding who was lazy and tripped over his feet. I looked at the list for my lesson and guess who I was riding.. the gelding. His name was Oberon, a big brown Throughbred. 

I walked to his stall and was greeted by a brown face and small snip on his nose. He was sweet and I rubbed his face and told him he was a good boy. 

I groomed him, talking quietly to him the whole time. ( Its a thing I still do with new horses) after tacking him up I walked him out to the outdoor, noticing that he seemed to drag his hind hooves a little. I could hear them as we walked. 

I carefully mounted him, our instructor made us get off and remount if we weren't kind to the horses back. 

I let him walk on a loose rein while I stretched and fixed my stirrups. When the instructor gave the first commands to gather up reins and move into a more energized walk I whispered to Oberon that he was a good boy.

It was the usual walk to trot, sitting trot, posting trot.. etc etc 

About half way through the lesson the instructor commented that Oberon looked great. I beamed! I hadn't felt him trip at all the whole lesson. 
At the end of the lesson the instructor told me she would put me on Oberon as much as she could as we seemed to click and he seemed to float as we trotted. 

I was the happiest girl that day ! 



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## 4hoofbeat (Jun 27, 2013)

No lessons the past few weeks, I ended up with poison ivy rash along my inner ankle and my knee area. 

Hopefully next week will work out! 

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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

When I was a kid, I couldn't be bothered putting on a saddle and rode bareback everywhere. Did you know that if horses roll in poison ivy, they can then transfer it to your inner legs if you ride bareback? Also, they love to eat poison ivy and will not get the blisters. I don't expect you got your poison ivy from riding your pony bareback, but your post reminded me of my poison ivy that I used to get on the insides of my legs all summer long. Of course, I rode anyway . . . I was a kid.


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## 4hoofbeat (Jun 27, 2013)

knightrider said:


> When I was a kid, I couldn't be bothered putting on a saddle and rode bareback everywhere. Did you know that if horses roll in poison ivy, they can then transfer it to your inner legs if you ride bareback? Also, they love to eat poison ivy and will not get the blisters. I don't expect you got your poison ivy from riding your pony bareback, but your post reminded me of my poison ivy that I used to get on the insides of my legs all summer long. Of course, I rode anyway . . . I was a kid.


This was bad - I probably would've ridden anyway when I was younger! 

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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

I'm an on/off again rider too as I mostly enjoy my horses from the ground nowdays--hope to ride soon! I remember the first time I went on a beach ride with some friends, it was over two hours I think. Anyway when the ride was done I literally could not get myself out of the saddle from being so sore and stiff! It didn't help that the saddle was a spanish style with a high pommel and cantle, big horn and no padding whatsoever on the seat. Finally somebody noticed and suggested I dismount and untack the horse--then I had to admit I was stuck and needed help! Kind of embarrassing but they pushed my leg up and over and we survived, lol.


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## 4hoofbeat (Jun 27, 2013)

This week's lesson we worked on circles, pole work circles. Which when you're trying to get a big Throughbred to make a small controlled circle is a lot harder than it looks. This was to work on my control of her whole body and more moving the hind quarters. We did some collected and extended trot work also. I'm still not confident enough and it shows. I'm working my way back to it though!









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## 4hoofbeat (Jun 27, 2013)

Lesson last week was just a leisurely trail ride but did I need it. 
No lesson this week due to hurricane remnants going thru area - tons of rain. 



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## 4hoofbeat (Jun 27, 2013)

I wish I had a hot tub. I don't remember sore muscles from sitting trot when I was younger. Oh how I wish I stuck with it when my kids were younger. 

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