My first horse riding lesson!

Sometimes life gives you a little nudges toward experiences you’ve always wondered about. For me, horseback riding has been one of those curiosities.

I grew up a city girl, where horses were a rare sight. My second year in Canada, I saw two officers jogging on horseback in downtown Victoria. It left an impression, and ever since, I’ve wondered what it might feel like to sit atop a horse to see a world from that vantage point.

Ten years later, I finally decided to take the plunge and experience it for myself. This year has been a reminder to embrace new things. To explore those ‘somedays’ ideas before they drift further out of reach.

I think it’s an early midlife crisis, combined with a growing curiosity.

Regardless, I found myself signing up for a lesson at Southlands Heritage Farm in Vancouver. It’s such a charming little corner that somehow feels like a retreat in the middle of this busy city.

My lesson began with a 30-minute grooming session where I met Scott, a “young” adult male horse, very demure and very calm.

The instructor, Maya P., was incredibly patient. She guided me through each step with so much clarity.

I was super nervous when trying to get on Scott, because by then, I realized how tall it looks on this view of the horseback world, and I’m not a fan of height.

Anyway, it took me a couple tries to finally get on Scott with the help of Maya. She had to push my feet up to help me with the climb .. I felt very grateful.

After that she showed me how to signal Scott to walk and stop. It was slightly dizzy at the beginning because of all the unfamiliar movement. But practice is key. By the 3rd round of the walk, I felt an odd combination of excitement and proud. Seeing everything from this new perspective and feeling the sway with each step, it was a mix of exhilaration and grounding.

You know what the most fun part is? Seeing Scott’s ears. I noticed when the instructor and I talked, Scott’s ears would move backward to listen to us. Then there were other horses and people’s voices further way, he would move his ears to those directions to ‘eavesdrop’. From behind, all I saw was Scott’s ears moving constantly to hear all the tea.

Maya told me when Scott argued with another horse, his ears would flat all the way back to show that he’s annoyed or ready to kick. When I groomed him, I made sure to only walk in front of him, in case he felt annoyed and wanted to throw them back kicks.

I miss Scott.

I’m sure this big boy felt my struggles and fear but he was so calm throughout.

I like horses more after this lesson as I got to know a bit more about their language. I think they are so smart and intuitive.

I feel curious about animals in general and especially when I see their language and got to understand them, either by an expert’s explanation or steady observation, I just feel drawn to them. Like we cannot communicate by human language but there are subtle signs there where I can get to know them bit by bit.

After the lesson, I took a walk over to the Southlands Nursery, just a short distance away. There was so much colour and life!

Next summer, if you ever feel curious in knowing more about horse riding, I can’t recommend this place enough. For anyone curious to try, you can check out their website here: Southlands Farm.

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