Starting lessons--AGAIN

[PaulaO]

I have been trying to figure out what role, if any, riding has in my life. A year ago I did full on dressage lessons at a show/sales barn. Learned a lot and loved it, but show season started and the trainer told me she didn't have time for me. Which is too bad because had she had time for me, I would have eventually bought one of five figure warmbloods she had for sale and put it in training. Oh well. Then there was the venture into shareboarding which epically crashed and burned before it officially started.

I started volunteering at a horse rescue/adoption in January. It is housed within a bigger boarding/lesson barn, and the rescue has a trainer who works with their horses. She is an h/j trainer with a few schoolies. So I'm taking a lesson Sunday. She told me that I probably know more about dressage than she does, but what the heck, throw an A/P saddle on the horse, shorten the stirrups, and I'm good to go. Who knows, I might end up a hunter princess! (would I still be allowed here??? )

[Racetrackreject]

That's great! Keep us updated.

I'm thinking of joining you actually. Yesterday, I heard these words escape my mouth when I was talking to my SO, "I'm thinking of taking up riding lessons again". I'm not really sure where it came from, but it just popped out. Clearly it's something I've been thinking about on some level. So....this morning I was looking at boots and chaps....

I still have a horse, but the place where I keep him is not exactly riding friendly, and he's 17, and he's not exactly true behind at the canter. He never came totally sound after the starving incident. It's not horrible and I think a lot of people may not notice, but I see it and it niggles at me.

My old eventing barn has tons of lesson horses and horses not quite ready for prime time that need riding. I was going to call about a lesson this Saturday, but it's supposed to be bad weather. I'll try for next weekend I think.

[Chancellor]

PaulaO- I am in the same boat as you. Trying to figure out what role riding has in my current life. So, please do keep us posted.

And yes, you would still be welcome here if you became a hunter princess. You can start threads like "what color are this year's breeches" and "Are these pinstripes too broad or are they still in fashion" "are rust colored breeches coming back?"
and "Does this amount of teaching/training still make me an amateur"

[PaulaO]

Rust breeches are NEVER out of style.

[PaulaO]

RTR, run, don't walk to your old eventing barn. I'd be there in a heartbeat.

[Chisamba]

I had a pair of rust breeches.....once.......

I hope you just love it.

[Chancellor]

I had a pair of rust breeches.....once.......

I hope you just love it.

So did I!

[Hayburner]

Well, when I bit the bullet and bought another horse to ride - I certainly bit off way more than I expected.

Princess Daisy (as I call her) needs 5 (lessons) rides a week!! I now have no social life! While I totally enjoy my barn time, riding, etc. I find I have to really schedule everything around my riding days.

Yes, I wanted to ride again, but not this much! LOL

[Chisamba]

Well, when I bit the bullet and bought another horse to ride - I certainly bit off way more than I expected.

Princess Daisy (as I call her) needs 5 (lessons) rides a week!! I now have no social life! While I totally enjoy my barn time, riding, etc. I find I have to really schedule everything around my riding days.

Yes, I wanted to ride again, but not this much! LOL

.

Ha ha ha burner, the barn IS my social life .

[PaulaO]

The barn USED to be my social life, and that stopped the day Bob was PTS. Not by me, but by all my so-called friends who left me the day I no longer boarded. But that's another book.

The time factor is what keeps me from getting another horse. I don't have the physical or emotional stamina to devote all my free time and spare money to a horse. I'm not saying it will never happen, but right now I just don't want it. (Although I would take Kathy Johnson's red colt and DJ's Palomino in a heartbeat if they were grown-ups...)

Hayburner, I wish we were closer. I would gladly ride Princess Daisy once a week for you.

[Racetrackreject]

RTR, run, don't walk to your old eventing barn. I'd be there in a heartbeat.

I sent a text to the eventing barn and asked the trainer if she had anything I could ride. She said, "Wonderful, yes of course I have something for you to ride "

[PaulaO]

RTR, what good news! Please share after your ride.

