Learn to horseback ride properly

But good noises are coming from the orthopedist, as they think that they have waited long enough after the bone graft to be able to go ahead and do the knee replacement.

That means that we are months ahead of schedule of when we can get back onto horses. So, I might be able to meet this goal in 2008! But until that point, I am going to move it to giving up.

When she (as she is my riding instructor-to-be that owns the horses anyway) is healthy enough to ride, I will move it back to the “try it again”

my sister has to have a total knee replacement (ick) which we did know about.

But I asked if we could learn horseback riding, and I realized as I spoke…. this poor child is reduced to using a wheelchair due to the pain now during long days (she is waiting for a bone graft to heal before the doctor will proceed with the knee replacement surgery).

And if she has to use a wheelchair, how can she horseback ride (since it was the horseback riding that helped deteriorate the knee cartilage to the point where there is literally none left in the knee in question)?

But at least she will teach me! I just have to wait until she can stand again. So I am excited about finding a (free!!) teacher but I am also excited about getting this underway.

Oh I want her to hurry up and heal. I supposed I could find a different teacher, but she has done it already (for the Girl Scout camp during the summers) and why waste money if we don’t need to waste it?

I have way too many other places to enjoy wasting money. I can’t afford to waste it here also, so I am going to hold out for the free teacher. And I like her horses and they seem to like me, which is also important in the scheme of things when you are trying to convince something so large with such a massive personality to do what you want it to do. (There is nothing scarier or funnier when a horse decides he is done riding and takes you back to the barn…whether you are done or not. Just turns and goes home. My sister laughed until she cried as she watched one of her Percherons take me back whilst I screamed and kicked and yelled to try to keep him on track. Nope. He was done. Going home.)

Anyway. So excited to do, and cannot wait until my sister is healthy enough to do this with me.

what is so funny about this is that my little sister actually owns a few horses (percherons) and has taught horseback riding during summer camp for the Girl Scouts.

All that horseback riding teaching right there and I still do not know how to ride a horse properly. Oh sure, I can crawl up in a saddle and bounce around, but I’m doing no favors to either the horse or myself.

So, I want to sit myself down and (hopefully with my sister, who knows me best) learn to ride, either Western or English or both, properly.

unsure what properly means… I grew up riding a pony – mostly either western or bareback. I miss riding.

Is it possible that horseback riding is addictive? It’s been about 2 weeks since I went out and I am feeling very anxious to go. I like to go at least once a week, but I have been busy. I think this is something I really need to make time for. I work late tonight, but maybe I can arrange for a quick ride. Daylight saving time does not work for me in the winter.

I have been riding weekly for the past month or so. I love it. Most of the time I feel that I am pretty much in control, but I know that there is a lot to learn. I really like being good at doing the things that I enjoy doing.