Today I arrived, early of course, to settle in and have another look around!

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Wearing my new-to-me gave chaps, given to me by Tara, that were given to her at the centre! 

My First Riding Lesson at Al Samariyah Equestrian Centre

I was given a big black horse named Emeron.  Lessons started with walking around the ring, getting the feel of my horse and how we connect.  The instructor Ben was funny, easy to laugh with, and focused on function then form or form then function.  If something happens either keep moving or speed up and keep the horses head looking toward the inside of the ring, not looking at the fence.  We worked on a rising trot and moving from a small circle to a bigger circle then changed directions. Then we practiced cantering!  I was too nervous, went to trot and Emeron decided he wanted to canter…and we were off.  As Ben said today – the first canter is free (for the horse), the next ones are not in that the horse needs to remember who is in charge and that he is working!

Here are two videos of my first time cantering (Egypt not included) in over 15 years! Emeron enjoyed to move so I had to slow him down a bit, making me nervous at times. That said, he had a beautiful cantor!  I am making so many mistakes, but what I am impressed with the most is that I stayed on!

Canter 1

Canter 2

After class was a photo op!  The two women, I think, have been taking lessons for a while together.  I will join them again next week for class.

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After class I rode Emeron back to his stall, a helper removed his saddle then he asked me if I wanted to hose him down!  Yes!

I brought him back to his stall, removed his bridle and said goodbye for now!

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S, 🇶🇦