The First Time...

And the comments were...

"Lovely!"

"Great fun, have booked more lessons."

Living a Dream...

How many of you have had a childhood hobby or interest and for whatever reason have not been able to continue with it?

I was brought up in Northern Ireland and when I was about 9 or 10 years old I spent most of my summer holidays at the local stables. I don´t remember having riding lessons as such but I do remember how happy I was just being around the horses. At the end of the school holidays I returned to boarding school, the owner of the stables died and the land was sold for development so my contact with the stables came to an end.

Now 43 years later, very unfit and overweight I decided to do something about my lifestyle. So to mark my 53rd birthday at the beginning of September and to satisfy my wish to sit on a horse again I went to The Riding School. I explained that I thought I might be a bit of a challenge, Jodie´s reply, ´No problem,´ and so I booked my first course of lessons.

Getting on and off. I knew this would be difficult. With one foot in the stirrup and struggling to get on I accidently kicked the horse on the hind quarters. Thinking this was the signal to go, Platino set off on a trot with me hanging over the saddle. Eventually I was on but then I had to get off again. It was a struggle but knew I had to do it or else I would be up there for some time. I went home feeling a bit despondent because if I couldn´t get on or off there wasn´t much point in continuing but I decided that after four lessons I would make my mind up on whether to carry on or not. However, at the end of the second lesson I bought a hat and after the fourth I bought some boots and a pair of jodhpurs. I was determined to give it a go so booked another course of lessons two weeks later.

Sometimes I think my progress is quite slow but I don´t mind as long as I keep making progress and I enjoy it. I have been out on a few treks now, it´s fantastic seeing the local area in this way and every time I´m out it´s a learning experience. Cars, orange pickers, burning in the orange groves, keeping the horses moving through water as well as learning the rules of the road. Even when things don´t go as well as you want, you lose a bit of confidence and want to give up, Jodie will keep you going. Thank you Jodie. I know it´s all part of learning and the next time a problem happens it´s not as bad. Then the trek is over and I´m back at the stables. Time ot get off - no problem - it´s quite easy now.

Now it´s time to work, mucking out, washing feed buckets, washing and filling water buckets, moving bales. What could be better than working outside and being with the horses and I´m getting exercise.

I´m now healthier and fitter so all you people out there who think they can´t do it, have a go. It´s fanastic living my dream, learning a new skill and having a feeling of achievement with every new thing learned.

I have now lost over 10 kilos which is great and Roberto thinks so as well.

So thank you Jodie, David and of course Roberto and the boys.

See you next week.

Margaret

First time on a horse at 71 years young!

Margaret