FA+
Shop
227
Views
Views
1
Favorites
Favorites
Category
All / Comics
Species Horse
Size 600 x 572
File Size 192.3 kB
Report this content
More from Celano
My Sketched Riding Diary: I Are a Gud Rider!
Not.
I love horses. I love riding, but I was never particularly good at it even as a kid. I was not the pretty princess sailing gracefully over the jumps in a fancy riding habit with her lovely shiny thoroughbred. I was that pudgey slovenly little thing flapping along in tennis shoes and jeans, clinging to some dusty, burned out peanut roller in a western saddle that was too big for her. Yeah that kid.
I recently started back riding, and I discovered not much has changed. I'm still flapping along in a western saddle that's too big, and my darn stirrups are still too long. My class is made of women who are approximately the same age as my mother and they are riding circles around me--literally. I may still entertain those pretty princess dreams but right now I'm struggling with just staying on. I'm sure I look ridiculous.
This sketch is my impression of my first lesson. The horse I ride, bless his little overo soul, is much more sensible than my instructor I think. She's very nice and understanding and I'm sure she pushes in hopes of seeing me catch up my skills to the rest of the class quickly. Dallas knows better. He knows I'd be much safer plodding along at the walk until my butt fully remembers how to do that, then we can move on to the trot (and this way my ass won't be crashing into his back at every step while I fall on his neck.) That's why he doesn't want to go any faster, really! He would like to assure the instructor that handing me that crop is completely unnecessary, and I heartily agree! We can go faster when it's safe for both of us to do so. Yes. ^.^
I can't complain too much though. I lucked out today; Dallas was much cooler today instead of that nerve-racking nibblely mood he was in the day we met. Even better, I got a "private" (i.e. the rest of the class didn't show today) lesson with an alternate instructor. This guy shared Dallas' opinion that we should be doing things at a walk for now. In short, we had a much better time together today, and my butt started remembering what it's supposed to be doing up there. I feel like a made progress. It makes me wish I could afford to take private lessons all the time.
Oh, and for some reason, when I draw my "real life" self, I tend to draw myself as a mule. Probably because I'm smart, stubborn and make my living with my brawny back, and I'm also rather homely in a way some good people find cute. I love those people. ^.^
I love horses. I love riding, but I was never particularly good at it even as a kid. I was not the pretty princess sailing gracefully over the jumps in a fancy riding habit with her lovely shiny thoroughbred. I was that pudgey slovenly little thing flapping along in tennis shoes and jeans, clinging to some dusty, burned out peanut roller in a western saddle that was too big for her. Yeah that kid.
I recently started back riding, and I discovered not much has changed. I'm still flapping along in a western saddle that's too big, and my darn stirrups are still too long. My class is made of women who are approximately the same age as my mother and they are riding circles around me--literally. I may still entertain those pretty princess dreams but right now I'm struggling with just staying on. I'm sure I look ridiculous.
This sketch is my impression of my first lesson. The horse I ride, bless his little overo soul, is much more sensible than my instructor I think. She's very nice and understanding and I'm sure she pushes in hopes of seeing me catch up my skills to the rest of the class quickly. Dallas knows better. He knows I'd be much safer plodding along at the walk until my butt fully remembers how to do that, then we can move on to the trot (and this way my ass won't be crashing into his back at every step while I fall on his neck.) That's why he doesn't want to go any faster, really! He would like to assure the instructor that handing me that crop is completely unnecessary, and I heartily agree! We can go faster when it's safe for both of us to do so. Yes. ^.^
I can't complain too much though. I lucked out today; Dallas was much cooler today instead of that nerve-racking nibblely mood he was in the day we met. Even better, I got a "private" (i.e. the rest of the class didn't show today) lesson with an alternate instructor. This guy shared Dallas' opinion that we should be doing things at a walk for now. In short, we had a much better time together today, and my butt started remembering what it's supposed to be doing up there. I feel like a made progress. It makes me wish I could afford to take private lessons all the time.
Oh, and for some reason, when I draw my "real life" self, I tend to draw myself as a mule. Probably because I'm smart, stubborn and make my living with my brawny back, and I'm also rather homely in a way some good people find cute. I love those people. ^.^
Category All / Comics
Species Horse
Size 600 x 572px
File Size 192.3 kB
Aww...that's a really nice sketch... I love the away your have managed to capture the emotions in the facial expressions.
It sounds like you might want to try an English saddle rather than your oversize western saddle. The English saddle gives a lot tighter feel, instead of that slack lose feel of the western saddle.
I wish you all the best with your classes. *looks forward to some more sketches*
It sounds like you might want to try an English saddle rather than your oversize western saddle. The English saddle gives a lot tighter feel, instead of that slack lose feel of the western saddle.
I wish you all the best with your classes. *looks forward to some more sketches*
I love the way you draw them--especially the legs. The mule riding a horse is hilarious.
The most I've gotten to do with actual horses has been the occasional trail ride. What always bothers me about the way they run them is they tend to load the riders into the saddles as soon as the horses are brought out...as if we were getting on a bus or something. I wish they'd give me a little time to spend with the animal and get acquainted first.
The most I've gotten to do with actual horses has been the occasional trail ride. What always bothers me about the way they run them is they tend to load the riders into the saddles as soon as the horses are brought out...as if we were getting on a bus or something. I wish they'd give me a little time to spend with the animal and get acquainted first.
You'd probably like lessons better, especially if there's a whole class. They bring all the horses in and then the instructor spends the next fifteen to twenty minutes running around helping with saddles and such. Meanwhile, you're left to groom and otherwise to spend quality time with your mount.
I'm especially lucky in that the barn where I ride doesn't meticulously time the class with a stopwatch. I pay for a hour of saddle time, but so far I've always gotten closer to two, plus they don't seem to mind if I hang out for a short while afterward for more snuggling with Dallas. In fact, I think they kind of like it. I'm keeping him busy so that's one less impatient horse they have stomping about and snorting at the hitching post, demanding to be returned to his and her barn or stall.
It was amazing to me how the most of the class headed for their cars as soon as their butts left the saddles. I suppose they had to run off to do parental things. I have nothing to do but get my sleep for the coming worknight, which I'll gladly sacrifice that for some pony face time.
Riding with the soccer mommy set does have its advantages though. Attendance is flexible. I just call ahead on the week I'll be taking a lesson, ride and pay my money when I'm done. In most other classes you'd be expected to show up weekly and pay monthly, which I could never manage on my meager means.
I'm especially lucky in that the barn where I ride doesn't meticulously time the class with a stopwatch. I pay for a hour of saddle time, but so far I've always gotten closer to two, plus they don't seem to mind if I hang out for a short while afterward for more snuggling with Dallas. In fact, I think they kind of like it. I'm keeping him busy so that's one less impatient horse they have stomping about and snorting at the hitching post, demanding to be returned to his and her barn or stall.
It was amazing to me how the most of the class headed for their cars as soon as their butts left the saddles. I suppose they had to run off to do parental things. I have nothing to do but get my sleep for the coming worknight, which I'll gladly sacrifice that for some pony face time.
Riding with the soccer mommy set does have its advantages though. Attendance is flexible. I just call ahead on the week I'll be taking a lesson, ride and pay my money when I'm done. In most other classes you'd be expected to show up weekly and pay monthly, which I could never manage on my meager means.
Comments