My Riding Experiences :)

[shalakominiatureshowhorses]

Before I got into the miniature horse world, I took horse riding lessons for 7 years on many different horses. I just thought I'd share the highlights of my experiences!!!

My first riding lesson was on a 14hh pony named Nada. He taught me the basics of walk and trot. We didnt really do anything special, but back then it was fun!

Then I switched to a mare for a while named Robin. We did the same walk and trot business, but she was more advanced. She moved with her owner to Oklahoma to be a ranch horse a couple months later.

I then went back to Nada. We did the same thing for about 2 years.

But one day, Nada went sore, so I rode Kit, a much more advanced horse at the time for me. I was learning to loap that day, without reins :/ that was a big mistake. Somehow, i either kicked him in the flanks or did something, because he started crow-hopping. I went up in the air, came back down hard on the saddle, and got unbalanced and fell off the side of the horse. But i had a foot stuck in a sturrip. So, i was hanging upside down by a foot, almost getting my head stompped in by his back hooves. I kicked myself out of the sturrip and fell on my tailbone. After that, i couldnt walk a long way for a week. I then went back to riding, but my confidence crushed as a 10 year old. My instructor moved and i changed lesson barns.

I then rode a 17hh horse named Oley. He taught me so much in the 3 or 4 years i rode him. I learned English in a Western saddle, i knew (or know) how to post, change leads, go over trotting poles, use my legs, 2 point, etc. Then my instructor and Oley moved to another local barn, i didnt ride him any more. He was too far away from where we lived, but i watched my best friend have her lessons on him every month. This summer, he moved to Maine.

I am in the 4-H horse club, and one of the opportunities we get to do, is go to the YMCA camp and ride camp horses. Last year, I was first assigned to Molly, and old 15hh horse. I rode her once, but she was too slow, even for a camp horse, for me. I then got switched to an off-the-track 17hh horse Marquee. He was so much like Oley, it was like riding him all over again.

This year, Marquee cut his lip and was taken out of last months lesson. I rode a pony Pumbaa as a replacement. He was a good horse, but didnt like loaping. We were practicing barrels, and i was trying to loap to the last barrel. He didnt want to do that. He bucked high into the air and i let go and, as witnesses describe, "dismounted" in the air and landed on my feet. I thought that was hilarious!! I fell from my feet dying laughing. The camp instructor thought i was hurt because i was crying, i was just laughing too hard. Wiping tears from my eyes, i got back on and finished what i started. She said that i should probably sit out, but i was fine!!! I finished the lesson with flying colors. Since then, I am still complimented on my fall LOL.

This month, actually on Wendsday, I rode Marquee again, but in the expert class. We trotted and loaped. I am always used as the leader and a demenstration person when MaryA wants to teach something new. I like to think of myself as a Star Student LOL. She tried to teach me to sit a trot western style, but i knew english on western, so i was nervous. Its so hard staying in the saddle! I let go of the reins, grabbed the horn and the back of the saddle and held on for dear life!! Never doing that again!!!

I love riding, but i love driving even more. It would hurt too much riding everyday for me. My tailbone still bothers me from my first fall.

Congratulations and ThankYou if you read this whole thing! Will post next months lesson here neext month!

 

[Marty]

Well my goodness, you've had quite a time of it! I believe that a riding instructor could make you or ruin you so its always important to go to the best who has plenty of credentials. Personally, I would have never asked you to lope off unless you had walk, trot, turning and all the brakes down to a science and in the proper saddle. Its so important to match the horse to the rider's level and I do hope you wear your helmet. Sounds like you are quite the star so enjoy it and always be careful. Best wishes.

 

[shalakominiatureshowhorses]

Thanks Marty!

Yes, camp rules are you dont even get to be with the horses without a helmet, even the experienced ones. Oh and yes, we do warm up. Walk and trot both ways and diagonals at camp

and we did walk and trot first before my first fall, but my old instructor did it all at the wrong time. Its good for me and the horse to warm up, since im never really used to being in the saddle all the time, just once a month. Thankfully, i have had some good riding instructors. Will post next months lessons soon!

 

[Carolyn R]

Sounds like you are enjoying it. Its like an illness when it comes to horses, you can try to get it out of your system, but you are never really cured. You always find your way back to them. I was put in the saddle at the age of two by our neighbor,by three she would take me out on trails with her. I would ride with her every chance I got. Even at 37 there's no stopping me. I tried to stay away from riding horses for awhile, especially after losing the two I had grown up with when we got our own. I was heartbroken when my mare had to be put down at the age of 22 due to cancer. She was 10 months and I was nine when we got her.it broke my heart when i had to put her down, but through it all, I just couldn't stay away. There is nothing like taking off on the trails, full steam ahead. The saddle and how it fits the horse as well as the rider is a huge deal when sticking your seat. My girl is very hard to fit, and to say the least, I am tolerating the saddle right now because it fits her, not because I am in love with it.

It's funny, I look back now and I know the two horses we had were okay, but could be little beasts at times. To think that we ( me and usually one of my brothers) would take off racing on them, and I was probably only 12-13 when we first started doing it, my parents must have really trusted our judgement and those horses too. Through it all, I have to say, I may have not always appreciated it, but there is nothing like growing up out in the country. Enjoy every minute you can riding the big guys and driving the little ones. Not implying that you are a young child, but As my signature says, what one loves in childhood stays in the heart forever.