I have the best husband. *beam* Ted came with me when I went looking for the riding school (he couldn’t have me going off and getting lost without him, he said), and then we walked the loooooooong way around back down to Cobh, where we paused for an ice cream cone (they mostly only seem to have soft serve ice cream here, which is very sad, although
And riding school! It’s €10 for a half hour lesson, and basically to have a lesson you call up and say, “Thursday at two would be good for me, is it available?” and then you turn up Thursday at two. I failed to ask about anything like equipment, but it’s a touristy thing, so I assume they’ve at least got helmets, and if I (start, much less continue) with this I’ll invest in a pair of riding boots after a few weeks of banging my ankles up. (I donno if English-style stirrups bang one’s ankles as much as Western style, but last time I went riding (some sixteen years ago) my ankles were *pulped*, man. *Ow*.)
I declare it a *day*. I’ve walked six miles, turned a book in, and found out about riding lessons. I am so totally kicking back, maybe watching a movie, maybe doing a drawing, something, tonight. I have put on my floppy pants and I am *done*.
miles to Isengard: 109
ytd wordcount: 184,000
Floppy pants!
(I seem to be experiencing ‘exclaim random things in response to your posts’ syndrome :)
From what I recall, and my riding lessons were in the late 80s, there isn’t substantial difference in the stirrups between english and western saddles. (The big difference is, obviously, the existance of a saddle horn in western, and not in English.) And you wear a little black pith-helmet and vest when riding English, and a ten-gallon hat and a bolo tie when riding Western. (Okay, not really, but it would’ve been neat if the instructers had provided those. And don’t ask about Bareback day.)
I think the real trick to keeping your ankles okay is in learning the posture. There’s a reason that cowboys get the bow-legged jokes, because that’s really how you want to sit in the saddle. Your feet should be parallel with the horse and each other, and your legs more or less perpendicular to the ground. We spent a _lot_ of time on this, and I can still instantly go into riding mode. I even do it reflexively on carousel horses. (And if I’m not thinking, I try to post on them, which is silly, because they don’t really move like that.)
Man, I should find a place around here to ride again. :-)
*giggle* I always like that kind of response.
My, that is one blurry kitty!
May I suggest you get a pair of paddock shoes. English stirrups are called “irons” for a reason. BONK! Ow. The lace-up kind are really kind of cool-looking and the pull-on kind are easy to manage and probably easily available over there. (And if you get sore shins from the rubbing, a pair of suede or canvas half-chaps or gaiters will fit over your pants. Some of the best ones come from Ireland.)
I ride in endurance tights. Leggings are the same thing but without the knee patches. Knee patches are useful. That part gets rubbed, too.
We won’t get into the padded underwear. I’ve never needed it but it does exist (and Carrousel makes a nice padded endurance tight).
There’s a big difference in stirrups. English stirrups have an inch-wide strap (the leather) and a steel hoop with a flat bottom, not always padded. Western stirrups are bigger, softer, and attached to four-to-six-inch-wide leather flaps (the fenders). English stirrups are a beeyotch if you’re not used to them.
*giggle* I always like that kind of response.
Okay good! :)
My, that is one blurry kitty!
It’s the EXTREME CLOSE-UP shot. I was trying to take pictures of him and he leaned forward and snuffled the lens to say ‘Moooooom, whatcha dooooooin’?’ I couldn’t resist snapping a pic. :)
I’ve never ridden English, only Western or bareback – is there the same issue with getting a foot hung up in the stirrups as there is with Western riding? My boss was death on riding sans heels. Heh.
Worse if anything, with those little irons. There are “safety stirrups” out there that either pop the side off or twist loose, but I doubt a rental stable will have them.
Heels very important.
Makes sense- sometimes Western saddles have those shields on the front of the stirrups to keep your foot from going through, but I’ve only ever seen them on the super-fancy models, like parade saddles, so never ridden with them and have no idea how effective they are.
One suggestion for equipment, since I would also assume they’ve got helmets. Wear shoes with a small heel, like a pair of duck boots or some such. The minor heel will keep your foot from slipping through the stirrups. :)
I shall see about finding paddock shoes! Thank you! I was hoping you might weigh in on the topic!
I have decided that my Clever Plan is to learn how to at least not fall off a horse (not that I ever have, in the, you know, six times I’ve been on one) and then figure out how I can get myself to Horse Camp. In the very most ideal world this would happen this fall after WFC, but *eyes the stack of books to write* we’ll see. (First, y’know, I have to get enough done to be able to *go* to WFC. Everything else is gravy!)
When riding casually, as in on a trail ride or as a tourist, I wear hiking boots and chaps. It’s comfy, it provides all the support you need for casual riding, and it’s a lot cheaper than getting tall boots. You really want leather between your calf and the saddle, or you’re going to wind up with really painful pinches to your calves.
If you do get chaps, be sure to wear whatever you’ll wear riding when you get them sized. Jeans add between 1/2″ and 1″ to your leg size, so if you then ride in tights your chaps will be too loose.