Horsies

Okay! Finally I have my lap top back, so where do I start?

I guess I might as well get right to the point instead of talking in circles (*Note. I didn't know I would actually talk out of the subject again but I just did and a very long one in fact, pardon me. And stuff that don't exactly relate to the post, like SHINee! I tried breaking my SHINee addiction about 2 days ago when I found out Swathy, my fellow Shawol that got the SHINee disease from Machika (She tried making us listen to other kapoops, KCC language for K-pop but was pretty unsuccessful you could say.) won't be able to come with me for their concert in September and I might not go to anyways since it might clash with a few things so I told myself and an upset Swathy that eh, they are just 5 silly Korean guys that sing (Awesome), dance (Awesome) and rap (Awesome. I can't take western rap, it drives me insanely mad but I for some reason LOVE it when it's Korean..). I wonder if she bought it or she saw the awesomes in it too, hahaha! The day after that we met up with Machika for the last time in the KLIA airport, sob, her year in Malaysia is up! *Points up, that's us (Check out the badges!) the Japanese girl and the "I-Wish-I-Was-Korean-SO-Bad-That-I-Actually-Took-A-Korean-Airline-Home-And-Actually-Got-To-Stop-In-A-Korean-Airport-For-2-Hours-Girl", Hah! Bet you will never guess who's who, in in the airport. Wore the rainbow plastic bracelets I bought in KLCC with her, My "I scream for ice cream" shirt which I also bought in KLCC with her and my favoritest hair band EVER, I think I just like white hair bands on my black hair so I get that monochrome effect which I bought in Central with her! The first thing my Mom told Machika was: Points at me while I was eating my filet-o-fishywishy @ KLIA Mcd* She has been ADDICTED to K-pop ever since you left, what have you done to her?! She has her headphones on for almost the whole day! (I swear my Mom started on this horseback riding thing to drag me (And.. She succeeded! She knows all me weak spots too well, sob. I almost forgot this post was about horseback riding not SHINee, oops!) away from my precious (Say it like the way Golum says it with his pweaciouss ring!) SHINee!) Machika had this REALLY surprised look on her face and she said: REALLY?! I didn't know you would actually like it.. And show me your nails! (She probably saw that photo being posted on my FB. My SHINee inspired nails, they are painted freehand in case any artsy people come across this post, including the tiny heart on my pinky which was pretty darn hard to paint! Ignore the names on my fingers, I just had to put them in because.. 5 fingers for 5 members! My index finger and pinky are "different/unique" from the rest because well.. Those are my two favorites and I shan't explain what the smiley stands for!) Remember how I was talking and laughing my head off every time Machika (Most of the time it was Swathy though, she got addicted first. WAAAAY before me, actually I really have no idea how I developed a SHINee obsession, seriously.) played it on her iPod about how reee-donkey-lous (Learnt that from Puss in Boots in Shrek 3 and it won't be leaving my vocabulary anytime soon I think.) the "Ring Ding Dong" (Swathy's favorite song THEN, she had to listen to it like.. Every hour I think.) dance was and I had no idea I had a "Fan girl" in me, it's scary, so I guess I don't blame Machika for being super shocked because I think I kinda shocked myself too! Started talking and TALKING about K-pop, Machika is huge fan of DBSK and GG AKA Girl's Generation, I don't mind My destiny-DBSK, it's more of a childhood song, I was randomly clicking on Korean music videos and discovered this! I somehow heard it from.. Somewhere in Singapore, it's nice listening to it again, brings back all my Singapore memories and GG's Gee, Oh and Run devil run but too bad for them cause SHINee's (For the record, SHINee's the only artist, of ALL time that has actually got me to like all their songs.) awesomer. Barrier Broken. Okay! Imma going to that concert no matter what! Alone or with company! Dead or alive! I advise you not to go near Machika, she has this K-pop hypnotizing thing that turns you Kapoop crazed.) like I usually do when I blog, hahaha!

Okay! So... (I can't believe I actually have to type THAT, points up* much to get to the point!) Let's get this diagonal, err.. I mean STRAIGHT! I am taking HORSEBACK riding lessons. Big huge smiley face*

We (Me and Eu Fai, I think Han somewhat joined too but he is too young to ACTUALLY start.) started on our first lesson yesterday at 5PM, we were supposed to start two days before (We were all dressed up in our jeans/track bottoms and shoes already when we got the call saying it was to be postponed!) but it was raining Nile hippopotamuses and African elephants from dawn till midday! I slept till midday that day, bliiiissssss..  So I suppose horses can't be ridden on wet sand?

I think about 4-5 days ago we dropped by at the stables to inquire about the lessons, that's when I started to fall in love with horses, before this I didn't really understand why people liked it SO much! I used to find these pink, glittery "Horsey" books for 7-10 year old-ish girls in the children's section of the library (When I was younger.) and used to think why they liked them SO much, I think I know now. Grin* I think I basically like any animal you consider "Big", gentle (Wait. I think I like wild ones as well.) and intelligent as well I suppose, for a reason I am not sure of..

Our first lesson yesterday was basically getting used to being horse (It was pretty awkward.. You had to push your heels down, I found this quite difficult on the stir-ups, still find it quite difficult today but it's getting better! Your ankle, back and ears that to be in a straight line, I found keep all this in position was tough when the horse (I rode King, a big, actually the biggest horse they have there, dark brown ex-race horse yesterday and Casey, a "fine tuned" and smarter horse today.) started trotting and you have to keep your back straight but relaxed?, use your knees to "hug" (Hug or fall off the horse!) the horse, not so easy if you get a BIG horse, controlling (Tug reins left, it turns left. Tug reins right, it turns right. Tug both, it stops. If my 5 year old brother can do it, you can too.), leisurely walking around, it's quite a nice feeling as though as you are a queen riding around your palace grounds and learning how to do the "Rising trot".

