Chasing Shadow

Im just back from riding.. what a blast , although it was a hard lesson..lol

Ive put my faith in Sarah and Nikita now and am just having a go at what they tell me to do, Shadow is so much stronger than anything ive rode before, you have to use your whole body strength even in trott to hold her back, as she wants to go, again i was asked to lead the group..

It was different today so fast i can remember sitting on her while in canter and releasing the reins when instructed ,and its like someone kicked everything up a gear.. ive had powerful soft top sports cars and had a go at so many fast things, but i can honestly say today felt like the fastest i have ever rode, my head was talking to me as i went round, keep straight dont lean, head up, look forward, heals down ....but shadow was going hell for leather and holding nothing back ..lol she is a totally brilliant horse...

My fellas insitant now i get fitted with a back protector, so hes taking me down there during the week to get me measured up, im the only one there that doesnt wear one, so for my fella's peace of mind ill go get fitted out properly..... its time now....

Another rider sadly fell today, she didnt want to get back on the horse, every week we see them come and go , but you cant ride horses and expect them to work like clockwork, they have good/bad days like we do all have such different characters, so like us we have to take the good days and stay postive.. i was a bit scared of the horses when i first started , they are so powerful, but thats gone now, as ive grown to love it and them so much and know somehow this will play a big part in my life now, the only difference is, i have nothing but respect for these creatures and never take anything for granted while im in that saddle......

She was riding Sorrel and didnt keep her heals down after she landed the jump......

God it doesnt half hurt, i did a very simular thing when i first started but managed to hang round Sorrels neck like a moustache.. so he didnt quite manage to throw me off completely, i ached for days.. so i hope she will be ok and come back.. its the way we learn ....

I waited til the end of the lesson to see how sarah thought i did today, its always when we get the rundown on the lesson, and ways to improve our riding skills, all i got was you handled shadow beautifully again,well done! and how come you keep smiling even when you are concentrating? most people look serious and stick tongues out and stuff..lol

I wasnt aware that i am smiling ,all im doing is enjoying myself and concentrating on what im doing, so it just confirms facially i guess how i feel ..

Totally happy inside and out.....

This is Shadow, hopefully soon ill have photos of me jumping with her...

Dont you think she matches my hair well.............lol

Running Free

What a day, do you ever get up feeling so invigorated and happy, i do today......

I feel like someones took a huge weight off my head and turned on the lights..

Its strange as its only little things that I've done but its made a huge difference to how i feel inside..

I had a talk last night to my fella about i felt that something was missing from my life, i was struggling to look forward to anything except riding and wasn't really my cheerful self, every ones been trying to help, but nothing made it go away..

Last night really helped as i had some time out and felt i took something back from my day to day life that i didn't want to go away, so i went to sleep very peaceful, i set my alarm for the usual 6am but didn't wake up til 8.30 which i don't do, so although i didn't do a lot of physical stuff just my swimming it made me switch off enough to sleep peacefully...

Today has been the total opposite, and adrenaline packed day and absolutely brilliant..

I went riding and was told i was being tested, now I'm not good any kind of tests i don't like the thought of having someone watch me, its invading my space and not allowing me to be myself, so I'm usually quite strange with things like that, but i trust Sarah and the girls and she just said nothing to worry about ill speak to you after the lesson......mmmmm

Anyway i was riding Shadow again this morning (the big white mare) a little sad as Sorrell keeps looking at me, and i miss him, but did as i was told, to then have probably the best lesson Ive had so far...

She was having a quick day and flew round, but also behaved impeccably for me, i was leading the group today too ! (its my first time) so i set the course for the group, god it was brilliant...

The girls were talking and watching throughout the lesson, and i tried not to notice (but did) lol

Til at the end of the turning in Sarah says "were not putting you back on Sorrel anymore, your allocated horse now full time will be shadow".....

Apparently i rode well last week enough for them to say if i did the same this week they felt i was advanced enough to cope with shadows speed and strength.... yipeeeeeeeeeeeeee

I love the horses so i don't mind who i ride i just don't want to keep getting attached to them like i did Sorrel...lol but Sarah must have sensed it as Ive also been given 5 mins after each lesson to feed him Polo's and give him a cuddle, that way i feel that I'm still part of him ... i find it hard to let people in sometimes I'm the first to admit that, but its only as i have found if people get in too deep they can also cut deep , but hopefully horses don't work the same way.........

Anyway I'm happy that i must be getting good now, I'm back jumping next week on a horse that apparently clears any fence it jumps and who rides at hair blowing in the wind speed...

I came home grabbed a cuppa and then changed into wellies and jumper, Estelle was on her way, we went to Buxton to her grandads farm and had such a giggle, seeing the horses running wild in his fields was breathtaking, so in we went calling one of the horses names and all 5 of them cantering through the grass at high speed with eyes all firmly set on our bucket of carrots...lol

They are wonderful horses and trying to catch two was such a giggle, we had to walk them across the road to the stable and then my how to look after a horse lesson started....lol

With Estelle doing back flips off the saddle.. i knew this wasn't going to be boring..lol

Ive learnt how to tack up saddle up and groom the horse from top to hoof, i put the saddle and stretched out his front legs (which i didn't know you did) and by the time id finished on pepper she looked stunning, Ive even learnt how to clean the hoofs ! lol

So its a regular date now Saturdays, I'm dropping off Lauren after lessons and going to Buxton to help out, I'm slow at the moment i know but with practise ill get there....

The surprise of the day was one of the girls from Kimblewick, shes lovely and has invited me to her place to help her ride and take care of the horses there.. all 17 of them............for them I'm a free hand and they find me amusing as most people don't want to get up early in the cold and turn out, but to me its priceless, i also love those early hours and have a good riding coat now and i find the idea of waking up jumping into my car and jumping onto a horse great ..

Have a terrific weekend everyone, its my fellas day away tomorrow so i get the kids..... although hes not grooming horses i hope he ends up feeling as good as i do today............