Giddy up
Categories: uncategorized
Date: 18 June 2006 20:17:56
You are probably eagerly anticipating a report on Tiddles' first riding lesson. It was last week, followed by a second one this week. A mad dash after school, through Rock Festival traffic (why do people pay so much money to go when you can hear the thud of the "music" just as well from our back garden?), to arrive for his 1:1 lesson. He's given an L plate !!! and sent through to the stable yard to wait for his instructor.
While we wait we are amply entertained by the antics of eighteen tiny kittens, five litters born at the stables over the last couple of weeks. They were adorable.... roll over, Charlie! I managed to resist the temptation to smuggle one home... just.
Then my young man was off. For a moment or two I was jealous and wished I was riding alongside him. What is the appeal? I have had loads of riding experiences and all the time it's been a love/hate relationship. When they walked his horse out into the ring, I remembered the "hate" side of the relationship. Who in their right mind would mount such a resentful and unwelcoming brute? Poor Tiddles didn't have much choice - still, if he is still keen after this, I thought, then he's a determined rider.
Buster, for thus was the horse's name, was a thug. There was no other word for it. He refused to cooperate and poor Tiddles' legs were aching from the constant need to "encourage" Buster to move. He wouldn't use the lunge rein, he wouldn't be led, he wouldn't do anything in the slightest to be helpful to my poor boy perched up on top and striving valiently to follow instructions. The instructor foolishly got close enough to give Tiddles a good illustration of why you never stand within kicking distance of a horse's back legs - though she was very brave in carrying on regardless with the lesson, despite having an extremely bruised kneecap, and ran round and round the ring leading this horrid creature in circles. It even gave Tiddles a nip on the fingers, just to show him who was boss. Tiddles was quite shocked at the name the instructor used for the horse. It wasn't Buster, though it sounded quite similar.
But he enjoyed it nonetheless and was desperate to go again the following week.
