I went horse riding on Thursday for the first time in about 18 months. I'm glad I have found another place where I can go regularly as I have definitely got the bug again! Horse riding is one of my oldest hobbies. I have loved it since I was about 12 when I was taught by a friend, Stella, who owned two horses in our village. We used to get up at 5am on the weekend and get the horses ready, take a picnic and go out on the horses ALL day. I remember my Mum having to keep my dinners in the microwave for me most nights back then as I would be home late after mucking out and grooming them after a full day's riding. This was back in the day before phones and I'm amazed she was so relaxed at letting me disappear off for the whole day like that with no way to contact me. We would ride for miles in the countryside around the village and even built our own jumps in the nearby fields. She taught me a lot, Stella. The main thing being confidence on a horse. I remember being terrified the first time I cantered, she had told me what to do, how to sit, she rode her horse about 100m away and then I was to just
go on my horse - I was petrified and then exhilarated! After that I wanted to canter all the time!
It's also a really good exercise without feeling like it because it's just so much fun! Plus it gets me outdoors in the fresh air rather than just doing my inside exercise like swimming and pilates.
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| Me & Liz after our swim, before horse riding |
The place I used to go regularly was in a local country park and started off fun but soon got boring when we just walked around the same route every week with the odd trot occasionally. On Thursday I tried a new place with Liz and we both loved it, even despite the horrible weather! We were out in the woods north of Glasgow and did plenty of trotting and cantering! Making it both more fun and better exercise, we are both looking forward to going back next week.
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| That's better! |
Oi, show me some attention!
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| He was so lovely and gentle, only 4 years old. |
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| Russell - my faithful steed ;) |
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| We're off! |
Sorry for the rubbish photos - my phone camera is a bit gubbed!
9 comments:
I'm so jealous - I had a riding lesson booked after a 4 year break, but then I found out my news!
It's such an amazing thing - there really is no better feeling than a good canter in the woods!
Now that's a cool hobby! I've been riding about twice as an adult... and yes it's all about the confidence! (Takes me a while to get that back, it must be said!)
Can't wait to do it all again, we will be able to crush a walnut between our thighs in no time lol, great day and live that horse so much x
I know, I LOVE it! Think I will make it as regular as possible, this one is pretty reasonable - once saw somewhere that charged £36 per hour just for a hack!!!
I find it depends where you go and the horse! Russell was lovely and not skittery at all so I felt happy quite quickly :)
Lol, so excited there you posted it twice! ;) x
Wow, that's very cool. Unfortunately I live in Surrey where horseriding is mega pricey, and I cannot afford it. Amazing fun though. I'm jealous!
Although as I remember it is motherfudging painful on the inner thighs.
K x
Yes, my thighs are still rather stiff even after 4 days! Going again on Thurs, dreading Friday!! lol
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