Riding!

Haleif and his stable mates live on the first floor.  During the racing season, thoroughbreds live on the second floor of the stable. 

Friendly Horses

Shoveling Shavings

If you remember, a while back I posted about our excursion to find a stable with an English speaking riding instructor http://amy-cornerstoneretreat.blogspot.com/2013/06/our-goal-today.html .  Her horse was well and we made plans for a lesson Friday afternoon.  I asked her names of shops that have riding gear and she supplied them.  One was near the stable so we set out for it in search of some breeches, paddock boots and a helmet.  We left ourselves plenty of time and packed a lunch, knowing how difficult it can be to find things in Moscow.  As it turns out we passed the building several times and wondered if it contained the elusive shop, but the street name on the sign told me one thing when the website for the store had clearly told me something different.  As we were making our way down yet another alley a gentleman took pity on us and led us to a side door in a building where he did a charades worthy piouret, he thought we were looking for a ballet school.  I countered with a neighing horse and indicated clothing.  A flashbulb lit over his head and he pointed us in the correct direction.  We ended up under that misleading sign once again and I was nearing the end of my rope when a laborer on his lunch break took pity on us and looked at my map, and chicken scratched cyrillic notes and took us right to the door of the Horse and Pony Shop.  There were no windows with horsey clues and the sign next to the door was a plastic covered 8 x 11 sheet of paper.  There was still the puzzle of the website listing one address and the building being labeled another, but it was not a question I could ask the shopkeeper due to my nonexistent Russian and her limited English.  We were successful, however, in finding breeches, boots and a helmet.  Then we found a park to eat our lunch.  A loud gentleman either wanted to get to know us or was telling us we were not welcome to eat our lunch at that playground so we grabbed our things and walked to another nearby playground.  In the courtyard of most buildings are small playgrounds with benches.  Typically I tell the children that they are only for the residents of the surrounding buildings, one because I think most of them have a sign to that effect and two because C wants to play at everyone we see.  Today, I broke that rule as we were tired and hungry and there were no public parks nearby.  We ate our lunch and headed to the stable to meet I and her horse Haleif.  She rinsed him in the wash stall and then walked him around to dry him off.  She then saddled him and we headed out to the arena.  S rode first, on the lunge line.  She worked on walk and trot, sitting and posting.  Then H rode at first on the lunge line and then off. She worked at walk and trot, sitting and posting too.  After the lesson they unsaddled him, rinsed him in the wash stall and fed him carrots.  We made plans for another lesson next week.  I have some VERY happy girls!