Hacking

Learning to be a Pack Pony

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Our neighbours have just been away for a few days and while they were gone I volunteered to fill up their bird feeders.  The best way to do it seemed to be to use Galahad to transport the food.  It promised to be fun!

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We set off on our hack loaded with bird food and had a lovely ride up the hill, despite the fact that it was pouring with freezing cold rain.  Obviously I couldn’t take Galahad into the garden so I had to tie him to a nearby gate – I took some binder twine with me specially.

He waited very patiently while I went off to fill the feeders.  The poor thing got absolutely drenched and I was not thrilled about sitting on the saddle again afterwards!

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We had a great time and it was nice to have a purpose on our ride – I’d be quite happy to do it again!

Earning Our Keep

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Today has been somewhat blustery!  My ride with Cookster was rather interesting as  he regressed back to trying to nap for home and we had to have a discussion about which way to go!

I thought Galahad would be spooking all over the place but in actual fact he was very relaxed and well behaved.  There is a for sale sign on a field gate halfway up the hill and now Galahad knows it is there he is always prepared – he slows right down and stares very hard towards the gate so that as soon as it comes into view he is ready to spook.  Today, however, it wasn’t there – it had blown off and was lying on the other side of the lane.  Galahad kept looking for it on the gate though and it was only when the sign was right under his nose that he noticed it  and had a mini spook the other way.  It was hilarious.

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Galahad has also been earning his keep this week – we needed to move the ponies into a new field and he took me round to check the fences  and for poisonous plants and litter.  The field runs along a road and passing motorists seem to think it’s okay to throw their rubbish over the hedge so we have to keep a close eye on it.  At least it’s quite fun on a pony!

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Adventuring

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This morning dawned beautifully foggy but once it cleared it was a simply glorious day so Galahad and I went exploring.

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We couldn’t get along a lane which was blocked with a van but had permission to ride in some new fields which was very exciting – we don’t often have new places to ride.  These fields are incredibly steep but are shelved, making handy tracks to ride along.  They can be a bit unnerving though – I was very aware that one spook could send us down the hillside.

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Nevertheless, we were having a lovely time.  It was wonderful to be out hacking again after a long week at work and we were very much enjoying ourselves in the sunshine.  Then this happened.

I somehow failed to duck properly under the tree and a branch caught me round the face.  I genuinely thought I was going to be pulled off backwards – I stayed on but I have some very impressive scratches which look rather like cat whiskers.  They are just a bit sore too!

Things got even more exciting on our way home.  I stupidly let go of Galahad when I was closing the gate back onto our land – it’s an awkward gate which needs two hands.  Galahad thought it would be a great idea to canter home and caused great consternation when he arrived with reins and stirrups flying but no rider.

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All in all, it was a lovely ride but I was quite glad to be home!

A Wintry Jolly

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As I mentioned last week, the ponies have been spending a few days away.  On Sunday I was meant to be taking my dog to an agility competition but it was cancelled due to the snow.  Of course I was disappointed but I took the chance to go out on a longer hack with some people from the yard.

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Although the roads were mostly clear of snow there were still some nasty icy patches so we spent a lot of time playing follow my leader to ensure we all stayed on the safe path.  It was rather an exciting adventure really!

We had two lovely long canter tracks to enjoy – which Galahad did very much!  One of them was a little stony so he kept wanting to duck onto the verge to save his feet but otherwise he was bounding along.

In fact, I was very much impressed with him.  Normally on longer rides he can start to fall behind the bigger horses and we do a lot of jogging to keep up.  This time though he was full of beans the whole way round and kept up beautifully.

He did get very warm though and needed a wash down afterwards.  We borrowed a lilac headcollar which although slightly big I thought was rather fetching.

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We had a fabulous ride and finished it off with tea and cake.  What could be better?

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Riding in a Winter Wonderland

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We have been having a proper wintry week.  The snow started for us on Tuesday, we had some heavy snow showers on Wednesday and a proper snowstorm on Thursday night.  Everything is very icy as well but I was pretty disappointed that the snow at home was mostly very wet and didn’t always settle properly.

