Anxiety is no joke

Yesterday marked the first riding lesson for me after my fall and injury. I was terrified. There’s no pussyfooting around it, I was shaking with fear as I got back into the saddle. My body was screaming at me, “Look what happened last time you did this, you idiot!”

Anxiety is no joke. People pay a lot of money to get over their fear of riding, and many never entirely do. Once you’ve taken a bad fall, it’s really hard to convince yourself to jump back into the fire.

 

2016firstride

 

It went well, though. Pilar behaved beautifully and Louise, who has been riding her for me while I was unable, has done a really good job. She bends her neck beautifully and listens to the leg aids far better than three months ago. She did ask me a few times whether she was meant to trot or gallop along with the others, but was totally cool with me asking her to keep it at a walk. I haven’t got an honest muscle left anywhere after sitting on the sofa for three months.

 

2016joyceonpilar

 

Our friend Joyce got a ride too, and of course Pilar had to show off her very favourite trick with her as well.

And for our last pic of the day, enjoy the black diva herself in the two days of sparse snow we seem to have been granted this winter.

 

2016pilarisneen