Thursday 12 October 2017

Horsing Around

After reading my answers to the stolen meme, a few people expressed interest in hearing about my experience of horse riding.  I was reluctant to lay bare my ignominious defeat but, after revisiting the saga with Harry, I can see the funny side, so here it is:


Rosie Goes Riding

Harry and I were sitting on a clifftop above a deserted beach, desultorily watching the feeble little waves breaking on the shore. No surfing that day. We were about to turn away when a posse of riders on horseback came into sight, their mounts galloping along the shoreline, kicking up spray. Harry thought it would be wonderful to do that in moonlight and there began his romantic notion of us doing that very thing.

And so it was that I came to be in a stable yard, kitted out with riding hat and boots, amongst a gaggle of pony mad little girls. The lesson started in the yard with the basics, like how to climb aboard and hold the reins. Harry mentioned to the instructor that I was a little nervous and she assured him I'd be fine with Dora, she was a placid animal and could do the exercises in her sleep. But animals can smell fear, can't they? The sweet natured horse knew I was never going to be in charge right from the start.

Then, on to the paddock, which meant putting into practice what we had learned about stopping and starting. So I told Dora to "walk on" and squeezed with my knees but she was going nowhere until the instructor came to my rescue.

The following week, we reprised the first week's lesson before moving into a bigger paddock  to learn trotting. I was doing quite well until then but Dora refused to move on to the other paddock. We'd been shown how to smack a crop against the saddle, rather than the horse, but my feeble tap had no effect. The instructor leaned over and gave her a smart tap, galvanising her into sudden movement that nearly had me off. She behaved herself for the trotting but I knew who had the upper hand and it wasn't me. To finish the lesson we were given an exercise that involved turning round 360 degrees in the saddle, using the pommel. I'm a bit hazy now on how it was done but why on Earth would anyone want or need to do that? I think I made it eventually but I can't be sure and Harry doesn't remember!

Whilst I was making my inept attempts, Harry took to horseback like a duck to water. By the third week, I was still going round in circles when, in the next field, Harry was trotting around prior to going out on a ride with experienced pupils and their instructor. There had been a mistake in the allocation of horses that morning and the only one left for Harry to ride was Jago, a spirited animal, usually only ridden by instructors. Harry was thrown off unceremoniously but got straight back on. He relished the challenge and was allowed to ride the horse from then on. Each week, Jago threw him off in a different way, until he realised Harry wasn't going to give up.



I think Dora was tired on the day of my sixth lesson because she seemed to go into the 'I can do this in my sleep' mode. Anyway, I was plodding around with a semblance of knowing what I was doing when the stable owner came along and said I must go on a ride the following week.

Placid Dora came with me on my very first proper ride. We set off nicely, trotting along the bridle path, until she decided that wasn't enough fun and bolted off the track, heading determinedly in the direction of the nearby trunk road. I pulled on the reins in vain, hanging on for dear life, until the instructor caught up and took control. On return to the yard in every previous week, one or other of the pony mad little girls had offered to take Dora from me to do whatever had to be done between lessons. That time, none of them was around and I had to look after Dora myself. I dismounted, remembering we were not to let the horses drink straight away but Dora headed doggedly for the water trough. I actually managed to stop her and leant up against her shoulder, as we had been taught. Her response was to stomp hard on my foot! My howl of anguish at last produced help and Dora was led away by someone far more competent than I.

Harry, meantime, had also returned to the yard, where he found me hopping around in pain. He led me to his car, where he removed my boot from my rapidly swelling foot. That was the last time I ever went near a horse. Many years later my mother found my boots in the back of a cupboard and gave them to my elder daughter. The left boot still bore the muddy imprint of Dora's hoof.

Harry continued to ride out from the stables until he had the news that a careless person had ridden Jago into a tree and the poor horse had to be destroyed.

He never got to realise his romantic dream but he did get to ride with our daughters who, like him, took to it with ease.


