Anna's first horse riding lesson ...

Today I took Anna for her first horse riding lesson and whilst I thought it was going to be a little sit on a pony and a walk around the paddock on a lead rein ... it was deadly serious ...

We arrived to see a children's group lesson taking place. The instructor used a megaphone to be heard, looked and sounded very serious and "horsy". We watched for a little while and Anna announced that she didn't want "the lady" to be her teacher. I started to get a bit worried. When it was our turn, I was asked to go into the office to sign a Disclaimer and then "the lady" took Anna off to get a hat. To her credit, Anna did as she was told and followed her to the other side of the arena to try on some hats (they also wanted her to have some boots but none fitted). When I caught up with them having signed the necessary paper work and paid, Anna was already in the arena sat on a pony called Buster.

Again, Anna did as she was told and started to do some balancing exercises. A lovely young girl took this part of the lesson (phew!). The exercises involved standing up in the stirrups and taking it in turns to put your hands on your hips and point to the sky. Then "the lady" came back and the lesson began ...

Anna was taught the correct sitting position and signals, and did really well. She walked around the arena a few times and was then shown how to sit up and down for rising trot. Normally Anna hates anyone touching her or helping her, but she allowed "the lady" to put her hands on the correct part of the rains, feet in stirrups and help her sit up and down. Anna then spent the rest of the lesson learning rising trot and sitting trot ... until she fell off .... but the lady just picked her up, dusted her down, sat her back in the saddle, told her what she did wrong (sitting forward) and began again. From the side of the arena I just waited for the wail and the tears but none came. She rode past, I gave her the thumbs up and she SMILED!

Just before the lesson finished, Anna practiced some more exercises to help her balance (around the world - where you have to turn all the way around the saddle etc). Again, Anna did really, really well.

When she dismounted, her little legs turned all wobbly with the exertion and I had to help her stand. She was all talk about her "jelly" legs. When "the lady" asked if she enjoyed it, she smiled and said yes!!! I was surprised. I asked if she wanted another lesson and she said yes. Again, I am surprised. I have booked another lesson, we'll just see if nearer the time she wants to go. However, when we got home she wanted to practice on Neddy (her rocking horse) and wanted to do some of the exercises "the lady" had told her to do to strengthen her quads.

She keeps talking about her wobbly legs ... but not the fall (thank goodness).

It was quite inspired me to have a few lessons again ....