4 And A Half Hours Later ....

(click to enlarge)
(Not such a lady like mount, dam, who stole the mounting blocks ?

That's how much riding I have done in the last couple o' weeks. I hadn't ridden properly for 20 years or so ...

A chance encounter with a mechanical horse and the lovely people from Wellington Riding changed all that. And boy, was it to be a very good enounter indeed !

After such a long time, I am incredibly rusty but it's all coming back to me slowly, BUT I am a bit impatient and want to be further on. Hmm, call me impatient. YES ! actually, I am very impatient.
So, here I am having a lunge lesson with the Chief Instructor, David. He's a cheeky chappy with a definite twinkle. Absolutely the kind of person I can bounce off and have a good rapport with. I can't be doing with serious, stuffy people.

Don't get me wrong, he knows his onions and is very, very professional. A hard task master to boot but I had a real giggle with him.


There see, can you see me laughing ? I'm such a bad pupil aren't I ? He! He!


The horse is called 'Piglet' and he is adorable. I rode him on Thursday and he had a very fussy mouth but we got on just fine.


We did loads of work without stirrups which has benefitted my 'seat' no end. I'm riding again on Thursday so it'll be interesting to see how everything feels then.


Isn't Pigelt sweet, he's such a gorgeous horse ? He likes to rub his snot all over you at the end of the lesson but I'll allow him that.

Doing a bit of 'legs away' ... and I am still laughing !


I'm listening very hard, trying to take it all in.

David is laughing at me because my hips 'pinged'. He found it amusing but I was wincing a bit whilst puffing a few 'Ooh's' and 'Ah's'. A bit of bendy manipulation and away I went again.

I am loving getting back in the saddle again, it's been a breath of fresh air for me and Mr Boo is very encouraging too.
I can't wait to go again this week. I have a goal for next year, to train for and perform a Dressage test to music. How lovely would that be. D'you think riding to 'Pink' might be acceptable ?

Ta ta for now ...

Oh The Life On An Ocean Wave ...

(The spelling of 'Pirats' is intentional. They are children Pirates and we all know that children Pirates haven't been to school !)

Two cheeky Pirates aboard their stripy ship. I don't think they'd get far with their dinky little sail though, do you ?

Just a quickie post as I have lots on ...
One commission down, two to finish and then my Christmas Fair stock needs some serious attention.

Back Soon ....
x

Welly WIP ...

I'm loving this new piece, a commission piece for one of my lovely customers.

I can't wait to finish it and show you what it is ...
But you'll have to wait a bit longer my lovelies :)

How it all begins ...

I've been a quite unindated with commissions and orders and I have quite a list to get through. I'm working my way through them and on my list is a couple of 'New Baby' keepsakes.
The 'New Baby Girl' keepsake was easy, a bigger version of my 'Fairy Godmothers', but the 'New Baby Boy' keepsake needed a bit more planning.

I always start off by doodling a design and then creating all the bits of templates. That done, I can then get on with the choosing of fabrics, cutting out, stitching and then stuffing.


The result was 'Dogsy' ... Cute eh ? Fahioned on my Archibald, I just had to use his ears in the design.

And his full waggy tail too ...

Sweet cheeks Fairy Godmother in all her dottiness ...

I reckon she'd be able to fly long haul with those babies ...

I've only gone and done it 'Rodney' ...

(Me & Spider, a true gent !)

Riding that is !
I haven't ridden properly for Ooh, about 18 years. Why did I leave it that long ? Oh yes, I have crappy ligaments (The professionals called me a baggy mess), and a back injury (from a bad fall about 23 years ago).
I've been umming and ah'ing about getting back in the saddle for ages but the fear of setting off my back, lack of confidence and not pulling my finger out all culminated in the likelihood being absolutely zilch. That is until ....

Boo's school held a family fun day and Wellington Riding brought along a horse simulator for the kids to have a go on. Well, I was straight over there, Boo desperate to have a go on a pretend horse.
The very lovely people from Wellington were trying to organise 'School Mums' riding sessions with Coffee and Cake afterwards. How perfect is that ?

(OH MY GOD !!! Look at those baggy jowels ! )
I'm so embarrassed. It's like looking down into a drawer and finding a mirror in there. In my defense I was at the point of the down in the rising trot so gravity is pulling my face down.

I registered interest and kept in touch and so this Friday saw me have a 1/2hr assessment. I'll be honest, I was a little bit nervous, more about my back and whether I'd kick off the mega mega pain I've had to suffer at times.
After talking to me about my riding history etc. they gave me 'Spider'. He's one of the centres Schoolmasters and showjumpers. He's very big but very much a gentleman. He put me at ease and I thoroughly enjoyed the session even though after about 15 minutes I was bloody knackered.

Roland (my instructor and why oh why didn't they give me a real minger to instruct me) had me trotting for the majority of the 1/2hr, transitions from walk to rising trot, sitting trot, 20m circles and going large round the menage. I tell you, I was puffing like a puffing thing. Well, I'm no spring chicken, my legs were weak, my core non-existent but I didn't fall off - I should bloody hope not just at a trot !!!!

I LOVED IT, GOING BACK ON THURSDAY ! I'll be having some 1/2hr lungeing lessons with no stirrups to strengthen my legs and core so watch this space as I'm sure I'll have some bruises to share ;-(


Myself and some lovely friends went out last night to celebrate my birthday. We went to a Blubeckers and had a real laugh. The waitresses brought me out some balloons and an ice-cream with a candle in it and sang me Happy Birthday.


Ju, Linda and Di caught unawares. Ju is smiling but don't be fooled, she rode yesterday too and was just starting to feel the effects of also not having ridden for about 18 years. We've been comparing aches and pains all day.
Linda is trying to be invisible cos she hates having her picture taken and Di who always looks perfect, I don't think I have ever seen her in her scruffs ???


Anne WITH HER EYES OPEN, Yay ... I can take a 100 pics of Anne and she'd normally have her eyes shut in 98 of them. Guaranteed. Anne is Boo's unofficial Godmother and is fantastic with her. She'll sit for about 5 hrs playing puzzles, hide and seek and games without one utterance of a moan.
Edyta is in the background looking lovely and glam as normal. She's just one of those people who would look fantastic in a bin bag. Grrrrrrrr ...........

Thank you dear lady friends, I had a ball and hope you did too. I just can't behave at times and I don't need a drink to be a bit naughty. I was crying with laughter at one point.
But I couldn't possible tell you the details of the conversation. However it did involve men pulling faces .... I dare one of you to make some suggestions.

I'll leave it with you then he! he!

OK, well I'm going to roll myself off the sofa now, I'm getting stiffer and stiffer by the hour. I can't cross my legs so what state will I be in by the morning ?
A small price to pay for having a lovely ride ...