I think this may have been the perfect weekend. I spent my Saturday
having a lay in, and then drinking bubbly and having a BBQ with my
riding buddy, our partners, and some other friends. The sun was hot, the
breeze was refreshing, the booze was cold, and the chat was fun. It was
an unbirthday celebration as it’s my friend’s birthday on Sunday.
Little did we know, that Sunday’s hack would end up as a smashing gift
too!
I arrived on the yard and people were already
in the office; I’d missed the early bus by 1 minute as the cash machine
was being slow, so had to wait 25mins on the bus that gets me there on
time. Trust the yard to actually not be running 15mins late the one time
I cut it fine! I listed 3 charges as potential rides: YO told me Abbie
was in the field, so she was resting ahead of our Common Ride tomorrow.
Finlay, Frankie’s son, had already been taken by someone else on the
hack. That left my 3rd horse – Fun Time Frankie, who I knew should be
free as she isn’t coming off either of the two Common Rides this week.
I
got on my little horse, and drank in the sunshine. I was put 3rd in the
snake because the horses in front were mares too, but my friend was
frustrated on the first canter behind me on the much faster Jeffry.
Thankfully there were no hints of Crankie today – she didn’t kick at a
single horse. In fact, the only time she bucked was going downhill
towards the river because the flies were at their worst there. I thought
she was going to launch me over her head and into the river at one
point, but today I actually would have been glad of it. It was about
23oC! Becoming 4th made much more sense, and was a more accurate
reflection of Frankie’s relative speed.
All in all,
Frankie was keen to go; she was doing the trick she pulled last week,
of assuming every time that I leant forward in walk or trot to avoid a
branch, that I was taking the light seat to go for a canter. She was
delightfully quick off the mark, though I really felt how much slower
she was today as the front three horses are some of the faster ones on
the whole yard. I was in charge of passing signals and things to the
slower, pony hack going on behind me, so I felt like I had my own little
hack going on at times! Frankie opened up on the farm trail though, and
it was a joy to be on her when she was letting rip, even if it was much
slower than the leaders. We also were supposed to do a collected canter
back down the path, which is a bit downhill. Frankie wasn’t keen on
containing herself, and proceeded to do a medium to fast canter and keep
up instead. She wouldn’t collect for me, so I let her maintain the pace
rather than hang off her mouth and argue (not what I would do in the
school, I have to say). I did feel a bit uncomfortable going at that
speed a bit downhill, but I knew it would be good for me with the Common
Rides in mind. As usual, I was of course find and in balance; I just
hated the feeling!
After the farm track, our ride
leader said there was no point in going near the railway line today –
given that it’s the hottest day of the year so far, it would be full of
walkers and cyclists. Instead, we were going to do some extra canter
work around the woods, gallop a field, and canter uphill past the fields
on the way home. It was a hot day for the horses to work so hard, but
gosh did I have Frankel Cob giving me what she could!
The
only real issue I had today was when Frankie tripped cantering downhill
in the woods at one point. If it hadn’t been for the gradient, she
would have been on her knees, and I’m not so sure that I would have
stayed on! Frankie also maintained her opinions about the best paths. I
never let her take me under heavy growth, but was happy to let her pick
the path within the guidelines that I set for her. I do have a lot of
scrapes to show for it though, as a lot of branches hit me. Everyone
else was in the same boat though, as the growing season seems to have
erupted since our hack last week. I just seemed to have worse luck with
the holly and bracken given the thorns I picked out of myself! Still, it
wouldn’t be a Frankie hack if you can back without a few leaves in your
hair, and a few scrapes to show for it. She did stay within my limits; I
have literally seen her peel off riders that give her the reins and
don’t steer her!
I also felt Frankie’s limit today.
Our last canter was the long, uphill run past the fields. I did
something I’ve never done before on Frankie, and we actually jumped a
log on the ground. Halfway up though, she ran out of steam. I pushed and
she tried, but after nearly 2hrs of hacking with more cantering than
usual and the hot, muggy air, my little cob was tired; the fact that she
doesn’t Common Ride told. I thanked her for trying though, and she did
trot at a speed that allowed those behind me to keep in canter. I felt
her give me everything she had, rather than just being lazy or naughty. I
wanted to get off her on the way back down in walk, and put her
straight in her field for being so good!
The
field we went into had been cut for hay, but hadn’t yet been bailed.
This left a broad, even strip around the edge of the field, about the
width of the race course on my Common Ride, but with much steeper
corners and some downhill sections. I was nervous, especially as the
last time I raced on a hack I fell off Jeffry, but I knew I was in safe
hands with Frankie, and that it would be a great warm-up for Common
Riding tomorrow. So in I went, Frankie grew a hand taller as soon as her
feet hit the grass, and off we tore in no time at all! (Gosh do I wish
I’d had my helmet cam on).
As before, the fast 3
horses at the front were tearing it up, and Frankie was leading the more
novice riders on their ponies. She motor-biked the corners, and I had
to wrestle to protect the hay. After a couple of corners of arguing, she
got the message though, and we were much smoother speeding around the
corners. I didn’t even flinch at going downhill: I felt so glued to her,
that it did not in-still the nerves in me that it often does. We were
however only meant to do one lap, but L changed her mind. I was slowing
Frankie down to canter from gallop when L kept going, allowing the
ponies behind to catch up. Frankie tore off into gallop again, actively
racing the horses around her, and going faster than I’ve ever been on
her. I held her back though – all 3 of the ponies around us go on Common
Rides, and I was worried about her over-exerting herself to win a
losing battle. We kept with two ponies for a few corners, and I was able
to keep her on-line while many of the others cut in. By the final
straight, we were last, and I pulled Frankie up into trot a little
early. She was foaming with sweat, and I didn’t need any more from her. L
put me straight back in front of the other ponies, and off we walked
toward home, me merrily holding onto the buckle to give her the freedom
to unwind. Frankie had been glorious, and I had enjoyed myself; I
genuinely felt hungry for tomorrow’s Common Ride, rather than more
nervous. I could scarcely have scripted it better!
Before
I knew it, it was time to head home. I got onto the yard, and sadly the
main water trough in the yard was empty; my plan had been to dismount
beside it and to let Frankie drink as soon as possible. I did however
get lots of quality time with Frankie though, as she was the last horse
taken into the stables. We cuddled, she gave me a minty kiss looking for
more polos, and was generally an absolute darling. She is very aloof
when in her own box, so it’s lovely to catch these moments with her when
she is happy to be fussed over. Her coat is also unbelievably soft; it
made for the most wonderful cuddles.
My friend and I
agreed that it was the best hack we had been on in quite some time: the
extra cantering, the field gallop, the small number of clients (6
instead of last week’s 13), the sunshine, the preparation for tomorrow’s
Common Ride… It was a wonderful morning, and a great birthday ride for
my friend. While I will inevitably be nervous tomorrow, especially
because neither me nor my friend know the route, I am genuinely buoyed
and excited. My biggest concern right now is the heat – 24oC in my
formal riding jacket. Ouch! I hope to blog about that, alive and not too
sunburned, later on in the week :)
In the meantime, thanks for reading, and hope you enjoy the sunshine every one!
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