It has been another big week for me! I started my new job (back in a school) on Monday and today Pea and I went for our first lesson since my hip replacement.
I’ve had a few really sluggish and frustrating schooling sessions recently and I decided I am better enough to gain something from a lesson. I feel like I’ve got use of my leg back but I’ve completely forgotten how to ride! I spoke to my instructor and we agreed that she would ride Pea for half the time and I would ride the rest.
It didn’t start particularly well – we haven’t taken the trailer out since before my operation, we have a different car and just generally hadn’t quite prepared that side of things! Once we’d located a key for the hitch lock, botch job attached the correct number plate to the trailer and pumped up the tires, I made my boyfriend drive along the yard track and back to convince me I was happy to put Pea in. We have a bad track record of trailer outings being a bit stressful and this one was no exception.
HOWEVER, once we were there (only five minutes late) it was all worth it! My instructor rode for a while which is so good for Pea because she doesn’t often (ever?) have anyone riding her who can actually ride! She’s had fairly limited proper schooling in her ridden career and definitely showed that. I then got on and had a lesson. We are working on getting Pea more forward, accepting the contact and becoming more supple.
I am SO aware that my instructor riding Pea set her up to go better for me than she does when I get on cold but it still wasn’t easy, I still had to find those buttons. I feel like I rode better today than I did in my last lesson (before my operation) so I’m feeling very positive about where we are going riding-wise and I left with the biggest smile on my face!
As you can see, being a fluffy, unrugged wild pony isn’t very conducive with being a dressage diva.. Pea was SWEATY. If anyone has any bright suggestions as to how to deal with it I’d love to hear them – it is too cold for proper washing, is clipping my only option now?
Young Hip and Horsey 