blonde poker forum

And I don't mean down the pub after a few beers :D

Just after a bit of advice really. Anyone who knows me, will know I don't do normal holidays.............

I have a few holiday plans up my sleeve, but high on my list at the moment is a horse riding holiday. Down the line I want to combine my major passion of a safari with a horse riding holiday, but you need to be a very experienced rider or you can't go on one of those, I'm not going to be stupid and BS my ability and take a risk until I'm good enough.

Soooooooo, I'm considering a bunch of other destinations from Argentina to Mongolia and anything in between as something for a great experience and to get better at riding. The plan is this will eventually lead to my goal of doing a horse riding safari. Here are a few questions to anyone that has experience to help me.

1. I'm a novice rider, which means I haven't ridden for a long time but I can control a horse and walk and trot without any problem.

2. Most of the holidays I'm looking at require intermediate (min) riders, other than being able to canter comfortably, what else does that mean?

3. I get scared cantering now, how long till I get comfortable with that?

4. I will take tuition before I go, approx hours required to get to intermediate?

5. I'm a fat bastard, about 16.5 stone. Do these types of things have a weight limit normally, short of having a shire horse in the stable :D

Ty in advance for any help and FU to any pisstakers :D

I did this in France years ago Woodsey. Man it was sick good fun but it hurt my bollocks like crazy

I used to ride quite regularly up until about fifteen years ago, I guess that I would be an "intermediate" rider.

I often went on "rides" at Bestwood Country Park in Arnold where you go out for an hour or so on supervised rides and do walking, trotting, some cantering and usually have one good gallop and there are small jumps on an uphill stretch (which makes them easier) which you can choose to go over or not.

IIRC the guy that runs it is called Glen, a very nice fellow. My favourite mare was Tuppence but she's probanly retired now.

I highly recommend it if it's still going.

The most important bits ^^^^^

You will be sore after each session until you've spent a goodly amount of time on a horse.  Get over that and learn the bits in bold and you'll be booking in no time.  The rest will take care of itself. 

i used to be a jockey

(according to tikay)

When we used to go to the states we always went riding, but omg, with not used to have my legs that wide open for such long periods, it bloody killed after, last time i was in that much pain with each movement beneath me wrecked and I couldn't dismount. Get used to it before is my advice.

 :-X

not the only one then   rotflmfao

 :blonde:  That didn't come out quite right did it.

Someone find the pic of Jon MW...pleeeeeeeease!!!

(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v334/77/78/732861042/n732861042_1759290_9520.jpg)

thank heavens for that.

Jon's hat gets me every time in that photo

LOL..

Mother maiden name = gun

Hobbies include rootin and tootin.

Cheers for the replies so far :)

I had horses for most of my life - my best advice is to be able to enjoy a riding holiday you need to be able to feel confident that you are controling the horse, and not the other way round. Ability to stay in the saddle is your other priority. Some people never manage either while others take to it immediately. The bonus of a riding holiday is you will presumeably have the same horse for the whole time and so hopefully will build up a relationship and affinity with him. A decent tour operator will make sure all of the horses are suited to the rider, and so someone veering on the novice side shouldn't end up on a rodeo turn.

My advice to you if you're not comfortable cantering is to not book the holiday until you feel confident that you can ask the horse to canter, stay on it ,then ask the horse to return to trot at your command. Cantering is an easier gait than trotting, so once you relax and learn to go with the horse rather than worrying you will enjoy it so much more. You also need to concentrate on learning to ask your horse to change pace, until you feel you are in charge. Once you feel comfy enough that you know you can ask a horse to walk, trot, canter and more importantly, halt, at your command, you will hopefully stop being nervous.

Why not do a short break in the UK first? My wife has done a few of these, up in Yorkshire mostly. Think they take mix of abilities. Get you used to spending all day in the saddle, but only for a couple of days.

She's not done it for a couple of years - the place she used relocated them and their horses to Cornwall (???).

Thanks again for those replies. I just need to make my mind up if I'm going to commit to 2 fairly expensive horse riding holidays v other stuff I'd like to do. If I do there are few good horse riding schools round here could use and I'll just crack on with that. I do have some riding experience and am petty confident around horses, its just a case of some time in the saddle to get where I need to be if I decide to go for it.

My mate went on a riding holiday to Argentina a few years back, he was probably slightly better at riding me but not much. I was talking to him and he said just go for it, after 2 days in the saddle you'll soon pick it all up  ;D No way I'll be doing that, I don't mind taking a few risks, but that is too much for me..........

*cough

Maybe so, but I'm better than him at shagging :D

My bad. I thought you meant horse back riding, not "horse riding" Good luck with that anyway