Horseback riding

Last summer Maisie and a few of her friends attended a week of horseback riding camp and they all had a wonderful time.  Maisie really enjoyed the week and learning to ride and would have loved to continue but it’s just not something that she can take on during the school year with her classes and heavy gymnastics schedule so I made it clear that it’s a summer fun thing to do.  Immediately after last summer’s camp she asked if she could do another week the following summer and I told her she’d be able to ride again.

Maisie also asked if I’d take lessons with her.  Here’s what she didn’t know, I am deathly afraid of horses and have never petted or touched one, but because I love her I agreed said maybe. 

Then just before Christmas I saw a really good deal on Groupon for a six pack of riding lessons so I purchased two of them, one set for Maisie and one for fearful me so that we could both take lessons together. 

Even though the horseback riding lessons were a Christmas gift we waited until the end of May to take the lessons.  This worked out wonderfully as school was finished, Maisie’s summer schedule hadn’t started yet and the weather was perfectly sunny & warm and there was very little humidity.

Maisie did great with the lessons and what she learned the previous summer came right back to her.

By the end of the first lesson she was trotting and posting.

She also learned to do the two point position in preparation to learning how to jump.

Maisie absolutely loved riding and wants to do it again next summer…or sooner!

Oh and how did I do…well a lot better than I thought.  I touched a horse and shoot I even pet a horse.  I actually did well.  My first lesson I was petrified but I got on and I did it…even if it was just being led around the ring by the instructor as she attempted to get me to breathe and be a bit more relaxed.  By my second lesson I was able to saddle and get the bridle on the horse on my own and I was calmer as the instructor only had to walk near me as I walked around the ring.  I even trotted a little on the lunge line.  By my fourth lesson I was trotting off the lunge line along the rail and was learning to post.  Unfortunately I managed to somehow pinch a nerve in my back and for five days I was unable to sit.  It was crazy as I could stand for hours and be comfortable moving around but sitting for less than five minutes had me in shear pain.  Also unfortunate was that laying down, though better than sitting still caused major pain…thank goodness for high dose pain killers as that’s the only way I got any relief.  As I wasn’t able to take my final two lessons Maisie got to do them and thoroughly enjoyed the extra riding time.  I probably won’t ever ride a horse again but at least I’m no longer afraid and Maisie really enjoyed that I took the lessons with her.

Me, I’m much better in the kitchen than on a horse.  Now that the weather is gorgeous I’ve been loving salads like my Shrimp & Avocado Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing, a perfect healthy summer meal.  Just click on the link or the picture to be taken to the recipe.

Other recipes posted on Cook Lisa Cook include: Mango Lassi, Stir-Fried Asparagus with Water Chestnuts, Ginger & Cashews, Curried Roast Chicken Pieces with Spicy Sweet Potato & Carrots, Grilled Corn & Bacon Pudding, Oriental Chicken Salad, Potato Salad with Bacon, Coffee Crusted Steak, Home Style Chicken Curry, Watermelon Frosty,  Mango Gazpacho, Toll House Double Stuff Oreo Brownies, Long Beans with Walnuts, Blacksmith Pizza, Rhubarb Crisp, Laksa, Math Book No Bake Cookies, Aloo Gobi, Mint Lassi, Red Curry Chicken, Lamb Curry, Grilled Corn, Avocado & Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing, Baked Egg Cups Two Ways, Thai Peanut Salad, Holy Guacamole, Cantaloupe Agua Fresca, Wallaby Darned, Piggy-Out Cookies, Wicked Good New England Lobster Roll, Long Beans with Garlic, Super Simple Summer Shrimp Salsa Salad, Grandma’s Teriyaki Steak, Watermelon Tomato Gazpacho, Red Chinese Long Beans with Peppers & Red Curry, 24-Layer Crêpe Cake, Fig & Watermelon Salad, Grilled Chèvre & Fig Panini, Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad, Grilled Prawns, Spicy Brown Sugar Bacon, Kicked Up Piggy-Out Cookies, Pesto Pita Pizza, Cilantro Lime Chicken, Nutella Crêpes, Mango, Lime & Chile Spiced Ice Box Pie, Roast Beef & Garlic Herb Cheese Sandwich, Layered Crespelle with Bolognese, Fresh Mozzarella & Basil, Jamaican Jerk Meat Pies, Nutella No Bake Cookies, Velvety Mac & Cheese, Welsh Cakes, Tom Yam Ghoong (Spicy Shrimp Soup), Lime Jewels, Southwest Pasta Salad, Walnut Roca Squares, Uncle Bubba’s Shrimp & Grits, Chocolate Chip Gingersnaps, Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies, Copycat “KFC” Coleslaw, Happy 6th Birthday Maisie Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies, Thin Mint Irish Coffee, Caramel Apples, “Rotisserie” Chicken, Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwich, Mummy Hotdogs, Mango Upside Down Cake, Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens, Aloo Tikki, Pink Strawberry Cake Balls, Praline Pumpkin Cheesecake, Apple Dumplings, Rum Cured Salmon, Apple, Cranberry & Rhubarb Crisp, Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic Sour Cream, Crunchy Oat, Almond, Cashew & Pebbles Granola Bars, Texas Chicken with Lime Butter, Biscoff Fudge, Eggnog Popovers with Cranberry Butter, Creamed Corn with Cheese and Cilantro, Potato Crusted Pork Chops, Oatmeal, Cashew & Chocolate Granola Bars, Texas Chicken Sandwich, Seared Scallops with Creamy Pesto & Lemon Pepper Pasta, Thai Chicken Noodle Soup, Glazed Lemon Squares, Chang-Style Brussels Sprouts, Maisie “safe” No Bake Cookies, Ponderosa Lemon & Sour Cream Tart, Pork Dumplings with Rice Wrappers, Sweet & Spicy Apple Pork, Dark Chocolate Dipped Candied Lemon Peel, Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites, Double Chocolate Meyer Lemon Mousse Cake, Malted Pretzel Crunch, Apple Pancakes, Baked Egg & Avocado, Health(ier) Peanut Brittle, Crab Cake Stuffed Mushrooms, Broiled Sushi, Tomato Sauce with Onion & Butter, Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole, Slow Cooker Chicken Curry, Slimmed Down Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole, Baked Meatballs, Skinny Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad, Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars, Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Hearty Sausage, Mushroom & Cheddar Mini Quiche, Strawberry Soup, Chicken Tenders, Candied Popcorn and Mango Melon Banana & Chia Smoothie

Enjoy!