Paddock perspectives

My time as a rider in the Netherlands

I had been taking horseback riding lessons since I was 12 at the Manege Voorschoten stables in the Netherlands for two years. There I learned how to better my posture as a rider and get control over my horse, the trainer there taught us how to tack up the horses and prepare them for riding. since the Netherlands is known for its unexpected weather it would always challenge us on how we can learn how to ride during different weather conditions. at Manege I had learned how to ride from a slow walk to a canter within 6 months and was in the process of learning how to jump and get motor controls over my horse with slight movements.

How I managed to stay connected with riding

in 2020 we moved back to Delhi and because I had to get used to a new school system I had to quit riding for 2years while we lived there, however whenever I would get the chance during vacation I would go back to riding a horse to not get out of habit.

continuing my journey in Sri Lanka

at the start of 2022, my father was posted to Sri Lanka and I joined Osc DP1 a few months later. while we were settling here  I decided to continue my horseback riding. during summer I was riding at the Ceylon Riding Club in Port City, known for the riding lessons by the beach. during my time there I realized that I could not reach my full potential as a rider and learner as it was limited to just being more of a tourist attraction because of this I ended up making the switch to the Premadasa Riding School which is known for representing the country in the Olympics to get wider knowledge about riding and horses. at this academy, they have a fixed syllabus and curricula and various programs for a rider to reach their full ability. the syllabus is divided into 3 stages and currently, I am working towards perfecting it to reach stage three, which is the final stage of learning as a rider. after the third stage, the riders may help out the beginners during their riding and help them feel comfortable around the horses. this also allows me to spend more time at the stable so that I can observe their behavior and emotions, which will help me understand them better as a rider and as a student interested in studying psychology.