Yesterday I rode for the first time since my accident, nearly six months ago.
I took Bannie out and lunged him first...he gets sappy after a week or two off...six months is a long time to go without any work! He tried to jerk me around a little (I was wearing my brace) and when that didn't work, he started bucking and jumping around. I just kept making him work until his head came down and he started to listen. We did some ground work, bending, backing and picking up his feet and he did much better with that, especially the bending, than I expected.
After about fifteen minutes of ground work I decided it was time to mount up. I had a little battle with my nerves as I put my foot in the stirrup, but it passed as I swung aboard. We mostly just walked. I asked him to trot twice and both times he got a little to energetic so I backed him down and did some turns to calm him. We had one moment were he locked up and it took me a minute to get him to move, but I did and it was fine after that. He has lots of energy and it will be...interesting...to work that out of him. Once we get him out into the 35 acre pasture where he can run and burn himself out he'll behave much better.
I had fun on my first ride although it didn't last very long...I'm really out of shape! Just before the accident I was up to going for a six to eight mile ride with ease....I've got a long way to go to get back up to that! But, the horses aren't up for it either...they've had the same amount of time off that I have.
Below are some pictures. I'm hoping to have a video up of Bannie and I lunging and riding soon.
The warm weather has been wonderful!!
I took Bannie out and lunged him first...he gets sappy after a week or two off...six months is a long time to go without any work! He tried to jerk me around a little (I was wearing my brace) and when that didn't work, he started bucking and jumping around. I just kept making him work until his head came down and he started to listen. We did some ground work, bending, backing and picking up his feet and he did much better with that, especially the bending, than I expected.
After about fifteen minutes of ground work I decided it was time to mount up. I had a little battle with my nerves as I put my foot in the stirrup, but it passed as I swung aboard. We mostly just walked. I asked him to trot twice and both times he got a little to energetic so I backed him down and did some turns to calm him. We had one moment were he locked up and it took me a minute to get him to move, but I did and it was fine after that. He has lots of energy and it will be...interesting...to work that out of him. Once we get him out into the 35 acre pasture where he can run and burn himself out he'll behave much better.
I had fun on my first ride although it didn't last very long...I'm really out of shape! Just before the accident I was up to going for a six to eight mile ride with ease....I've got a long way to go to get back up to that! But, the horses aren't up for it either...they've had the same amount of time off that I have.
Below are some pictures. I'm hoping to have a video up of Bannie and I lunging and riding soon.
The warm weather has been wonderful!!
Here's some fun black and white ones.
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