Ridgway 3

13th June 2010

Ridgway Stables, Wimbledon Common

This was the last of the 'gift voucher' rides. There were 5 riders and the escort today, by far the largest group I have ridden in since I was a teenager. I was a little nervous, not only about myself, but I didn't know the other riders' capabilities, and I wasn't sure if the ride would be a gentle walk for beginners, or a mad gallop about everywhere with out of control horses. I needn't have worried, everyone was quite capable, and we had a brilliant ride. This was led by the 'usual' escort, who has been with the yard for 16 years but happened to be on holiday when I'd ridden there previously. I had been thinking that I may not bother going back to Ridgway again, but with Janice leading the ride, I'd quite happily go back whenever I have a spare gap in a weekend but not enough time to get to Chessington. I was again riding Wallace, and apart from a couple of nappy bits at the beginning and not being so active in walk, he did a perfect impression of a push button ride. Whenever I asked for an upwards transition, he did it. Whenever I asked for a downwards transition, he did it. Whenever I asked him to move to the side of the path, he did it. I don't know if it was because he was in a good mood, or if I've just improved, but I loved, loved, loved this ride. We started out and finished in walk, but the majority of the ride was in trot and canter, with a couple of walk breaks. The trot felt ever so comfortable today, and I got back to the effortless rising that was so noticeably absent at first. We had a couple of individual canters, and for both of mine, apart from one break into trot, they went well and I was complimented with 'nice canter' and 'smooth canter'. The others got constructive criticism, so I don't think she was just saying it to be nice. We also had half a dozen longer group canters, and having spent so much time running over the common in the last few years, and looking enviously at the horse-riders, today I was one of the riders cantering along through the woods and the golf course. And they were glorious canters. My bum was glued to the saddle, my knees were open, and my lower legs were in the correct position. I didn't tip forward, and I held my hands correctly. Sarah and Leon would be pleased to know that for almost all of the ride my thumbs were on top, I was sitting tall, and I didn't lose my stirrups a single time, despite the fact that when I mounted they felt comfortable so I immediately let them down a hole. I think with most of my other recent rides, I've been quite glad when they ended, as I was getting tired and sore. Today though, I would have quite happily ridden all day.