Giddy UP!

I am due to have a riding lesson in a little while, my first one for over six months. I have found I can only ride when the weather is warmer, as by the end of my last lesson on a chilly grey day in November my slightly arthritc hips had frozen solid and I could hardly get off, even in the indoor school.   It is under cover, but there is a huge sliding barn door left open with a five-barred gate across it, so if the wind is in the wrong direction it's just as cold as outside.
Pleased to be able to report can still zip up my boots and jodhpurs, so whatever else is going wrong with my body getting even fatter isn't one of them.  I have had a toke on my asthma inhaler and taken an anti-histamine, to help cope with my dust and horse druff allergies, and adjusted and strapped on my hat, so I'm all set to go.  Tally ho!

I shall add to this post when I have got through and out the other side...


...half an hour in the saddle, a quick trip to the supermarket and a decent lunch later, dear readers, and I am STILL IN ONE PIECE AND WALKING QUITE NORMALLY!
Managed mounting from a block without any silly getting stuck halfway, at the end managed to get off without too much hassle by dismounting back onto the block with the right leg flung over the horse's head, didn't even skim his ears.  In between had a good amble in and out of the irons, a bit of a sitting trot, which made my left hip quite sore, sadly, so couldn't do much of that, and ended with some stretches. Not bad for the first time back on a horse for half a year.  Teacher pleased (she's so nice to me) and next lesson booked for 11.00am next Tuesday.