Sorry for not blogging in a while, it’s been a mad whirl
wind of starting a new job shipping horses around the world, and having very
very busy weekends!
But alas, Autumn is setting in and it’s beginning to get
chilly. The grass season for Polo has ended so I’m back doing what I do, grooming
for my sister. I’m sure she’ll be happy seeing as I’ve hardly been around this
summer to help her. Bad sister award goes to me!
But while she’s away on holiday (i'm so jealous) she
asked me to ride Beanie and give him some exercise. Obviously, as I’m sure if
you’ve read my blog before, I don’t have my own horse. I’ve been very lucky to
be able to ride some friends horses and keep my riding skills up to scratch. Riding
this weekend got me wondering, do you ever really forget how to ride a horse,
or are the skills still inside your brain, but just a little rusty?
I went to Canada about 3 years ago now to ski, but when I
got back I made the decision I wanted to spend more time with my family, and in
doing that, get back into horse riding as Mum and G spent a lot of time with
horses. When I got back into the country, Georgie was super pregnant (nearly 8 months if I remember rightly) and her
horse Marcus needed riding so I got back on and having not jumped a horse in
years (and I mean years) I went cross country schooling. To my credit I didn’t
fall off and he went rather well.
Since then I’ve brushed up on a lot of my skills and
(modestly) I’m a pretty good rider, and have never forgotten all I’d learnt. I’ve
been lucky that friends have helped me brush up on stuff I haven’t had to do in
years like bandaging a horses legs, plait tails and such, which we’re in my
memory somewhere but could remember vaguely.
Anyway, back to riding on Saturday I got up at 6.30am and
got to the yard in the thick fog to ride B. Mum being a total worry mutton
insisted I just walk and a little trot, but being a person who is a bit
stubborn and head strong I ignored her and had a few canters and even jumped
some cross country jump.
B was such a good lad and loved going out for a ride. He was
very keen and having Boris the Irish sports horse for company, who really
strides out, he was in a great mood. Riding around Little Bradly in the fog
really was very beautiful. There rows of trees around the fields looked like a
giant army waiting to run at you at any moment! It was like riding around the
Shire a little bit, if only I was Hobbit sized to make it more realistic.
With the rain we’d had last week the ground was a bit wet in
places, but in others was absolutely spot on! The canters were just perfect, he
was a bit keen and wanted to canter fast but I kept him steady and he was a
good lad!
Nearing the end of the ride there was a row of logs and
cross country fences and I just couldn’t resist. I asked for a nice steady
collected canter, and with B going into jump mode locked on and knew his job.
We flew over and it felt so natural, bearing in mind I haven’t jumped in about
3 years we sailed over everything. I didn’t have to hold him back, he saw his
stride and took me. No messing with trying to tell him, he just seemed to know.
Hopefully at some point I’ll be able to get fitter and do a
round of cross country on him. He’s a bit of a tank at times as he is so strong
and willing but he’s just so genuine! So with home a mile or so away I washed
off his muddy legs, gave him his breakfast and let him fill out in the field in
the now sunny warm weather.
More riding please! Fingers crossed to the Thurlow ride next weekend. See you there?
S xo
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