Horse Riding?

Hi, I have galloped. I don't have a horse of my own though. I am at college studing Equine Studies. I start my HND in Sept. I started riding once a week when I was 15 and finally persuaded my parents to let me ride! Then the riding stable closed down after a year and when I moved up to wick I discovered to my delight that there was a course for Horses at the college. I was quick to join up! I galloped for the first time in 1st year on Tashe he is the greatest horse! So lovely! He was really good and he went steady, my balance isn't that brilliant because I haven't been riding that long. It was great fun and I have galloped again since. I do enjoy it and its nice to go out in the security of a group ride. It was only at the end of my 1st year that I galloped, it doesn't seem that long but I was riding at least two hours 5 days a week so I got a lot of practise in!

Hi. Yep, I've got my own horse and ride regularly at the local stables. Gulliver is a lazy tyke, and point-blank refuses to do anything more than canter when it's just us, but we enjoy a good gallop when someone else is along too. There is nothing like the adrenilne rush you get as you break into a gallop! I think Sarah's right, it just sort-of HAPPENS, but get plenty of practice with control and postioning etc. before you think of galloping. Have fun!

Hi Ella. i go riding once a week. i started riding when i was about 9 (a few years ago now as i just turned 31!) i rode weekly until i was about 18 and then had to give up until last year. i can gallop. i don't remember ever really being "taught" to gallop, it just kind of happened over the years! how long have you been riding? do you get a chance to have a good gallop now and then? the general rule of galloping is that you should get up off the horses back so that the horse can move more freely and balance himself. you do this by getting in to your basic jumping position. you will need to be able to hold this position securely so it is best if you can have a practice in the school in walk, trot and canter before trying the gallop!

that said, there is nothing nicer than being out in the country on a nice day and having a good gallop in a safe place. where i ride there is a lovely field with a gentle slope so that we can ride down to the bottom of the field and have a really good, fast gallop back up to the top...excellent fun!