[Chisamba]

Wishing you both happiness in your riding

[Mareless]

I had a pair of rust breeches.....once.......

I did too, many many years ago. I believe they were a 24 waist. . . So, like about 27 years, 4 kids, and 50 pounds ago.

PaulaO, that is so cool about your lessons. As long as you are excited to ride, who cares what style it is.

[myleetlepony]

Paula, where are you going to be riding?

[PaulaO]

MLP, I'm riding at Silver Spur which is in Maple Park. I volunteer for Field of Dreams, which has space at Silver Spur. Very nice Trak gelding for adoption--I thought of you........

[demi]

Go for it! And even if you end up as a "hunter princess", please post on the training forum. Good training is good training is good training...

And the blingy stuff is fun to read.

Re: chisamba's comment about the barn being her social life, well, DDBB is mine

[PaulaO]

Oooh, I DON"T do bling. I'm of the George Morris school. Flat tack, modest appearance, tidy horse and rider.

[Hayburner]

PaulaO - Before I read your entire post - I thought boy, if PaulaO lived closer she could ride the princess - then I laughed when I say your last sentence....great minds DO think alike.....

[myleetlepony]

Paula, that's AWESOME! I used to work for Dean and Tracy years ago in Barrington, and I'm sure they run a top rate barn.

Maybe you should take a few polo lessons....

And if you want to keep with the old school hunter princess theme, I have an old FLAT Crosby jumping saddle you're welcome to borrow

Very nice Trak gelding for adoption--I thought of you........

Thank you for the thought....except I took on and now own a project horse...a huge one

[boots-aregard]

That's what I'm doing: lessons at a hunter barn. Trainer has some nice school horses and I get to jump every week. That's really all I want out of it. (so when she gets going about lead changes, I cover my ears and go "Lalala!"). The terminology is different. In some cases (cough-lead changes-cough) the methodology is considerably different. But it's still fun.

[PaulaO]

MLP, it seems that Dean no longer does polo at the barn but he still has his poloponies. Someone said he rents them out by the hour which makes no sense but it it's true then I will rent a horse. The barn is very nice--huge--as is the property and there are tons of trails on the property. Let me know if you ever want to visit.

Hunter riding is indeed a world apart and don't even mention their idea of a shoulder-in. I just want to get back in the saddle and see if it sparks anything.

[Chancellor]

MLP, it seems that Dean no longer does polo at the barn but he still has his poloponies. Someone said he rents them out by the hour which makes no sense but it it's true then I will rent a horse. The barn is very nice--huge--as is the property and there are tons of trails on the property. Let me know if you ever want to visit.

Hunter riding is indeed a world apart and don't even mention their idea of a shoulder-in. I just want to get back in the saddle and see if it sparks anything.

It's a world apart for sure. But, hey at least you are in the saddle.

[kande50]

Oooh, I DON"T do bling. I'm of the George Morris school. Flat tack, modest appearance, tidy horse and rider.

That used to be me, but not anymore. Now it's color and glitter and anything that adds to the fun.

[myleetlepony]

Wait, what? Polo was what that place was built for! Are the polo fields still there?

[PaulaO]

MLP, I have no idea if the polo fields are still there. I haven't been able to,explore the place. I'll check it out.

[piedmontfields]

How fun, Paula! Glad you are back in the saddle.

I'm still amazed at your earlier dressage lessoning experience where the trainer really didn't get that you are the kind of person who will buy a really nice horse and use the barn/trainer services, given the right timing.

[PaulaO]

How fun, Paula! Glad you are back in the saddle.

I'm still amazed at your earlier dressage lessoning experience where the trainer really didn't get that you are the kind of person who will buy a really nice horse and use the barn/trainer services, given the right timing.

Me, too. She knew who I had trained with (she also trained with them), and knew I was serious about lessons. I understood her weekends were getting full and said I was able to lesson during the week. I think her plate got full and I jst dropped off her radar. Oh well, she missed out on a boatload of money!