However, I have been out and about this week as the ponies went away to my instructor’s yard for a few days.  The yard is high enough above us for the snow to have settled much more than it did at home.  In fact, I was worried they would be snowed in and the ponies wouldn’t be able to go at all.

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Luckily, the roads weren’t that bad and the ponies were duly collected on Wednesday.  I have had a fantastic few days playing in  the snow.  Thursday was the best day though – a heavy snowfall was forecast for the afternoon so I decided to ride nice and early.  Driving over to the yard the roads were pretty clear so I fully intended to take Galahad out for a hack.  First though, I had to school Cookster.

The school was excitingly snowy when we started and before long a few flakes of snow were falling, just to add interest.  Those few flakes increased and suddenly we were in a proper snowstorm.  It was really rather lovely.

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I’m not sure how much Cookster appreciated it but I certainly did – everything was so beautiful!  Even better, my riding skirt was getting a proper use too.

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Of course, I couldn’t very well take Galahad out on the roads in weather like that so we stuck to the school too, although – annoyingly – the snow had stopped by the time I got on him.  Not that the roads would have been safe anyway!

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I know the snow causes all sorts of problems but I can’t help enjoying it!

Exciting Hacking

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This morning my sister and Cookster joined Galahad and I for a very exciting hack indeed.  Partway up the hill I got off to replace the lid on a pheasant feeder.

 

 

 

I found there was a mouse trapped inside it and although I’m sure it was very happy with all the food, I couldn’t just leave it there.  That meant I had to rescue it which was much easier said than done – it was not at all keen on being caught!

I had to stick my whip in the hole at the bottom to stop it hiding in the actual feeder part!

Further up the lane we stopped to look at the sheep when a pheasant ambushed us from the hollow tree right by Galahad’s head.  I was very impressed by how little he spooked but apparently Cookster’s heart rate noticeably increased.

We did have fun!

Winter Chills and Signs of Spring

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Galahad and I made full use of the whole twelve days of Christmas – we have been wearing our Christmassy outfits all week.

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On New Year’s Day we went for a hack with my sister and Cookster, then came back to wassail the apple trees.  This is something we do every year, although the ponies don’t often get to join in.  They definitely appreciated the apples!

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Yesterday was our last Christmassy ride and we had a lovely time, pootling along the lanes which were, for the most part, nice and quiet.

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We had a couple of stops along the way – we met some new friends.

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We admired the view and we even spotted a few signs of spring.

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It was a perfect day – sunny but with a chill in the air.  Wonderful.

New Toys

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My riding since Christmas has been enlivened by a new toy – I was very lucky to receive an action camera and have been having great fun playing with it.

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The quality is not quite what it should be as I had managed to miss one of the protective films over the lens!

I have also been experimenting with the camera angle – I thought I had it more or less right, although perhaps it could do with being a little higher.  Then we tried cantering.

Some work to be done there I think!

I have had so much fun playing with it though and I am very much looking forward to using it on more of our rides.

In other news, the dog has also been enjoying her Christmas present.

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She is now much cosier when I am out riding!

Delivery Ponies

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This week it was time for our annual pony post delivery of Christmas cards.  We had to leave it quite late in the day so we almost – but not quite – ran out of light.  It was just an added bit of adventure for us!

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We had a lovely time wending our way along the lanes with our tinsel and festive hats.

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It is such a joy to be able to do it – when I was a child I watched my instructor’s daughter deliver their cards on horseback and it is so wonderful to do the same myself.

Autumn Rambles

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The ponies being away for a few days doesn’t just give me a chance to use the school.  We also get to explore some different hacking routes which is always a nice change.

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The other day I arrived a bit late but I had been looking forward to my hack and the sun was still a little way off setting so I decided I could get out as long as I was super quick getting ready.  I was soon on and we set off up the drive – me giving firm instructions that we would be walking nice and fast and trotting as much as possible.

At first Galahad was not impressed but before too long he decided it was quite fun after all.  In fact, I’d wound him up so much that he didn’t really want to walk at all and thought that canter would be much more fun than trotting.  He had a whale of a time!

I was not quite so convinced but it did the job – we got home before it was too dark!

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