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13 Moons part 2 - Freebird & Frugabulous
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Hi Lula
Just popping in. When my finances were much worse I used to ride at the cheapest stables in the area. I now go to a large BHS approved riding school and I can see the difference. At the previous place, some of the horses would be partial to a kick or bite if you didn't keep your wits about you, they were nowhere near as well trained and the quality of the instructors is in a different league. My riding went nowhere at the cheaper riding school and I finally had a massive loss of confidence when I had a ball fall, then a few weeks later, got dragged around the yard for 10 minutes by a new horse they'd just got in and hadn't bothered to teach any manners.
Unfortunately, riding is an expensive hobby and I think you get what you pay for. Having said that, the place I go to now is not the most expensive in the area either. Could DD have fortnightly lessons instead of weekly? I'd definitely recommend looking for somewhere that is BHS approved.
I agree with moo2moo's suggestion of offering DDs services if she is still keen, however I'd recommend she has some sort of training before doing any handling of horses. Accidents can happen around the stables aswell as riding.
Take care
GwenxThough no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending0 -
V sensible suggestion from Moo... that would definitely test the levels of devotion
I always wanted to learn to ride and my parents simply couldn't stretch to it. I finally had a proper lesson as a 35th birthday present from a friend :rotfl:. They were extremely good - the friend I went with has ridden for years and said she had never had such detailed tuition - and I think Gwen may well be right in that to some extent you get what you pay for (the place we went was BHS certified etc and they compete internationally). I knew that I didn't understand 'horse language' in the same way that I already understand dog or cat communication, and I was very pleased to find that the instructor explained how to approach the horse and how they think and react, instead of plonking us on a bored trekking pony and leaving us to slouch about learning naff all. I suspect that might save on time learning the hard way as well as adding to enjoyment while learning, so I'll be going back to them rather than looking for cheaper elsewhere.
Hope all else good
Rosa xxDebt free May 2016... DFW#2 in progress
Campervan paid off summer '21... MFW progress tbc0 -
Hope you're well. Keep seeing the Waitrose ads at the gym and thinking of you X'The road to a friends house is never long'0
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Pops in as well and waits patiently.Blackadder: Am I jumping the gun, Baldrick, or are the words 'I have a cunning plan' marching with ill-deserved confidence in the direction of this conversation?
Still lurking around with a hope of some salvation:cool:0 -
*shoves Souk and Bob up on the bench and also waits*
xxxxNevertheless she persisted.0 -
*parks self cross-legged beside bench*Debt free May 2016... DFW#2 in progress
Campervan paid off summer '21... MFW progress tbc0 -
Where are you?0
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Sorry for prolonged absence lovely guys & thanks for all the posts :iloveyou:
I have been meaning to post each night, but things happen & I've been too tired to do proper informative posts. You deserve my full efforts & attention rather than some half-hearted drivel.
So, let's go back a few days ...
Sunday it rained & I discovered another 2 loads of laundry to be done. Having done it all I was delighted to see a break in the clouds so I ran down to the garden & hung it all out & started to to potter a bit, remarking on how quick the salad leaves were growing & how much I love my hollyhocks. Noticed a very dark purplish grey cloud in the distance & tried to suss if it was coming my way.
It was& for some inexplicable reason I decided that rather than gather all laundry off the line & leg it sharpish ... that this would be a perfect time to experiment with my own home-made version of a washing line cover fashioned from a sheet of plastic that was covering the pink bench.
The cloud approaches ominously & gets darker looking with every second. I have secured the plastic over the poles of the spinny line & decide to stay & watch my new creation in action.
The cloud is over head & it unleashes the most enormous blobs of rain at about 100mph. I run to the table & curl myself around the umbrella/parasol to stay dry. The cat looks at me like I'm insane & dives under the table. Within seconds I see why.
It is not an umbrella, it is definitely a parasol. It is absolutely rubbish at keeping huge blobs of rain at bay, to the extent that there is a stream of water flooding down the stem of it & soaking me. I'm transfixed by my own stupidity & curiosity as to hwo the laundry is.
Then DD appears in her pyjamas, wellies & raincoat offering me an umbrella & laughing at me. She's come to rescue me as she coud no longer see me & wondered where on earth I had gone & also why there was a load of laundry cowering under a plastic sheet on the line :rotfl:.
Eventually the monsoon passed & we examined the washing. Apart from the lower half of a pair of jean which weren't covered byt the sheet, it was all still dry :j. The only problem was how to get rid of the huge puddle that was slowly sagging to the ground in the middle of the spinny thing :eek:. Eventually we decided to put a bucket underneath & then slit a hole in the sheeting to release the water.
By the time we'd drained it all out I'd lost interest in the whole experiment & brought the laundry inside to dry. It did give me some ideas on how fab it would be to have a covered area in the garden.
We watched the Apprentice & I was gratified that the contestants I had thought got through. It was also NSD number 7.
Monday was hectic at work-job as Highly Annoying is keen for me to get as much done as I can before gong on leave. I hardly breathed.
The new computer system is wobbling, Gropey was foul tempered & wobbling & Goblin was looking very flushed all day.
Had to collect DDs residential pics so also got myself a new mascara at the same time & parked in waitrose so bought flowers for DDs teacher & topped up with fruit.
I had heaps of home-job work to do so went straight to bed when done.
Tuesday was another hectic day at work & I nearly clobbered the Goblin. She's been so damn uppity. Grumpy asked me to enter some stuff on the new system & she leapt out of her chair, marched across the office, yanked the paper out of my hand & said she'd do it. I could have slapped her, but wasn't sure to get a direct hit as the colour of her face matched her hideous head to toe terracotta outfit in such a way that the boundaries were too blurred. Apart from the white trainers stuck on the end of her ankles.
Why ?
It was another busy home-job day but NSD.
Today (wednesday) was the leavers assembly at DDs school & what a tear jerker. They had a slide show which started with views of parts of the school but all empty & deserted looking. Then a stream of pictures of all the kids in the year & set to music. (Don't know what tune but I'll find out) Individual pics, groups of friends, they all look so happy, full of life & innocent. It really was beautifully done & I have tears streaming down my face now as I type.
The next slides were set to Black Eyed Peas 'I got a feeling' & showed them all on the residential trip in various groups & doing all the different activities.
It really was a fantastic assembly & lots of the kids were crying as well as parents by the end of it. I had to go straight to work after & have a stiff coffee.
Another manic day.
DD came home from school & all the kids have been given a dvd of the one we saw in the assembly - I was really choked up, it's just such a lovely thoughtful gift.
They had a party tonight so I finished off more heaps of home-job work, then dashed off to collect my dongle ( too scared of going internet cold turkey while away on hol) & also bought more cat food.
We've packed nothing, I keep forgetting to call the owner of the cottage so have no idea how to get in :rotfl:. We have enough food for DDs packed lunch tomorrow & other than that 2 bendy carrots & a bottle of cider in the fridge.
I'm finishing work at 1, will collect DD then head to sainsbugs to restock, then come home & try to get my head round this holiday.
I'm winging it at the moment & that's a recipe for disaster so just need to get school & work done then can concentrate.
Will update tomorrow & check aroudn everyone's diaries. I daren't go awol again for fear of a sit-in protest here
Hope all this fits on one post - will scream if I lose it ...
ETA - it did, will be back soon I promise - if only just to use the word 'dongle' again & snigger like a 7 year old0 -
glad to see you back...gosh you've been busy..DDs assembly sounds wonderful and very touching0
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Worth the wait as always Lula!'The road to a friends house is never long'0
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