I was recently lucky enough to get a lesson from top celeb trainer Mary-Ann Trevor-Roper as part of the National Riding Festival 2007.
A lesson in London
As part of the Petplan Equine National Riding Festival 2007 I was invited to Mudchute Equestrian Centre in central London. I was lucky enough to have a private lesson with Mary-Ann Trevor-Roper, who helped train the celeb riders in last year’s Only Fools on Horses.
I got to ride Trigger, the festival’s mechanical horse too. He travels around the UK visiting schools, riding centres and shows inspiring people to have a go at riding and encourage past riders back into the saddle. His rhythm felt a bit different to the pinging pony rhythm I’m used to cos he’s a ‘horse’!
A new instructor
Having a different instructor to normal was really helpful. Although Mary-Ann said the same things, hearing them explained in a different way made things click.
Pickles the pony
I got paired up with London boy, Pickles. He’s a 15.1hh, 20-year-old, chestnut, Hackney x Gelderlander. Pickles used to be used for driving but now he loves to jump and can clear 3’ 3”! He lives at Mudchute on a working livery basis so he’s used to having different riders on his back.
Getting a grip
Mary-Ann spotted that I sometimes loosen my grip on the reins. She told me to imagine I was holding a baby chick, which would keep my hand closed and my thumbs pressed down on the top of the reins securely.
Balancing act
Mary-Ann got me changing my diagonal by staying raised for two beats instead of sitting. It’s a great way to see if you’re balanced in your stirrups – if you’re not you’ll fall backwards.
Doing less
I rise very high in rising trot because I push away from my stirrups. Mary-Ann told me to rise from my knee joints and not lift too high off the saddle. This is a much slower action and therefore stops your horse jogging.
Let it be
When I ride my right leg has a tendency to slip back behind the girth. This imbalance then makes me lose my left stirrup. Mary-Ann said the key is to just ‘let my stirrups be’ and allow them to hang the way gravity intended …vertically.
Breathe easy
Mary-Ann told me to hum to myself while I rode, as this would take my mind off riding and in turn relax my upper body which would then make my posture better.
Love this pic! Pickles was really well behaved. He listened carefully and gave a lovely collected canter.
Don't forget you can get a half price riding lesson voucher from the Petplan Equine National Riding Festival on the main site. We've 100 up for grabs and there's just a few left... don't miss out.
Pictures: ALEX FOLKES/FISHNIK