This is gonna sound well stupid as I've had my own horse now for nearly 5 years, but had to retire him last month due to him being old, having chushings and not getting over a bad fall we both had.

However, I can't afford to full loan or buy my own at the moment, and I decided against part loan for the time being until I'm a bit more financially stable with the house so I'm starting lessons again.

Thing is, tonight is an assessment private lesson to see where/what class I can fit into. Thing is I'm dead worried they'll think I'm crap! I've not had a lesson in nearly 5 years as I've had Harry, but the thing is I wasn't a brilliant rider when I got him, he taught me pretty much everything!

I jump, cross country but I can't leg yield or do anything like that. I also learned how to ride Harry properly, but I know that he was a sod and you had to ride him a particular way! Arrggg!! Petrified I'm gonna get on this horse and it's not gonna do anything I ask of it!

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Sure you will be fine and the point of lessons is to improve your current skills/ability so i wouldn't worry about what your starting point is and just enjoy it

When i was younger i used to take lessons but all the horsey people at the stables (including teacher) were so snobby toward us, we were the council estate kids and mummy and daddy couldn't afford to buy us a horse like the rest of the kids at the stables! So we ended up getting ponies on part loan from a nearby farm and kinda taught ourselves, or the ponies taught us and it was great!

So i know what you mean i would be a little scared to, only cause i've done it my own way like yourself.

I'm sure you will be fine though, at the end of the day you have had your horsey for a long time, you'll be a natural at it now.

I have just started after 5 years and I hadn't a lesson for 15 years and it was fine. i had a lesson with a group of adults and it was a good laugh. nothing serious just back to basics to start. good luck.

The first lesson is always the worst when I came back into riding and began lessons, I felt self-conscious but my instructor was great and after that first lesson I began to have fun and I learnt a lot along the way. Just relax and enjoy

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www.tonette.co.uk

I LOVED it!

It actually made a change to have a horse do what you request of it without a battle! I mean I loved my tb to bits but sometimes he was a right git!

The didn't know my ability but put me on a cob called Kitty and she was fantastic once I got her going. A bit heavy on the forhand, and had a habit of cutting corners but once I got her sussed she went forward lovely, all be it with the odd flick of a stick, which was another thing that I didn't bother with on Harry.

And then at the end, much to my delight, the instructor put up a good 75 cm upright and told me to jump it! I was astounded when she cleared it, with a good 15 cm to go! No standing off, no putting in an extra stride when he felt like it, I could ride her right to the jump.

I really enjoyed it! I booked in for the hour session a week on thursday, which is the advanced adult class. She basically teaches 2 weeks flat, 2 weeks jumping so those of us that go every other week still get to do everything!

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