Back in the saddle with a hot mare!

Hello again! Somewhere among work and uni obligations, I finally found the time to take a riding lesson again at EGVUS. I had been off the saddle since last June and I was excited to start again! I had improved so much, I wanted to show him Yannis this rising trot I had brought to perfection, but to no avail, due to the long time I had abstained from riding :((

And here I was last Sunday, excited but nervous and unsure about my skills at the yard (thankfully I don’t have to spend a day travelling to get a riding lesson anymore). Yannis gave me a pretty, tall, brown mare, Amphipolis; he actually asked me to lead her from the stable to the spot where I would mount. OMG, I was so nervous and the fact that Yannis uses neckcollars instead of headcollars on his horses felt weird. And the fact that most horses there are quite hot, due to their racecourse past, was a bit worrying for me.

So, I led Amphipolis holding her by a rope with Yannis walking next to me. But when he strayed, the mare, who, of course, had felt how nervous I was, escaped from my hands, kicking and galloping to the far-back stable, where a Hippolytus, a thoroughbred stallion lives,  showing that she was more interested in an intercourse with him than a riding lesson with me.

Yannis explained that she had been in the stall for a few days hence she was too excited, and decided he should have a go with galloping with her before he let me mount. And so he did, Amphipolis appearing happy to move fast again. He then let me mount, and watched me while I was doing the first session. That day’s programme included a relaxed riding, just with the basis under his supervision. I did the exercises and the like, but I was disappointed to find out that I wouldn’t be able to show him my improvement in the rising trot, because I was losing balance all the time and fell forward. Amphipolis was quite naughty, as she tried to gallop at every opportunity and I had to work on that, using all the muscle power I had to stop her. Eventually she calmed down and we were able to finish the lesson, me having 90% control on her. Hey, I could even do what I wanted with next to Hippolitus’s stall, stopping every time I remembered.

Yannis in time asked for a canter, but I refused, because I didn’t feel balanced enough for it. I do feel I’m at zero point. But he was happy with what he saw, despite the fact, that I wasn’t. I do look forward for today’s lesson and, actually, I need to leave you now to get ready. Muuuuaaah!

PS: I do indeed enjoy working with hot horses even if I’m a novice, because I do believe that it’s a great way to understand equine behaviour and, also, a great way for intense exercise!