So today I went back to finish my first lesson. Michelle did not have me walk today, but we just worked on trotting and posting. She still had my on a lunge rope just until I get my posting down.
We started trotting in a circle and it all felt so natural again. I was stoked! Until she made me go in the opposite direction. This was a little more difficult for me and Strawberry becuase she is blind in the right eye. Going in this direction I felt like my posting had no rhythem, which Michelle said that was suppose to happen and that I just needed to work on it some more.
The bike ride home was tiring LOL my thighs and butt hurt, but I can't wait until my next lesson!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
First Lesson
Well today was my very first riding lesson! I have to say I was very impressed and astounded. When I first got to the barn I met my riding horse for the day. Her name is Strawberry and she is a Belgian! This was not my first time meeting Strawberry. In fact my older sister rode her when she took riding lessons at this farm.
So I went into the barn and Michelle (lesson teacher) went through what to do everytime I come to take a lessons. She taught me how to groom, which I really already knew, but I did learn how to use a curry comb properly. As I was brushing I could feel Strawberry partialy leaning up against me. Michelle said that Strawberry does that when she likes how I am brushing her, so away I went!
The next thing we covered was tacking. This is the part I most enjoyed, becuase I never really knew how to tack a horse. We covered everthing from the saddle pad to the bit. Michelle also went into details what kinds of bits and halters and girths there were and WHY she preferred them. I found this part so interesting.
So after tacking we went into the riding ring just to find out that the stirrups were too short for me!! So we had to UN-TACK Strawberry and go get a new saddle. This I did not mind becuase this time around I got to tack Strawberry fully. So finally I mounted, which Michelle was really glad that I knew how to mount properly and away we went.
Of course we started off with just walking and how I should be sitting. This was MUCH more harder than I thought it would be, and I went in with an attitude that it was going to be hard anyways, but I was still suprised. Getting Strawberry to walk was pretty easy compared to everything else :D
When I started to learn how to make Strawberry hault, that is where it was a little more difficult for me. I tended to pull UP on the reins instead of BACK, I bet once I get practicing I shall get the hang of it.
Next thing we covered was turning left and right. This was reletively easy, but I just have to keep remembering to keep my arm straight when I do this. Then Michelle had me do some turning exercises which consisted of doing figure eights around four cones. Once I got started it was pretty easy and wicked fun!
After I got the hang of turning, Michelle said that I could start trotting! Given it was on a lunge rope but STILL!! haha. Right off the back she told me to take my hands off the leads and put them on my legs. This I was nervous about but I quickly found out that I have great balance on the saddle! Then she had me twisting my torso with arms stretched out, again while trotting and I never felt out of balance once.
I was really getting into the riding when suddenly it started to DOWN POUR! That was not the bad part, the bad part was the wind. It was starting to spook Strawberry so we had to call it a day. That is okay becuase I am going back tomrrow to finish my lesson!
So I went into the barn and Michelle (lesson teacher) went through what to do everytime I come to take a lessons. She taught me how to groom, which I really already knew, but I did learn how to use a curry comb properly. As I was brushing I could feel Strawberry partialy leaning up against me. Michelle said that Strawberry does that when she likes how I am brushing her, so away I went!
The next thing we covered was tacking. This is the part I most enjoyed, becuase I never really knew how to tack a horse. We covered everthing from the saddle pad to the bit. Michelle also went into details what kinds of bits and halters and girths there were and WHY she preferred them. I found this part so interesting.
So after tacking we went into the riding ring just to find out that the stirrups were too short for me!! So we had to UN-TACK Strawberry and go get a new saddle. This I did not mind becuase this time around I got to tack Strawberry fully. So finally I mounted, which Michelle was really glad that I knew how to mount properly and away we went.
Of course we started off with just walking and how I should be sitting. This was MUCH more harder than I thought it would be, and I went in with an attitude that it was going to be hard anyways, but I was still suprised. Getting Strawberry to walk was pretty easy compared to everything else :D
When I started to learn how to make Strawberry hault, that is where it was a little more difficult for me. I tended to pull UP on the reins instead of BACK, I bet once I get practicing I shall get the hang of it.
Next thing we covered was turning left and right. This was reletively easy, but I just have to keep remembering to keep my arm straight when I do this. Then Michelle had me do some turning exercises which consisted of doing figure eights around four cones. Once I got started it was pretty easy and wicked fun!
After I got the hang of turning, Michelle said that I could start trotting! Given it was on a lunge rope but STILL!! haha. Right off the back she told me to take my hands off the leads and put them on my legs. This I was nervous about but I quickly found out that I have great balance on the saddle! Then she had me twisting my torso with arms stretched out, again while trotting and I never felt out of balance once.
I was really getting into the riding when suddenly it started to DOWN POUR! That was not the bad part, the bad part was the wind. It was starting to spook Strawberry so we had to call it a day. That is okay becuase I am going back tomrrow to finish my lesson!
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