Lessons with Mike

[Flyingfox]

I cant believe I am actually doing this - I am sitting in A McDonalds as I have had NO internet at home now since last Tuesday and Virgin, having run tests on our system via BT are now consenting to come out and visit us - but not until Wednesday! We need our internet for our business, so in desperation we have taken ourselves to Mc Donalds to drink Coca Cola and use the Wifi! How sad is that? The 'food' smell in here is not good - I have been a veggie for 30 years, so the smell of meat cooking is not my favourite odour!
Anyway, anyway, anyway

I have been riding for years. Since I was a kid. I have had horses of my own since I was 20 and I have competed in dressage, Showjumping, X country Gymkhana and endurance. I have had lessons from BHS AIs IIs, Is and random other teachers, but not recently - not since before my oldest daughter, Rosie was born - and she is now nearly 19 years old!
I have spent all my money on the girls and their riding education - until now!
In 2008, I went to Spain, rode on some beautifully trained classical dressage horses and learned more in a week than I had learned in the previous 10 years riding. then, last year in 2010, I took the simulator course with Heather and learned more in 3 days than I had learned in 20 years. I followed that up by having lessons with Heather on my own horse. Now I have started having lessons with Mike Aylmore and I can tell you that I am learning more again. Every lesson I learn something new about Fox and about how to ride him. If anyone out there thinks that books, videos and E courses can do it - think again. this is how I have had to learn for years due to time and economics, but a good teacher is so, so much better, and the learning curve is so, so much faster.

Even if you are not having lessons every week, (I am having lessons every other week roughly)  directly taught lessons are worth a million words or video images. So, thanks to the wonderfully trained Spanish horses and great tuition at the Hacienda Dos Olivos, Heather and Mike I am delighted to find that I am finally improving my riding!

[whisper's mum]

Brilliant!  I never did get to have lessons with Mike, something I do regret.  I missed the last Heather clinic so I'm in dire need of sorting, but luckily I am having 2 lessons with Lou79 on Friday; you're absolutely right, lessons are invaluable.     

[crdodgeon]

Yup. Completely agree. Lessons are invaluable. 

a good teacher is so, so much better, and the learning curve is so, so much faster.
 directly taught lessons are worth a million words or video images.

Definitely seconded

[Freedom]

Well done, pleased for you.

I second mike is great, worked his magic with one of my horses years ago, if only I could ride like him.

Hope your internet gets sorted.

[shoveltrash]

  agree 100%
consider yourself VERY lucky to have access to good instruction

so, no Big Mac for you with the WiFi then?

[Flyingfox]

YAY I'm back online again! Our router, the BT phone connection and wiring in the house and the exchange have all had things tweaked and replaced and now I have access to the internet once more! Hurray for that!!!

 agree 100%
consider yourself VERY lucky to have access to good instruction

I really do count myself very lucky to have found Heather - and through her, Mike, because before I met Heather, I really thought there was no-one like this to teach in UK and I would have to go to Spain or Portugal to learn this kind of riding! The thing is, you can learn a heck of a lot from books and from videos and even more from E-courses, but none are as good as a real live teacher watching you ride and correcting stuff as it happens.  I am loving the Marijke de Jong E course, and I am sure I will get loads from the weekend in July when I take Fox to a clinic of hers, but thats still not enough really - I need prodding into place on a far more regular basis than once or twice a year!  

so, no Big Mac for you with the WiFi then?

Oddly enough, I wasnt tempted to try a big mac at all!

Just hoping I can keep learning faster than my body starts to fall apart, so that I can have a year or two of riding creditably well before I am too old to get on a horse any more! Yup - I hit 50 this year and I am having a mid life crisis all right!

 

[crdodgeon]

Just hoping I can keep learning faster than my body starts to fall apart, so that I can have a year or two of riding creditably well before I am too old to get on a horse any more! Yup - I hit 50 this year and I am having a mid life crisis all right!

Pah!! I stayed at the b&B run by a lady in her 80s who still rode to hounds every week!! 50's a mere nothing!! 

[Heather]

Well I am 60 in only two years, Jacquie!! I would be happy to be only 50 again and you dont look it at all anyway! Really glad you are enjoying your lessons with Mike- as I knew you would 

[Mike A]

I never did get to have lessons with Mike, something I do regret.

Haha, I'm not dead Helen! I'll travel anywhere to teach if you can get a few people together...... 

Really glad you're getting a lot from your lessons Jacquie, & well done to Flo at the BSJA this week 

[whisper's mum]

Haha, I'm not dead Helen! I'll travel anywhere to teach if you can get a few people together...... 

  It's just me and a ridge and furrow field I'm afraid ... poor old Lou is going to come though and teach me on Friday. Perhaps I'll find a location to hire sometime and some other peeps to join me.   

[Freedom]

I hit 50 this year and I am having a mid life crisis all right!

  NO WAY!!!! 

.....only 50 again and you dont look it at all anyway! :

Not that 50 is old, but I agree you don't look it - I guessed you were early 40's

 

[Flyingfox]

NO WAY!!!! 

Not that 50 is old, but I agree you don't look it - I guessed you were early 40's

 

Hey thanks a lot for that!  Thats really great for my weekly ego boost! 
I dont FEEL any different physically to when I was in my 20s or 30s, but I am a bit depressed when I look in the mirror to see the increasing wrinkles and grey bits, not to mention the mid line expansion! 

[shoveltrash]

funny how perspective changes as we grow older.  i'm 45, and consider 50 *young* now .  
i was inspired at my clinic recently by a rider who was 70!  
my plan: get rid of all mirrors

(edited to fix the spelling of "rid" )

[crdodgeon]

my plan: get ride of all mirrors

With you on that one!!