Cynic's Window to the World: Me & Sea Biskit

I was at the Embassy Riding School in Devanhalli, on the way to the new Bangalore Airport. It's spread over close to 250 acres of pristine real-estate, far away from the din and hum drum of the Eastern Silicon Valley. All my apprehensions of riding a giant spitting, kicking and insolent animal with a twitchy instinct was well laid to rest at the end of the day.

Mounting a horse isn't as simpile as it looks - especially if you or the horse carry a few spare tyres below the mid-riff area.
Holding the reins is an obvious key part of learning to make a horse go. You kind of clasp the reins in your middle 3 fingers while the thumb holds it over and the pinkie supports it under. A little foot-tap to the left or right along-with a tug of the taut reins push the stallion left or right. Its kind of key to not let the reins lurch over.

Adjusting the stirrup

The moment I mounted Slim, he went about munching the turf - a couple of kicks later, he decided to lurch forward. Honestly, if you thought riding a horse was bad, you should try a camel. I don't know how you keep your wits about, 10 feet off the ground, half suffering from vertigo, and half nauseated with all that swooning.
There was the handler hanging around my horse, and for some reason thought he neede to adjust the straps underneath the saddle - my horse absolutely didn't like it - now my handler had told me to keep my feet up front, to you know be able to kick the horse - now when the horse got pissed, it turned around and the first thing it would find is my juicy calf muscle - I had to check if this particular horse was a vegetarian.. Sometime later Slim settled down.
A few rounds around the paddock later, we did a quick trot, just about once, for about 50 metres, and I can assure anyone - the family jewels take a serious serious pounding, along with the lower back..

Riding the BEAST [His name : Slim Shady :-)]

Dismounting a horse requires a little bit of athleticism, and common sense. The first part I have, the second part is sometimes questionable - you need to get your feet out the stirrups - check - getting 7 feet off the ground in one action - hmmmm not quite sure - so I bent over forward and slid off the saddle. Phew, embaressment avoided!

Walking off, Veni Vidi Vici...

The 2nd half was to corral the ponies, my pony was called Muffin - and he was a docile chap - the others were little monsters running around - so I had an easy time - just pulling the chap over to the fence, tying in a reef-knot, and asking him to just settle down - after which we settled in to brush the little bugger, and what came out looked like horse-dandruff- not exactly highlight of the day!