Rosie





18 comments:

  1. Hi Rosie, thank you for sharing the story, I was curious.

    Ooh ouch, your poor foot! What a shame it didn't quite work for you. Guess you will have to leave romantic rides on the beach together to Hollywood lol. Love the idea though :)

    Hugs
    Roz

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    1. Yes, it was a great idea, Roz. The reality wasn't much fun though!
      Rosie xx

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  2. Hi Rosie, :) Loved reading about your riding adventures! I think you are right about horses just knowing. Your poor foot! That would definitely do me in! Sounds like you lasted for some time, with the lessons. Good for you!

    When I was a teen, I took lessons. For some reason, I was always given this stubborn horse named Jill. I was always less than thrilled. My last straw with her was the day that we were jumping around medium jumps. Jill decided to stop short, right at the jump. I went over. Got the wind knocked out of me. Luckily nothing else! Not a fun day at all!

    Thanks for sharing about your riding. I think that just the fact that you and Harry gave it a go together, was very romantic! Many hugs,

    ❤️Katie

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    1. I did try with the lessons, Katie, but I was really out of my comfort zone with horse riding. As we've already established, I'm not too keen on anything sporty! Good thing you weren't injured by Jill's stunt.
      Rosie xx

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  3. This was so funny, Rosie girl! I agree with Harry that the sight of someone galloping along the surf looks so wonderful. Glad he got to go with his girls.

    My experiences were quite similar. My horse knew I was an idiot and just lay down in the path and dumped me off in a sticker bush. That was my last horse adventure.

    Hugs Across the Pond,
    Ella

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    1. Ella, I can see the funny side now but at the time I felt a failure. Horses seem to be able to home in on those of us with little confidence in handling them. Poor you, being dumped into a bush.
      Rosie xx

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  4. Rosie,
    My horse experience is very much like yours. Old Chief was so very gentle and I actually did well. He knew the trail and he instantly knew me. It was my shortness that caused the problem. Chief was old and wide. My legs could barely straddle his girth. Forget the stirrups. Jack just wanted to do the whole ride again and again.

    I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about your horse riding achievements.
    Meredith

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    1. Sounds as though you just needed a horse with that wasn't so wide, Meredith. Couldn't have been much fun without stirrups.
      It's kind of you to refer to my horse riding achievements, I only looked at the negatives at the time.
      Rosie xx

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  5. Hi Rosie, t least you tried to fulfil harry's dreams! Bless you.
    love Jan, xx

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    1. Thanks, Jan, I did try but I was pretty inept!
      Rosie xx

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  6. I took lesson as a kid too and I loved it. And actually I was pretty darn good. All was well until the owner wanted me to show his horses. I hated the idea. I liked dance until we had a recital. Same with the piano. I just wanted to ride because I love it. When I told him I wouldn't show for him, he made me stay in the little paddock instead of the pasture or the trails so I eventually gave it up.

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    1. Oh, what a shame to be good at something you loved and to have to give it up in those circumstances. My younger daughter used to play the piano but would never play for guests.
      Rosie xx

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  7. Thanks for sharing your story, Rosie...that horse most definitely sensed your unease...little stinker! Harry should have taken you up with him for a romantic ride. LOL I'm so sorry poor Jago had to pay the price for someone's stupidity.

    Hugs and blessings...Cat

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    1. I think any horse I had would have sussed me out. In a way, it was probably a good thing I had Dora, at least she never tried to throw me!
      Harry was heart sick when he heard about Jago and never rode out from those stables again.
      Rosie xx

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  8. Oh dear Rosie what an experience with Dora. Pity Harry's dream wasn't fulfilled but you gave it a good try.
    Hope your foot didn't take too long to heal. Sad to hear about Harry's horse Jago.
    Hugs Lindy xx

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    1. I think it's Dora that needed the sympathy, Lindy; I was pretty inept! Jago was a handful but Harry loves a challenge. He was really cut up that the horse had to be destroyed and didn't ride again for a long time.
      Rosie xx

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  9. This was very funny! All for the sake of a romantic romp on the beach...that is hilarious! Sorry it didn’t become reality but your adventure sure makes for an entertaining post. Thanks for sharing this one.

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    1. I'm glad you found my sorry tale entertaining, Laurel! It wasn't funny at the time - well, not to me anyway - but I can laugh about it now.
      Rosie xx

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