Hobby Horse Equestrian team rider Tania Poelmann, 16, saddles up.
Learn to ride I began riding when I was eight years old after trying it on holiday in Australia. I have been riding ever since. My mum and two younger sisters are also into riding so it’s something we can do as a family. I used to have lessons at the Lo Wu Saddle Club but it was a long drive. When the Clearwater Bay Equestrian & Education Centre opened down the road in 2008, it was a big relief. I now ride twice a week. I’m part of the equestrian team at King George V School. Last year, my school team won a competition in which the prize was a week’s trip to the Ingestre Stables in Stafford, England. It was an amazing experience. I’m not great at dressage but I like jumping because you have to think quickly and it’s all about timing. Dressage takes a lot of skill to train the horse but I find it less interesting than jumping. You have to do both when you enter most competitions though. Most stables will lend helmets, boots and equipment, but it’s best to buy your own gear because it is more comfortable. I’d recommend getting jodhpurs, riding boots, a helmet, a body protector and gloves. Seven is a good age to start riding. You start on a lead rein, learning how to control the horse and stay on. You don’t start jumping until you’re a competent rider. I love riding because it’s unpredictable as you’re dealing with a live animal that has its own mind and moods. It’s never boring. I ride a different horse each week which gives me an opportunity to practise a range of skills. Riding is all about confidence. If you fall off, you have to forget about the fall and get straight back onto the horse. Riding has made me a much braver person.
LEARN TO RIDE Clearwater Bay Equestrian & Education Centre, www.ceec.hk Lei Yue Mun, Pok Fu Lam and Tuen Mun Public Riding Schools, www.campaign.hkjc.com Lo Wu Saddle Club, www. lowusaddleclub.com Beas River (members only), www.member.hkjc.com
Be prepared for a few bumps and bruises. You’ve only ridden properly when you’ve fallen off! I want to continue riding but I don’t want to become a professional. Anyone who does has to devote their entire lives to riding and I’m not sure that’s for me. It would be fantastic to work in a stables because I really like being around horses. expat-parent.com
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