Horseback riding and a run

My Friday Feast can be found below this.

I had my first horseback riding lesson in Germany today. I rode a horse called Anubis. She's a warmblood, and is black, with a white stripe. A very nice horse, and she answered the aids pretty well.

(BTW, the picture of my riding is not from today, but from one of my lessons in Ottawa back in the spring.)

The instructor ran us through the basics, in order to determine what level I am, and which classes I could join. We did the usual walk, trot (rising trot and sitting trot), canter, some circles, changes of rein, etc.

After all that, we went on a short (15 min) hack through the Englischer Garten. Lots of fun. This stable has regular "Ausritte" (trail rides) through the Englischer Garten, so I will certainly be taking part in some of those!

My level was about where I figured I would be: intermediate. I rode a lot when I was younger (age 12 to 19), but then during my university studies I didn't have time to ride, and then I was paying off my student loans, and then I just never got back into the habit of riding.

Last year, for our anniversary, my husband surprised me with a session of riding lessons (2 months worth.) So I started riding again in Summer 2005, and continued until this past April (2006), when things started getting really busy for us with our German language testing and our move to Munich. Now that we are settled in, and have established our regular schedule, I have time to ride again.

The riding school can be seen here. (The website is in German.)

This afternoon, when hubby came home from work, we went for an easy 5 mile run through the Englischer Garten and along the Isar. My legs felt quite heavy and tired, so I'm happy that this week's long run is part of a "cut-back" week, and so it's only 5 miles.