What a "Rising trot" means to me: The horse starts going faster then it's usual leisure graze/walk thing and it starts getting bumpy, I mean VERY jumpy and bumpy that you may be bumped off the horse if your knees aren't forcing themselves to hold on! (Did sitting trots with Casey today, felt as though I was holding on "El toro", not a tamed horse. Might need to have more "Knee muscles" to do the sitting trot! Is there such a thing as "Knee muscles" in the first place?) On the first try I did wish for some straps tying me down to the horse and if that wasn't possible a less slippery leather saddle would be all I would ask for! So... You are supposed to... Hold the reins taut, heels down, and stand up up when the horse's left foot goes in front (A bit hard to see when it's trotting, so you might just have to estimate a bit but you will geddit after a while.).. Then sit down once the left foot goes back, it's basically doing some form of push-ups with your legs. Repeat until you get tired or if you feel as though as your will be knocked off any soon then pull on the reins to stop the trotting machine!

What Wikipedia says it is: "The rider makes an up and down movement each stride, rising out of the saddle for one beat, and lowers (sits) for the second beat. When the rising trot is performed correctly, it is comfortable for the rider and easy on the horse. This is preferred for show jumping, hunt seat, eventing (the jumping phases),saddle seat, lower-level dressage, and most other English-type riding as well as endurance riding. Although this does not provide as much control as sitting, it frees the horse's back. In the rising trot, the rider allows the horse's movement to throw his or her seat a bit out of the saddle. When coming back down, the seat touches down lightly rather than slamming down on the horse's back. Except in saddle seat riding, rider's shoulders maintain a slight forward incline throughout the rising trot, instead of the upright, vertical position seen in sitting trot. The shoulders and lower legs remain in relatively the same position when the rider is both rising and sitting and the hands also stay in the same position as the rider rises and sits."

Getting the "rhythm" of the "Rising trot" was pretty difficult on the first day and if I did I could only do it for a few times before I lost it again then I would be bouncing about on the saddle, hahaha! I must have been amusing to watch...

Karen! Heels down! Back straight! Hold the reins tauter!

By the end of the day I think I SERIOUSLY salute those people or knights that can ride and fight on top of it, scary!
And of course.. VERY tired! My shirt was soaked, my hair didn't agree very much helmet and got super messy and even insides of jeans were soaked and I officially walked a little funny (Don't ask me how I walked, Stu' funny!)!
I wonder who does more work, the rider or the horse.

Lesson 2:

Mommy woke me up at 8AM, we were supposed to be THERE at 8AM!
Ugh.. So groggy and ouch.. My thighs! I hate the fact that I have to use my knees/thighs to grip on the horse, it's super tiring!

Pulled on my smelly jeans and hurried down to have a bit of breakfast and then off we went!
On the way to the stables I was wondering how I would ride the horse, being half asleep or half dead.

When we reached, I was greeted by a new instructor, a small, petite, old-ish Malay man.

While Casey was getting "dressed" we went to have a look at King who was getting his horseshoes fixed because they made his legs cross or something.. And eating some apples and bananas Mommy packed in her picnic bag, no, it wasn't a basket. Big mistake.

Today I finally was able to keep my heels down while doing the rising and sitting trot! I finally knew the trick after watching the instructor ride Casey! Yaaaay! Lets hope I am able to do it again tomorrow!
And... I think I am able to do the rising trot (On the first day hearing: Are you ready for trotting?! Was quite scary after walking around with the horse a bit but today.. I felt pretty excited!) quite well too! No more bouncing!
And I was taught the working trot, I learnt the "normal" trot yesterday and did some sitting trots as well...
The working trot feels more comfortable to me, somehow!

Still can't take the fact that I havta kick the horse to make it move...
 
What sitting trot means to me: Keeping yourself on the horse without bouncing around the saddle and maintaining your back straight, heels down.

What Wikipedia says it is: The rider's seat remains in the saddle the whole time, following the motion of the horse, without bouncing. This is preferred for show ring western riding and indressage, especially at the upper levels. Sitting the trot gives the rider optimum control because he or she can use the seat and weight to influence the horse, asking for upward or downward transitions, turns, and to decrease or increase impulsion. It is also a test of equitation, proving that the rider can quietly move with the horse. The jog, which is the preferred gait of western horses, is generally smoother and less-bouncy than the working and extended trot of the English-style horse. Sitting can be very tiring for the rider, especially if performed by riders who have not built up their stomach and back muscles, or if riders are on an extremely powerful mount with a big trot. To sit the trot, there is a slight forward and back movement of the lower back and stomach as the rider's hips follow both the up and down and side-to-side motion of the horse. To absorb the impact of the trot, the rider relaxes through the hips, the stomach and lower back, as well as the legs. The rider's upper body remains upright and quiet. The rider's hands remain steady. The lower legs remain relaxed and only come into play when the rider gives a leg aid. If a rider cannot sit the trot and is bounced around, the rising trot is preferable, as not only is the rider uncomfortable, the constant slamming of the rider onto the horse is uncomfortable for the horse, who will hollow its back and stiffen its movement.


Am super tired now! Lesson 3 will be at 7.30AM tomorrow! Wish me luck! (Will try to blog about it.)


~K