The Treat For A Good Year's School Work.... A Horseriding Session!!!:)  

As my eldest Son's daughters had produced an excellent year's school work and received glowing reports from their teachers, my Son and Daughter In Law decided to give them one, big treat during their Summer break. They have a holiday arranged for 10th August, but this needed to be something special, to mark the occasion of their excelling at their school work.

Although very expensive for just over an hour's recreation, my Daughter In Law, having belonged to a riding club when she was sixteen, and loving to ride horses, decided they would treat the girls to a Horse Riding session. My son declined, but Sarah, who is 15, Lauren, 9 and their Mum, all decided they would love to take the riding session. The girls had been allowed to choose something a little special, and this was it! lol.

Well, they arrived at the Riding School, on the South Downs, near the Jack and Jill Windmills, and were awarded a horse each, to ride. Well, it was here that my Daughter-In-Law, Di, started to giggle and she didn't stop, all session. She really enjoyed her morning! The fun started when they were given their horses... most of the riders being children, Di was given this enormous horse to ride... it was like a Shire Horse in size... very tall and quite broad, and after over twenty years without riding, she was awestruck! ha ha ha... I can imagine. First, she had to get onto the darned thing, and get into a riding position! Well, she mounted ok, and then Sarah had to mount hers. She too, took one look at Mum and burst out laughing... she had a horse with a will of its own, and Lauren, unable to ride the smallest pony because there was a child smaller than she, was given quite a cute little chap to ride. Lauren was led around the paddock most of the time, but she seemed to adapt quite well... as she always does. Sarah would have coped better, had her horse not kept stopping to eat, and then catch up with the ones in front, at a trot! ha ha ha. She was pulling at the reins and getting the horse to do as she willed towards the end, but when he broke into a trot, there was nothing she could do... she was bouncing up and down around the paddock on this wayward horse... it was so funny! Lauren, in the meantime, was still doing well. Her horse, well behaved, carried her well and was led almost all of the time. Di was still in fits of laughter, not only at the girls, particularly Sarah, but at her own horse. Sarah was in fits of laughter at her Mum on this enormous horse, like the lady of the manor. Di was not used to this after such a long break from it, and having such a big horse, she just had to let him go, more or less.:) Well, they got through it all, and went for a little trek on the Downs, which they really enjoyed and at which time they were given a free rein.

They all thoroughly enjoyed the day, and brought home a video recording which my son had made, of both their lesson and their trek afterwards. It was funny to watch, and I can't quite portray it into words. Di said that went she got down from the horse, she couldn't feel her legs or feet... he he he. I don't think she's quite as fit a rider as she used to be, but how lovely... riding on the Downs with the wind blowing through your hair, and such fun... something they thoroughly deserved to.

I know some of you keep horses, and ride... do you have some stories or tips that you would like to share?:)