Horses

[whitecandy]

I was wondering if anyone here liked horses and riding?

I have been horse riding since I was four, and used to ride almost every day until I was about 17. I helped run a local pony club and looked after horses and ponies for people in the town I grew up in. I used to go out riding in the fields and on the beach, and make jumping courses in the paddock. I moved away to University and there were no riding stables near where I moved, and being a student I had no money either. Then I started work and had money but no time to do anything, and the years have just slipped by and I have missed it so much.

Anyway, this year I have decided to get back into my second biggest passion in life (the other being Buffy of course) and have just called a stables and booked myself a riding lesson next Sunday! I am so nervous as it has been over 10 years since I went on a horse, and also having developed this anxiety and mood disorder since I got older, I have nowhere near as much confidence as I had before. I think that getting back into something I love so much will really help me, as will being out and about in the fresh air.

I just miss it so much, the whole being around horses and the atmosphere of the stables. The stables I have found looks super nice, and the owner is even going to come and collect me and take me to the stables early to show me around and let me meet all the staff and horses. I said I was interested in helping out too and he said they always love having people around who share their passion so hopefully I will be able to do that too.

I am so excited but nervous! He offered to come and get me tomorrow but I think I need more time to psyche myself up for it, plus all my riding kit is in Wales still at my Mom's house. I am going to try and get some cheap boots off ebay this weekend and make do with them until I can collect my things (or buy nice shiny new things)

[Skytteflickan88]

I used to both ride and ponny"trava"(Swedish word for when you're in a carry behind the ponny) as a child.

I miss the feeling of freedom when you're galoping(spelling?) away, a powerful horse beneath you. It's like you're controlling a force of nature and being taken in by nature while feeling helpless at the same time.

And there's not much that beats leaning against a horse, closing your eyes, breathing together with him/her.

I miss it.

[whitecandy]

I know exactly what you mean about the freedom. One of my old ponies, Snow, I used to gallop her across the fields and hills where I lived in Wales and it was just so exhilerating and adrenalin boosting. No matter how stressed or upset or angry I was with whatever, that used to just go and nothing else mattered. Horses are so relaxing, I also love just being around them.

You should bite the bullet like me and get back into it. I missed it so much and can't believe how long I have left it.

[Beaumonde]

When I moved to the countryside, almost every girl at my school used to have horses or go riding. I really didn't get it because I was from an industrial town and you don't exactly get many horses there.

It's cool that you're getting back into something you love though. I'm sure you'll do great.

[PJ]

I have a funny story about horses! when i was getting of the bus one day, i saw a horse in the lawn of a house. The funny thing is it was right next to the front door eating the plant next to it!
well i guess you had to be there....

[Jaz ♀♀]

The first time i ever rode a horse was when i was like 8 or 9....the rancher that let me ride his horse was looking after me and he saw i was doing ok and so he asked if it's ok to leave me by myself for awhile while he goes back in the house (i think he was needed on the phone or something) and so i said yeah sure...i was so excited that he trusted me that i could take care of myself....so it seriously wasn't a minute after he went in that i'm slowly riding the horse in circles that i accidentally kick him on the side and the horse starts walking faster and up to the point of running. I of course start freaking out and i didn't know what to do because the guy didn't show me how to stop the horse and then seconds later the horse stands on it's hind legs and i fall off hard right on my butt. So i stand up and my butt is in pain and i don't know if i should cry or not, the thing is, no one was outside to even hear me or see what happened. Also i was embarrassed and so i just ignored my pain and limped back in the house and didn't tell anyone what happened.

That's my horse story.

[whitecandy]

Thanks for sharing all your horse stories everyone, I really enjoyed reading them. Thanks for the well wishes beaumonde, and cute story PJ! And I know what you mean EvilWillowRocker, people who I recently met are surprised when I tell them I used to horseride, I hope you do get a chance to go again in the summer. Jaz, your story made me laugh out loud as it sounds exactly like something I would do!!!

[elenasaur]

I was a girl scout back in the day, and my friend suckered me into going to horseback riding camp.
We got stuck with a pair of unruly horses. One stepped on my foot, and on the last day when we were doing this trail ride with the horses, mine went off the path, and I couldn't get him to go back on, so an instructor had to come help me.
It wasn't a great experience. But I don't have anything particular against horses or anything.

[hitnrun017]

Horses scare the everloving crap out of me. They are beautiful animals, I just can't get near them. Their teeth and legs that they kick you with? No thanks. One of my best friends owns a couple and she always wants me to ride one but I never will. Took me into the stable once and I just had to get out of there, started sweating. She has a mini-horse though and I'm BFFs with that one... it's just those big ones. Holy crap.

They are the animals that make me want roll in a ball and cry and I don't understand why. I find it weird considering the one thing I want to do before I die is go swimming with Great White Sharks. Maybe someday I'll come around.

[Iceeh★]

Ethan pretty much got it right, I've always had an odd fear of horses too. They're pretty intimidating, and I never understood the fixation people had with them, but maybe that's because I was too busy being cat-obsessed for most of my childhood. I might attempt to ride sometime in my life, and try to get over being scared of them.

[whitecandy]

Horses really do have minds of there own don't they elenasaur! One of the horses I used to look after used to sometimes just stop dead in the middle of whatever we were doing, whether it was a hack or jumping etc, and refuse to move, for seemingly no reason! It was so frustrating and no amount of effort would make her move again. I used to have to get off and drag her forward

I'm sad that you are both scared of horses hitnrun017 and iceeh, they are such wonderful creatures and can be so much fun, but I can understand the fear as some of my friends are also scared of them. I think it is because they are so big and strong! Maybe one day you will be able to go for a ride on one and discover the fun of it

[whitecandy]

This is the horse I rode today, I had to share a photo of him because he is beautiful and exactly the kind of horse I would want to buy for myself. He is called Harry and I am in love with him