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

Like the Wind

Its Saturday again, my favourite day of the week...........yipeeeee horse riding lol

Its been a great morning, my fella arrived home safely but early at 6 last night, so we got to unpack and get it all out of the way so today's freed up, its been lovely to just get up, listen to my music, get myself ready and go... its a lovely way to start the day..

Today we finally got our calenders and photos, we are both so pleased, my mum and grandparents will finally get to see us both smiling our heads off riding, it will be a gift my mum i know will love..

The lesson went really well today i made the double jumps this time staying on that saddle..lol but Lauren did exactly the same thing as i did last week, so were now officially both clingons..lol

Laurens now learning to jump too and is taking it slow but surely...

I wont forget to keep those heels down and she'll make sure she leads the horse not visa versa..lol

I will take the calenders to work and scan it so i can post the images but as i don't have one at home , Ive taken a couple on a camera so they are not as good as the real ones but a good start...

I cant believe how far we have come in a few short months, im so proud and pleased im having time out with my little girl, and so happy i am finally feeling that wind through my hair ...........

Its amazing how a horse can make you feel like you can fly, its doing wonders for my confidence and every week now i just cant wait to get there.....

Who ever said you're too old to try new things ....lol

Head Over Heels

The days flown by today, i struggled to get out of bed this morning, but it was riding so i couldn't miss it...

It was a really eventful lesson, we did our normal class and were then getting into the car when Sarah asked if i wanted to have another go in the next lesson as there was only one girl and shes on the showjumping class, so back i went, Sorrel got double the amount of Polo's today too..lol

But that wasn't the best bit, we started off doing the normal jumps until they started doubling them up..

You have to stay in jumping position all the way through as the horse knows theres only one stride til he jumps again, so i was doing really well, until that 2nd jump !! lol

I did the first jump fine but when he went to take the next i brought my heels back a bit (thats a no no) (keep those legs forward and heels down ) so as he landed on the second jump out of the stirrups my feet came and off the seat i slid.. it happens so quick and at this stage im in canter as the jumps are quite high he cannot take them in trot, so canterings a must, i got to the corner and knew i was coming off and then it kicked in my version of a carry on film....... everyone up the stables was up on their feet shouting for the horse to stop, but he didn't...

Have you ever seen a mad woman ride in canter bareback around a horses neck ? hehe

I did...

My bum was off the saddle id moved forward in front of the saddle onto the horses neck, so i did what came naturally ......... clung on for dear life...lol

The strange thing is i knew then i wouldn't fall, so 3 times round the ring i went legs dangling round poor Sorrels head like a moustache as hes cantering round, with the girls now in hysterics, and Nikita wanting to get a camera................(that's so mean) but it was great fun..........

Sarah said shes never seen anything so funny in her life, im not coming off that horse in a hurry and proved that today... they said anyone else would have fell and cant work out how the hell i hung on, i must have really good balance... lol .. more like really good grip !

Believe me i was cuddling that horses head to well like he was Brad Pitt.... and it worked...

So today Ive learned bareback neck riding too.. i can stay on that horse if i hold on tight enough, and given the girls there something to giggle about for the rest of the week...

The funny thing was i wasnt at all scared, i probably should have been, but i couldnt help laugh when i could see the girls all cracking up trying to stop the horse, while im hanging there like a clingon with my polos in tow....lol

Roll on next Saturday......... this is now starting to get really exciting.......

whatevers next ...........lol