Horse Back Riding Lessons

Pretty much since we moved to Texas in August 2009 Larissa has been asking to ride a horse.  To be honest I really didn't even know where to look to find somewhere to take her or know how old a child should be before riding a horse so I just kind of ignored the requests with the usual mom reply of "later".

Just before Christmas this year Larissa really started getting perturbed and said to me, "Mom, we live in Texas and I haven't even ridden a horse."  That made me chuckle.  Days later on Groupon I saw an ad for 4 horseback riding lessons for 50% off, what perfect timing eh?  So horseback riding lessons was Larissa's big gift from us this Christmas. The problem with this gift is how in the heck do you wrap it?  I couldn't just print out the Groupon and put it in a card under the tree because a 5 year old can't read well enough.  So I came up with this idea and Brent made it.

Merry Christmas Larissa!

I put the picture in a box and wrapped it and hoped that my smart cookie would be smart enough to figure it out.  Lo and behold on Christmas morning Larissa opens the box with the picture in it and exclaims, "I get to ride a horse!!!!"  Now the questions started about when she was able to go.

Today, almost 2-weeks to the day after Christmas, Larissa was able to have her first lesson.  She was so stinkin' excited all day.  I had told Larissa that she would probably be riding a small horse and that was her only concern... she didn't want to ride a small horse!!!!

We get to the ranch and little Larissa hops out of the car and marches right in to the stable to meet the instructor.  The instructor greets us and looks at Larissa and says, "You sure are a little one!"  (Larissa is small for her age.)  Larissa's response, "I am 5-years old."  The instructor gets Larissa fitted with a helmet

and a horse brought over and off they go.  Much to Larissa's delight the horse was not little at all.  It was actually a large horse.  I lifted her on to the horse and the instructor explained to me that for the first 2 or 3

 lessons she was going to teach Larissa how to balance on a horse, get the feel of a horse, and hopefully relieve any fears Larissa might have.  She then told me that by lesson 3 or 4 she would let Larissa use reins on her own if she felt Larissa was ready.  It all sounded good to me, I have no experience with horses.

One handed.

No hands.

No hands but all smiles.

For the first 5 - 10 mins of the lesson her instructor taught her how to balance by riding with only one hand on the pommel and then no hands at all.  Next thing I know I see this...

Larissa has the reins and is riding on her own!!!  The instructor obviously stayed right there but nonetheless Larissa was on her own.  She made the horse, Pappy, go right and left and the next thing I know I hear a little, "Whoa!" from my Larissa and she is pulling up on the reins getting the horse to stop!!!  I was beaming.

After the lesson the instructor came up to me and asked if she had remembered correctly that Larissa had never had a horseback riding lesson before.  I told her that she had remembered correctly, this was Larissa's first experience with a horse.  The instructor then told me that Larissa has a natural talent.  She feels confident on the horse, isn't afraid, listens to instruction, and just has a natural talent!!!  She then said that on her 2nd lesson they would automatically start Larissa off with reins and set up some obstacles and give her a little smaller horse so she can have better use of her little legs.  Larissa was just grins from ear to ear and told me that horses were awesome!!!

On our way home the instructor called me just to tell me how much she enjoyed the lesson with Larissa and how much she enjoyed her huge smile.  She told me again how impressed she was and that she will be thinking of obstacles she can set up for Larissa for her next lesson!!!