Month: July 2019

Fun Riding

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On Friday my riding club had a fun ride around the grounds of a local National Trust property.  I have done a couple of sponsored rides before but never a fun ride and I was very keen to go.  I couldn’t get Galahad there but my instructor had a horse I could use and I jumped at the chance.

The weather could not have been better – we have been having a heatwave recently but this was an evening ride so everything was much cooler but still lovely and dry.  Even better – we were barely bothered by flies at all!

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The ride was a mix of woodland, quiet lanes and open fields.  We had some great canters but also plenty of time to walk and absorb the surroundings – there were some stunning views.

It was a lovely, sociable ride with the added interest of a treasure hunt to follow – I do love looking out for clues!  We even had a barbecue waiting for us when we got back which was just wonderful.  Of course, as we hadn’t started riding until nearly seven, it was getting dim by this point and it was properly dark when we got the horses home.  In a way that just added to the excitement though.  I had a fantastic time and I can’t wait for the next ride!

Speedy Pony

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Now that I’m home again it is lovely to be spending more time with the ponies.  It is good just having them to talk to but of course I am appreciating the riding as well.

The big field up behind us has just had its hay crop cut which means we can now use it for riding.  It is very exciting and definitely livens up our hacks.  The ponies love it too!

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I always try to keep Galahad to just a steady canter the first time we have the field each summer.  In the past he has been known to get far too overexcited and just take off across the field and I don’t want him to get the idea that that is okay.  Speed is fun but I do like to know that I can stop if I want!

Once we’ve established who is in charge we can have fun and Galahad likes to go fast!

He only has little legs though so Equilab still thinks we’re trotting some of the time!

We have been having a great time – it is always good to get a new place to ride!

Equestrian Scotland

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I am just back from spending a week in Scotland, a place which I love.  I didn’t have much time with horses while I was up there but I did find these very cute ponies at the Highland Folk Museum (which is such a fascinating place to visit and I would highly recommend it if you are ever in the area).

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I was staying in Pitlochry and since I was so close I had to visit two very famous horses.

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They are of course not horses at all but kelpies and they are simply magnificent.  They are huge (the tallest equestrian sculpture in the world) and yet they are remarkably lifelike.

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We got to go inside one of them which was brilliant and the engineering involved is incredible.

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It was a great day and I was so glad we had made the trip.  I had a wonderful time for the whole week but it is always good to be back behind these ears again.

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A New School

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Galahad and I have recently received permission to use a small indoor school just up the road from us.  It’s not a full size arena but it is certainly big enough to do a little schooling.

The main reason I hoped to use it was so that we can still school even in the depths of winter – the fields are lovely but just a bit too slippery when it has been raining for weeks on end.  Of course, that isn’t an issue right now but I was too excited to wait until winter to try it out.  Besides, it is good for Galahad to explore new places.

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We had a lovely hack up the road, met the chickens and ventured into the school.  Galahad was slightly disturbed by the exercise ball – he’s never seen anything like it before – but was otherwise pretty unfazed.  No silly spooking or anything – he has come a long way!

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He did actually spook once but as that was when a chicken flew up onto the wall behind him I think it was forgivable.

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We had a good session in the school and then another lovely hack home again.  This is going to be a great addition to my riding.