Riding Progress for Mom

Progress...at last! This ole mom is beginning to feel like I made it over a small hurdle. I've been taking riding lessons the past two years on and off (which is part of the problem...not being consistent). The other problems: the horse I was on and my neurotic fear (of broken bones, death, etc...is there an "etc" after death, lol). Now we have the perfect horse for lessons; he is steady, consistent, and has a huge heart and things are achangin' for us riding-wise! His name is Rex.

A few weeks ago during a lesson, I was trotting on Rex (if you know me, this is a big deal for me). There was some bouncing but I was getting more comfortable at it and getting less air between my saddle and my backside. I have to remember to keep my heels down and not tense my legs up too (this is my own personal reminder so don't mind me)! Anyhoo, I felt better about myself after this lesson.

Then, we go on vacation last week and hubby and I go on a trail ride (our first time alone together without kids in well over a year). It was an hour long and it was just the guide, hubby, and me. My horse was used to being the guide's horse but he was mine on that day because they are training a new horse for guiding. Well, Clever (that's the name of my horse), wasn't happy about that and kept trying to trot to the front of the line. Guess he thought he was clever (ok, bad joke). I kept him from getting around the other horse on my own each time...not one bit of help from the guide. (Bit of a confidence boost there.) He also kept kicking at flies with his back legs. The first time bumped me up a bit but after that, I was prepared. By the end of this trail ride, I was sore but I felt good about the ride itself.

Fast forward to yesterday - my next lesson. Yesterday's lesson was me riding Rex where I wanted, at a walk or a trot, on my own. Our trainer was there off to the side as a guide if I needed her but this was the first time she wasn't in the middle of the arena pushing me along. I did more trotting yesterday than I think I ever have. I also trotted on turns by the end without any problem (nobody wants to see mom plop out of her saddle on a turn anyway and kiss the sand, lol). She is "training" me so that by this summer, I can ride Rex whenever I want to instead of just during lessons so we get a lot more riding time in.

I am trying to make it easier on Rex by dropping 15-20 pounds. I am not hugely overweight (just a little bit), but I am packing a few extra lbs. that I would like to lose (for myself mostly but he'll get the benefit as well, lol). He is a big guy (16H or more) so it's not like he can't carry me easily bit it's incentive for me to lose a little weight anyway.

That's another thing - I am usually afraid of larger horses. I see visions of being trampled by huge horses (probably because that is what my clyde cross tried to do to me once last spring, lol). Rex is a big guy and I can ride him and not feel any fear at all over his size. I don't even think about it when I am on his back. He is such a good boy!

So, yeah, for this green ole mom!!