Learning To Ride A Horse
I took a horse riding lesson. Before I go any further I should explain that I’m a city boy through and through. Anytime I get out of the city far enough to see cornfields I start hearing Dueling Banjos in my head. I still look on in awe every time I see livestock when I’m driving down the highway. I’ve never been to a rodeo, but I have walked through the Horse Barn at the MN State Fair. I’ve never really been near a horse before, but I thought it would be fun to learn how to ride one. I understand that this thought process may make no sense whatsoever.
The following video gives a great example of the way I think.
A friend I know from karate rides horses and offered to help set up a lesson for me. And so it was that last Saturday I went out to Delano, MN to Centre Point Stables for my first riding lesson. Before going I knew nothing of horses besides that they eat hay and apples, they can get to be fairly large and cavalry charges were devastating for a reason.
Before I went, I was a little nervous. This was something totally out of my league. Before Saturday, if you had put me in a life or death situation with a horse as my only escape option, I would have quickly died. Luckily, a few friends gave me some great advice:
“Wear jeans.”
“Expect to be pretty sore afterward.”
“Don’t be afraid, horses can smell fear.”
“Avoid the legs of a horse like an airplane propeller.”
“Don’t fall off, you’ll kill yourself.”
Nothing like the advice of friends to keep you centered and calm.
However, the lesson went really well. The instructor who worked with me showed me how to get on the horse, hold the reins and get the horse to walk and trot. I wouldn’t say that I’m ready to run away to Rohan just yet (a few more lessons and a blond wig will be required first). However, I did walk away a) unharmed and b) with a basic understanding of how to ride a horse.
There's a reason I frown in most pictures.
Not gonna lie, I was a little nervous for most of the lesson. And when I say a little, I mean it took some will power to not freak out when I discovered that a trot moved much faster than I anticipated.
Not quite a smile, because I'm not quite sure if I have survived yet.
The lesson ended up going well, I survived to die another day, and I’d like to go back for another lesson or two. All in all I think it was a success.
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